Geography of Iowa
During the new large parts of the Ice Age, central and northern Iowa were covered by glaciers. When those masses of ice receded (or melted), they left their mark across this land.
In north central Iowa, a large expanse of fertile land known as Des Moines Petal was once covered by the expansion of the Wisconsin Glacier. This is a very flat area that is punctuated by a scattering of gently rolling countryside. This area is known for being the most productive grain-producing land in the entire United States, and possibly the world. In addition to the south, the southern Drift Plains (prairie land to the west – forest to the east) cover about one third of Iowa.
- Allcitycodes: Provides map of area codes in Iowa by county and city.
- Ask4beauty: Introduction to the state of Iowa, addressing geography, history, politics, economy and population.
- Toppharmacyschools: Lists all educational institutes in Iowa, including psychology, biological science, clinical psychology, computer science, economics, fine arts, etc.
In the far northeast, an uplifted, deeply spiky base that overlooks the Mississippi River is called the Paleozoic Plateau. In the far west, the Loess Hills (or low mountains) stretch along much of the western border with Nebraska, then giving way to a 250-foot-high bluff that rises above the Missouri River. In addition to the north, in the hillscape of the Northwest Iowa Plains sits the state’s highest point.
The Mississippi and Missouri are Iowa’s most important rivers. The Mississippi rises northwest Minnesota, then flows south into the Gulf of Mexico, just below the city of New Orleans. It is a significant transportation artery, and when combined with its major tributaries ( the Missouri and Ohio Rivers) it becomes the third largest river system in the world at (2,339 miles) (3,765 km) in length.
The Missouri rises in southern Montana in the Rocky Mountains, first flowing north, then generally southeast through the heart of the United States, ending at the Mississippi River, just north of St. Louis, Missouri.
Many dozens of small lakes are scattered about the state, and additional rivers of note include the Cedar and Des Moines.
Iowa Famous Natives
People listed are almost always native to the state. We do (on occasion) include those who have either lived within the state for most of their adult lives or have made significant contributions to the state in their personal endeavors.
A
Actress Julie Adams
Written by Beth Streeter Aldrich
Actress Fran Allison
Adrian Constantine (Cap) Anson baseball player
Samuel Z. Arkoff film producer
Tom Arnold actor
B
Jack Bailey actor
Musician Bix Beiderbecke
Clifford Berry inventor
Earl Blackley Jr. screenwriter
Tommy Bolin singer
Nobel Peace Prize winner Norman Ernest Borlog, agronomist
Actress Lara Flynn Boyle
Neville Brand actor
Illustrated by Norman Breifogle
Bill Bryson author
Ellis Parker Butler author
C
MacDonald Carey actor
Wallace Hume Carathas inventor
Johnny Carson artist
Walter Cassel opera singer
Actress Virginia Christine
Dallas Clark football player
Christian Clemenson actor
William (Buffalo Bill) Cody Buffalo Hunter, entertainer, pony express rider
Stephen Collins actor
Chester Conklin actor
Gardner Coles Jr. Publisher
Roger Craig footballer
D
Written by Janet Daly
Bill Daily Actor
Inventor Lee DeForest
James “Jim” Doran football player
Tim Dwight footballer
Mamie Dood Eisenhower First Lady of the United States
E-F
James Ellison actor
Michael Emerson actor
Simon Estes opera singer
Actress Sharon Farrell
Actress Terry Farrell
Bob Feller baseball player
William Frawley actor
John Froelich inventor
G
Dan Gable lover wrestler
George Gallup statistician, Gallup public opinion poll, inventor
Written by Susan Glaspell
Frank Gotch wrestler
Fred Grandy actor
Charles Ernest “Chuck” Grassley politician
H
- James Norman Hall author
- Roy Halston fashion designer
- Rico Musician Hamma
- Radio presenter van Hardin
- Tom Harkin politician
- Hill Harper actor
- Ricky Hayward drummer, founding member of “A Little Feat”
- Chad Hennings footballer
- Dave Higgins actor
- Jerry Hilgenberg football player, coach
- Walter “Wally” Hiljenberg football player
- Written by Marjorie Holmes
- Herbert Hoover US President
- Lou Henri Hoover First Lady of the United States
- Actress Mary Beth Hurt
J-K
- Zack Johnson golfer
- Athlete Lori “Lolo” Jones
- Nate Keading football player
- McKinlay Cantor author, screenwriter
- Frank Keenan actor
- Corita Kent artist
- Neil football player Kinnick
- Ted Kooser poet
- Ashton Kutcher actor
L
- Columnist Ann Landers
- Actress Priscilla Lane
- Harry Langdon actor
- Rustin Larson poet
- Actress Cloris Leachman
- Willy Leacocks drummer
- Laura Leighton actress
- Environmentalist Aldo Leopolda
- Meridel LeSueur journalist
- John L. Lewis labor leader
- J. Lindquist educator
- Written by Joanna Land
