Iowa Travel
Hardin County Settlement -- National Register of Historic Places Hardin County, Iowa Travel Itinerary
Early western pioneers traveled west both by land and river. Possible land routes included Forbe's Road, the most important link between New England and the Ohio Valley, as well as the first national highway later known as the National Road (now U.S. Route 40). Begun in Cumberland, Maryland , in 1806, the planned route was intended to stretch to St. Louis, Missouri. Due to a national financial crisis in 1837, the terminus became Vandalia, Illinois--then the state capital--but the National Road succeeded in bringing many settlers to Indiana and Illinois. The Ohio River was an important river route, while the Great Lakes were advantageous for passage from the Mid-Atlantic, New England, and Canada. These pioneers arrived in Green Bay, Wisconsin, or Chicago, Illinois, where they could secure teams of wagons for the overland route--a trip that took from six to eight days, with fares ranging from six to 25 dollars. ... [Read More]
Preservation and Conservation -- National Register of Historic Places Hardin County, Iowa Travel Itinerary
One of the results of this travel itinerary project is a renewed commitment within the communities of Hardin County to research, document, and nominate more historic places to the National Register of Historic Places. Many towns in the county collaborated on this project because they are keenly aware of the benefits of historic preservation to their quality of life in the "Heart of the Heartland." Residents of Iowa Falls have been particularly active in local preservation efforts during the past few decades. The Iowa Falls Historic Preservation Commission was established in 1986. A newcomer to Iowa Falls, Don Clark, organized the commission, and later became Mayor. The Commission received a grant from the State of Iowa in 1989 for an intensive survey of the town's commercial districts. The result of this survey was a Multiple Property Submission through which nine properties in Iowa Falls were listed in the National Register of Historic Places. One hundred forty-four other properties ... [Read More]
National Register Travel Itinerary Highlights Hardin County, Iowa’s Historic Past
As part of the Department of the Interior's strategy to revitalize communities by promoting public awareness of history and encouraging tourists to visit historic places throughout the nation, the National Register of Historic Places is cooperating with communities, regions and Heritage Areas throughout the United States to create online travel itineraries. Using sites listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the itineraries help potential visitors plan their next trip by highlighting the amazing diversity of the country's historic places and supplying accessibility information for each featured site. Hardin County, Iowa is the 12th of more than 30 organizations working directly with the National Register of Historic Places to create travel itineraries. Itineraries for such destinations as Lexington, Kentucky, and Santa Clara County, California, will debut later this year, with many more to follow. ... [Read More]
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