Useful Resources:

Iowa became the 29^th state on Dec 28^th 1846. Iowa is nicknamed the Hawkeye state after an Indian Chief Black Hawk.

Capital City: The capital city of Iowa is Des Moines and the state is surrounded by the following states Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Population: The states population is in excess of 2.9 million people based on the census of 2000.

Driving

Driver's license information, applications, testing requirements, driver's manuals and testing locations can all be found on the Iowa Department of Transportation's website under the Motor Vehicle Services section.

http://www.dot.state.ia.us/mvd/ods/

Economy- The main agricultural products include cattle and dairy products, soybeans, wheat, oats and corn. The main industries include food processing, electronics and chemical production.

State Bird: The state bird is the American Goldfinch which is very similar in appearance and habit to the European version of the same name. The Goldfinch is also the state bird of New Jersey and Washington. The American Goldfinch is known for its hardy nature and its distinctly colored plumage.

State Flower: The state flower is the Wild Prairie Rose which has characteristic whitish pink flower with yellow centers. The prairie Rose grows wild throughout the state.

State Motto: The state motto is "Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain".

Iowa – Interesting Facts

• Madison County's is famous for its bridges.
• Mamie Eisenhower was born in a little town called Boone, Iowa s and the family home is preserved for visitors to see.
• Herbert Hoover the 31^st president of the United States from 1929-1933 was born in West Branch, Iowa.

Famous Iowans

Many famous people have been born and raised in Iowa. These include actors, athletes, entertainers, and politicians. Arguable the most famous is the 31^st president of the United States, Herbert Hoover. Donna Reed the Oscar winning actress and Johnny Carson the later night entertainer are also from Iowa. John Wayne the famous actor who portrayed mainly cowboys in his movies also hails from Iowa.  Ann Landers the advice columnist and the baseball great Bob Feller also hail from this great state.