Muscatine, Iowa was the pearl button manufacturing center of the world in the early 1900s. The buttons were made from mussels harvested from the Mississippi River, which is why the city's riverfront today has a very tall statue of a clammer. I got there on a morning when the river was entirely hidden by a
Keokuk, Iowa on the Mississippi River About 70 miles north of Hannibal, Missouri, the Mississippi floodplain is bisected by a five-mile wide valley carved by the Des Moines River. South of the river is the State of Missouri; north is Iowa. It's a scenic area but not especially remarkable. The Missouri side
Horseshoe Bluff, Mines of Spain Rec Area Fall color is peaking right now along the Upper Mississippi River. Last week I suggested hiking at Turkey River Mounds south of Guttenberg, Iowa. Another place where you can usually enjoy good color with good views is the 1,400-acre Mines of Spain Recreation Area at Dubuque, Iowa,
Looking downriver from Turkey River Mounds Preserve There are many places to get a good view along the Upper Mississippi River, but the easiest ones are the most crowded. This fall, as you are looking for a moderately difficult hike that come with good views and few visitors, consider Turkey River Mounds State
If you asked me what you should do if you visit Burlington, Iowa, I would say “Hang out somewhere. Talk to people.” This would also be my advice for Grand Rapids (Minnesota), Alma (Wisconsin), and Fulton (Illinois), and many other places along the river, for that matter. These places don’t have the nightlife of Chicago
Can struggling river towns bounce back by looking within?
