Iowa State Parks

This collection is based on an online exhibit, "A More Beautiful Iowa: Iowa's State Parks System," was was a physical exhibit displayed in the Iowa State University Library Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA) during the summer and fall semester of 2017. Celebrating the 100th anniversary of Iowa's state parks bill (passed in April 1917), which made Iowa's state parks system possible, the physical exhibit highlighted Iowa State's contributions to the state parks movement during the effort to establish state parks and the early years of their existence. Iowa State individuals played a major role in establishing the state park system, and the state of Iowa soon became a national leader in the state park movement. The online exhibit is divided into three main sections: History, People, and Parks. The history section describes the history of Iowa's state parks, covering their establishment, design, and the land they preserve. The section on people covers people from Iowa State who were involved during the early years of the state parks movement, as well as people from outside of Iowa State who were a part of the effort to establish a state park system. Also included are people who played a role in Iowa's history and are therefore reflected in park names. The parks section highlights three of Iowa's early state parks (Backbone, Dolliver, and Ledges), and contains a brief section on today's parks, including an interactive map.