Winterset Iowa

 June 3 2023 Saturday

We left the state of Missouri today, following our usual no interstate travel preference. I must say I was impressed with Missouri, There are beautiful farms all along the route we took, and they all look well maintained and prosperous. These are millionaire farmers; I doubt any of them need farm aid from Willie Nelson.

As of June 4

We enjoyed looking at the Missouri landscape so much we were surprised when we got to the Iowa border. I just got a glimpse of the sign when we went by, we didn’t go back for a picture. The secondary road state border signs aren’t much to look at anyhow.

I forgot to mention in the text, Iowa has a lot, I mean an awful lot of dusty gravel roads!

 

Iowa was decidedly different, the terrain changed almost immediately at the border. While not mountains, the land was no longer flat like Missouri. The rolling hills where too big for planting so most were wooded and some were pasture land. Later on in today’s journey the land flattened enough that it could be worked and the landscape quickly turned to farming. 

The American Gothic by Grant Wood.

We detoured to the town of Eldon, home to the American Gothic House. It is the home behind the farmer couple in Grant Wood’s 1930 painting he called “American Gothic”. The house is now preserved by the American Gothic Center, which has a visitor’s center adjacent to the 1881 house. 

Our version.

Visitors are encouraged to don garments and reproduce their own American Gothic parody photo in front of the house.  It was a hoot and we had more fun than we thought we would. The American Gothic photo is the most parodied painting ever, surpassing even Mona Lisa.

Millie's favorite!

Another interesting tid-bit about the painting, it was not painted on location. The artist was only there once to sketch the house. He finished the work at his studio in Cedar Rapids Iowa. The farm couple was not present for the sketch in Eldon. The models portraying the farm couple were actually Wood’s sister and his dentist. And here’s the rest of the story, they did not pose together and in fact never met in person until ten years later.

Welcome Home Soldier Memorial

We encountered a totally unexpected Memorial Garden in the middle of the Iowa countryside on our way to our next stop in Winterset. Its purpose is to honor all veterans, living or deceased. It's very impressive and thought provoking. It is for individuals who served and not for specific military units; it does have a few memorials to conflicts. The Vietnam Memorial has this quote.

We were the best America Had

Brothers who fought without America’s support

Brothers who returned without a welcome

Brothers who will always be the best America had

While I agree with the first line, I really wish they would stop with the “I never had a parade” stuff. It is time to forget any perceived injustices and get on with living. Life is too short to dwell on the negative.

The 8 acre memorial is located just west of Albia, Iowa on highway 36.

Moving along we soon reached our next stop on the Great Summer Road Trip. Our campground in Winterset Iowa is very nice. It is city owned and right next to a beautiful city park. We have a full hook up site (#31), cost is $22 a night.

Winterset Iowa city park campground.

In the afternoon we heard a live band in the adjacent day use section of the city park. We wandered over to listen to the band. When we got to the pavilion it was obvious this was not city sponsored entertainment, so we took a seat at a picnic table under a huge walnut tree and within ear shot of the band. 

Party at the pavilion. 

The situation at the pavilion was, there was nobody in it except the band and one Downs syndrome challenged young girl. The gathering of about 100 people was in groups at picnic tables and lawn chairs in an area outside the pavilion. None of the people present paid the least bit of attention to the band. Undaunted the band played on and the little girl in the white party dress twirled and swayed to the music.

Of course Millie and I soon began speculating on what exactly was going on. A wedding, no they were underdressed. A class reunion, no there was too big a spread in ages. A company party, possibly. A family reunion, maybe. The only thing we were sure about is they were not big music lovers. 

The band played on!

Finally I told Millie, I’m just going to go ask one of them what’s up! One 30ish male separated himself from his group to play catch with a young boy. Or maybe he just had to pass gas! Anyhow, I just walked up and asked who they were and what they were doing. 

Turns out he was a pleasant young man and touted the story of his father in law’s 70th birthday celebration. About half the crowd was his large extended family and the rest were former students or staff at the local high school. He had been a teacher, basketball coach and I’m sure a mentor too many of the town’s youth.

He never did say why they don’t like music!