Weird facts about Iowa

source: http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/images/usa/iowa.jpg

Shelby Kramer
March 3, 2015

American film actor, director and producer John Wayne, was born in Winterset. In high school, he wrote for the newspaper under the byline“M.M.M,” because he aspired to be a sports journalist.

The Grotto of the Redemption, a religious monument in West Bend, is known as the “Eighth Wonder of the World.” It’s considered to be the world’s most complete man-made collection of minerals, fossils and shells. Its estimated value exceeds $4.3 million.

Iowa’s RAGBRAI stands for Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride and includes more than 10,000 riders.

“Field of Dreams”, a Kevin Costner baseball movie, was set in Dubuque.

The International World Food Prize Award is based in Des Moines. The award includes a $250,000 cash pot and recognizes achievements in food improvement and sustainability.

Iowa is the only state bordered by two major rivers.

Hogs outnumber humans 4 to 1 in Iowa, and with approximately 3 million people living in the state.

Iowa’s elevation changes 1,190 feet, from the low point of 480 feet above sea level to a high point of 1,670 above sea level. Compare this to other states, like Illinois, 956 feet elevation change, Florida, 345 feet and Indiana, 937 feet.

The 2010 census reports that:

– Iowa’s population is more than 3 million people

– Iowa’s population is about 1 percent of the entire U.S. population

– about 91 percent of the population is white

– a disproportionate share of the population is over age 65

– there’s a higher rate of homeownership than other states

– Iowa boasts a lower poverty level that other states

– there’s a higher proportion of high school graduates

– there’s also a higher proportion of veterans than average

– Iowa uses less than its per capita “share” of federal spending

– hogs outnumber Iowans by about 4 to 1

sources: