Historic Buildings of Iowa logo in the trees to the left of the Historic General Dodge House in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Episodes

Clips

    ClipSeason1Episode106
    Built in the Beaux-Arts style by Andrew Carnegie in 1905, the former public library now houses one of the largest railroad museums in the United States.
    ClipSeason1Episode106
    Dating back to 1846, this historic neighborhood is home to the Ruth Anne Dodge Memorial, the Lincoln Monument and the Kinsman Monument.
    ClipSeason1Episode106
    Originally built in 1894 by the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company, the Hoff Family Arts and Culture Center includes a theater, rehearsal space, gallery, artist studios, classrooms, teaching kitchen and much more.
    ClipSeason1Episode106
    The Bregant House was built in 1912 for Vaudeville performers Jean and Inez Bregant.
    ClipSeason1Episode106
    The Pottawatomie County Jail, better known as the Squirrel Cage Jail, was built in 1885 and housed maximum security prisoners until its closure in 1969. This innovative, three-story rotary jail was designed for reduced contact between guards and inmates. Today, the county's historical society runs it as a museum.
    ClipSeason1Episode106
    Established in Council Bluffs in 1870, the Iowa School for the Deaf was a self-sustaining entity with its own farm, power plant and hospital. Today the institution continues to serve deaf and hard of hearing students from all over the Midwest.
    ClipSeason1Episode106
    Built in 1869, this historic Victorian was home to General Grenville Dodge, a Civil War veteran who was instrumental in connecting the United States with the first transcontinental railroad.
    ClipSeason1Episode104
    As Iowa's first city, Dubuque's city hall, jail and county courthouse have played an integral part in Dubuque residents' lives.
    ClipSeason1Episode104
    When the Great Depression devastated the entire country financially, it presented an opportunity for Dubuque to enhance its city park and develop "a city in a garden."
    ClipSeason1Episode104
    The Fenelon Place Elevator is the shortest and steepest funicular in the world.
    ClipSeason1Episode104
    Mathias Ham became one of Dubuque's first residents and spent 20 years building a beautiful estate.
    ClipSeason1Episode104
    The Millwork District was the industrial hub of Dubuque and today is finding a new way to enrich the community while preserving its hardworking history.
    ClipSeason1Episode104
    St. Luke's and Steeple Square tell the story of Dubuque's first non-native religion in this look at the city's oldest Catholic churches.
    ClipSeason1Episode102
    Brucemore Mansion traces a multi-generational story alongside Iowa history including railroads, meatpacking, as well as steel and iron.
    ClipSeason1Episode102
    The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art houses the hometown work of iconic American artist, Grant Wood.
    ClipSeason1Episode102
    The historic Louis Sullivan bank building found along the Cedar River was built in the early 20th century.
    ClipSeason1Episode102
    The National Czech and Slovak museum chronicles rich immigrant heritage.
    ClipSeason1Episode102
    The legendary Paramount Theatre began as a 1920s showcase for traveling performers, then a grand movie theater.
    ClipSeason1Episode102
    Resting on an island in the Cedar River, the Veteran's Memorial Building is a gathering place for generations of veterans and citizens.

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About the Show

Explore the architecture, history and culture of some of Iowa's most iconic buildings.