Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway Central

Road Trip Iowa | Episode

Jun 4, 2025 | 27 min

Travel the central portion of Iowa's Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway from Marshalltown to Boone County. Discover tranquil landscapes, historical institutions and epic outdoor adventures along the way.

Transcript

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On this episode of Road Trip Iowa --

I am proud of this place.

We're traveling the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway. From Marshalltown to Boone County, we discover organic allure.

You'll have everything from purples and pinks, yellows, oranges.

And culinary classics.

Enjoy dinner, guys!

With some epic outdoor adventures along the way.

This is beautiful! Wow!

Isn't it gorgeous?!

Next, on Road Trip Iowa!

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Kwik Star is proud to be a part of Iowa communities across the state. Family owned for over 50 years, we're dedicated to treating our guests, employees and communities as we would like to be treated.

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Musco Lighting is an Iowa company that travels across the U.S. and to more than 125 countries to light community recreation fields, stadiums, airports, monuments and more. While our reach is global, we're committed to our local communities.

The Gilchrist Foundation, founded by Jocelyn Gilchrist, furthering the philanthropic interests of the Gilchrist family in wildlife and conservation, the arts and public broadcasting and disaster relief.

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[Brooke Kohlsdorf] From Times Square to the San Francisco Bay, the Lincoln Highway has carried travelers across this great land for over a century. This road passes through 13 Iowa counties, connecting 43 communities over 460 miles. Today, we're traveling from Marshalltown to Boone. Let's review our itinerary.

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[Kohlsdorf] We'll tour a garden where nature's beauty blossoms. Wet our appetite at a barbeque landmark in Ames. Tour an innovative and artistic university campus. And we'll ride the rails high above the Des Moines River Valley.

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[Kohlsdorf] But first, order up! We begin in Marshalltown where an Iowa original has been served up hot and fresh for nearly 100 years.

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[Sandy Short] We are in Taylor's Maid-Rite in Marshalltown, Iowa. We've been in this building since 1958. Maid-Rite started across the street in 1928. We're the oldest Maid-Rite still owned by the original family, which makes me very happy. My grandparents, Cliff and Emma Taylor, started it.

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[Sandy Short] A Maid-Rite is a loose meat hamburger and people outside of Iowa probably don't know what it is, a lot of them. So, we say it's a sloppy Joe without the sloppy.

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[Marc Rozak] It's like the best food joint in Central Iowa, absolutely. If it's not Maid-Rite, it's made wrong.

[Sandy Short] We grind our meat fresh every day.

Yeah, fresh every day. We grind every morning.

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[Sandy Short] Bring it up, cook it in a cast iron cooker you can see behind me.

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[Marc Rozak] Something about the steam table that makes everything perfect.

[Sandy Short] When they moved over here, they had bought a new cooker and the meat didn't taste the same. So, they ended up going across the street, getting the old one and putting it in over here. That's the original one, yeah, cast iron.

A lot of meat, 400 to 450 is a lot for a normal day. So, special occasions, 500, 600 pounds.

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[Sandy Short] Mustard, onion and pickle. We added cheese I don't know how many years ago. And we now have this.

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[Marc Rozak] It's all about the original style. Everybody kind of changed it. They started adding ketchup now and cheese. It's like nah, I'm okay without that. I keep it original.

[Sandy Short] We want them to go out with full tummies. Our Maid-Rites and malts are wonderful. All of them are wonderful except vanilla. Why wouldn't you be a little more brave than vanilla?

(laughs)

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[Sandy Short] Maid-Rites are an Iowa icon that everybody should experience at least once in their lives. So many of our customers say, I've not been back for two years or four years or whatever, but I had to come and get a Maid-Rite.

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[Sandy Short] I am proud of this place and that we've had it all these years and our wonderful help that has kept it open. We're an institution and I'm so proud of that.

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[Kohlsdorf] Welcome to the rose capital of Iowa, where nature's beauty and small-town charm come together at this hidden gem in the middle of the state.

[Harlan Quick] In November of 1958, State Center was designated by the Iowa Rose Society as the rose capital of Iowa and it still is today.

[Kohlsdorf] With dozens of varieties of roses, this garden is a testament to the town's deep-rooted love for these timeless flowers.

[Harlan Quick] My wife's favorite ones are yellow because that's what I got her for our anniversary.

[Kohlsdorf] This glorious garden offers much more than just fragrant flowers.

[Harlan Quick] The rose garden also has the all veterans memorial and in the corner of the rose garden there is a Lincoln Highway marker that was placed. There is a stage. There is a brick walkway, which includes memorial bricks and commemorative bricks of former rose queens.

[Kohlsdorf] The rose queens are crowned each year at the annual Rose Garden Festival, an event that had become a signature celebration of history, community and, of course, roses.

[Harlan Quick] For State Center it gives us an identity and it gives us recognition across the state of Iowa. We're located in a nice location in the center of the state, so it's an easy trip.

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[Kohlsdorf] Next, we're headed back to school for a visit to a picturesque campus that is defined by its agricultural roots.

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[Kohlsdorf] Nestled in the heart of Ames, Iowa State University is more than just a campus. It's a community, a legacy and a launch pad for leaders, thinkers and doers.

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[Kohlsdorf] But, it is also a must stop for travelers along the Lincoln Highway that blends history, modernism and charm.

[Angie Hunt] Iowa State was founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricultural College and model farm. And so, much of the campus actually operated as a working farm to demonstrate the science behind agriculture.

[Kohlsdorf] Iowa State later became one of the first in the nation coed land grant institutions and changed its name in the 1950s to Iowa State University of Science and Technology.

[Angie Hunt] And that name really emphasizes and speaks to the innovation that is happening here on campus. It's really a part of the university's DNA. We take a lot of pride in that history of innovation. And for folks walking across campus, they will see displays, they'll see signs that really are highlighting some of those historical landmarks and moments and also our mission as a land grant institution in making education accessible to all.

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[Kohlsdorf] Take a stroll around campus and you will find a blend of classic charm, modern touches and natural scenery. Start at Lake LaVerne and wind your way through campus passing by Memorial Union, the Marston Water Tower, Lagomarcino Hall and a collection of over 2,500 pieces of public art.

[Angie Hunt] The Fountain of Four Seasons by Christian Petersen is probably one of the most iconic pieces on our campus. It was rededicated in 2024 after the original maidens were replaced. And it's just a beautiful gathering place, a nice place to sit and take in the Campanile, which of course is a landmark here on campus, hard to miss.

[Kohlsdorf] The 125-year-old campanile stands 110 feet tall and holds 50 bells on top.

[Angie Hunt] Every day during the week our carillonneur Tin-Shi Tam or one of her students will climb to the top of that tower and perform a 20-minute midday concert. And it chimes every 15 minutes as well.

(campanile bells)

[Angie Hunt] It's a favorite of many Iowa Staters and just a beautiful landmark to enjoy.

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[Angie Hunt] The Iowa State Center is probably one of the first things people see as they're coming to campus. The center includes Jack Trice Stadium, Hilton Coliseum, Stephens Auditorium, Fisher Theater and the Scheman Building, which is home to the Brunnier Art Museum. And so, especially in the fall on a football Saturday there is a lot going on. The lots are just packed. It is a sea of cardinal and gold. Cyclone fans really come out to support the team, enjoy tailgating, enjoy the game.

(crowd cheering)

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[Angie Hunt] I think we have beauty in all four corners and all four seasons of our campus. You can really pick any point on campus, go for a stroll and I think you're going to be impressed. You will not be disappointed with the beauty you see here on our campus.

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[Andrew Gogerty] We're at Reiman Gardens in Ames, Iowa. Reiman Gardens is a 17-acre botanical garden located right in Central Iowa on the campus of Iowa State University. And we are in Sycamore Falls. This is the newest section of Reiman Gardens.

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[Andrew Gogerty] Reiman Gardens has over 6,000 plants. We have 27 different themed garden spaces.

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[Ed Moran] Right now we are in the Jones Rose Garden. This is one of the original gardens that was part of our first phase of development here at the gardens. It features a mix of landscape and shrub roses that are appropriate for the Iowa landscape. I would say our mission here is to highlight the natural beauty of plants and animals and butterflies, whether that be inside or outside, trying to bring that to life, bring that mission of Reiman Gardens literally to life here.

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[Nathan Brockman] Right now we're in the Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing, which is a 2,500 square foot facility where we fly at any given time about 800 individuals and of that 80 different species.

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[Nathan Brockman] The butterfly wing is an amazing space. It is like a trip to a tropical paradise any time. So, three feet of snow outside and warm tropical paradise in here. You're not going to find anything else like this in Iowa.

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[Andrew Gogerty] For the months of June, July and August are really our peak garden months here at Reiman Gardens. It's when you start to see the most plants and flowers blooming. You'll have everything from purples and pinks, yellows, oranges, green, tons of green all around us. And one of the great things about Reiman Gardens is that it changes every day. Every day I come out here I see something new. It's a very serene, quiet, peaceful place. So, some people come here to reflect, just to think, just to get away from the hustle and bustle of life in the world.

[Jane Pattle] I really like the pond back there. It's the Lake Helen Pond, I think. That was lovely. Yeah, we just sat by that and had a little snack and just enjoyed the view.

[Andrew Gogerty] One of the things that makes Reiman Gardens unique is that it doesn't take a full day to visit here. Most people spend 2 to 3 to 4 hours here and then they can hit another site along Lincoln Highway whether it's the Iowa Arboretum with their treehouses exhibit or whether it's the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad. So, you can do multiple stops in one day right here in Central Iowa.

[Jane Pattle] We're on a road trip, so we arrived in Chicago about ten days ago, just lovely. It's really nice. People are very friendly, everyone chats to you and stuff like that. And the countryside is beautiful.

[Andrew Gogerty] It's a great, easy, accessible location for anyone who is traveling along Highway 30, Lincoln Highway. It's an easy stop just to make and it is just a striking entrance to the university and to Ames in general. It's an easy day trip. It's a great place for a staycation.

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Come on in!

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[Kohlsdorf] Our next stop takes us to a culinary landmark that has been serving up smiles and filling up stomachs for over 50 years, Hickory Park.

[Tracy Drury] We've always been described as generous portions with modest prices.

I have a pork sandwich on a wheat bun with coleslaw.

[Rebecca Williams] Good food. Great service. Good atmosphere.

[Greg Jensen] Lots of food. Lots of atmosphere and friendly people. Just a good, good place to be.

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[Kohlsdorf] Hickory Park serves anywhere from 15,000 to 17,000 people a week and that doesn't even include the catering. And the menu? It's loaded.

[Tracy Drury] We have all the items that come from the smokehouse. You've got your tri-tip beef, your pork, ham, turkey is amazing. We've got the chicken, our baked beans, we've got of course our ribs. We've got a huge menu section for just burgers. Just something for everybody.

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[Rebecca Williams] I love their homemade sausage. I've had it that way and I've had it in their sandwich where they dice it up and put cheese on it. It's really good.

[Kohlsdorf] And, don't forget dessert. Hickory Park's ice cream creations are legendary.

[Tracy Drury] Every kid gets a scoop of ice cream included with their meal and that kind of helps the adults say, well I can't just watch you eat ice cream, I'm going to have some too.

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[Kohlsdorf] Hickory Park isn't just a restaurant. It's an Ames institution. The warm, family friendly atmosphere keeps patrons returning making it a cherished gathering spot in the community.

[Tracy Drury] I do believe a lot of the community feels it's their own, knowing so much about it, so much about the history. We include a lot of Ames history within the building.

[Rebecca Williams] I remember when the first one opened like back in '70, something like that, when I was just graduating from high school.

[Tracy Drury] We see a lot of the same faces, a lot of the same regulars, which is great and we see a lot of new faces.

[Greg Jensen] This is about the third time we've been here. We try to make a stop here when we come through.

[Kohlsdorf] Whether you're a local or a traveler on the Lincoln Highway, a visit to Hickory Park is a must for everyone.

[Tracy Drury] It's a unique experience. It's great food. It's just a must stop.

Enjoy dinner, guys!

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[Kohlsdorf] We've pulled off in Boone to get off the Lincoln Highway and get on the rails for a different way to explore the Iowa countryside.

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[Kohlsdorf] Once the domain of the Fort Dodge, Des Moines and Southern Railroad, these tracks are now operated by the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad, a heritage line that has been preserving this section of train history since 1983.

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Go ahead and hold onto that brake for me if you could. We're going to pedal on forward.

[Kohlsdorf] We're starting our day with rail explorers for a front row seat to Central Iowa's rolling hills and fantastic fall colors.

[Kohlsdorf] And with the leaves changing, is this one of your favorite parts of the year?

[Taylor Rourke] Yes, yes. It's a very coveted time of the year. A lot of people always ask, so when is the best time to come for the leaves? And honestly you have no clue because it's Iowa weather. So, it could be at any point during October. So, yeah, it's gorgeous.

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[Kohlsdorf] Wow, these go fast.

[Taylor Rourke] Yeah, they do. So, my seat that I'm in right now it's called our stop and go seat. So, it controls our pedal assist. We have our REX propulsion system. So, if I pedal it's going to engage that motor. But if you pedal it will help propel the bike forward, but you're going to get a workout if I'm not doing my job over here.

[Kohlsdorf] Okay, I'm glad you're here then.

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[Kohlsdorf] I bet this has really changed the way people see and come to Boone, right?

[Taylor Rourke] Yes, we brought over last year over 30,000 people came to ride with us. So, we brought a lot of different people to the area and we really try to push for people to go and do other things in Boone.

[Kohlsdorf] One of the highlights of the rail ride is the 750 foot long, 156-foot-high Bass Point Creek High Bridge.

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[Taylor Rourke] And then yep, right up here we're going to come up to the high bridge. So, as soon as we turn over here it's there.

[Kohlsdorf] Riders crossing the bridge will find breathtaking, panoramic views of the valley and experience the thrill of soaring high above the creek below.

[Taylor Rourke] Just keep on over there.

[Kohlsdorf] That's right, just keep looking ahead, right?

[Taylor Rourke] Keep looking ahead. You've got it.

[Kohlsdorf] Ooh, okay. We can do this.

[Taylor Rourke] We're going to go slow, okay? So just don't look down if you don't want to.

[Kohlsdorf] Okay, I'm not. I'm just going to keep going. Okay, you're right, this isn't so bad.

[Taylor Rourke] No, it's not because the deepest part is just right at the end because there's a lot of trees. So, it makes you feel like it's not as far down.

[Kohlsdorf] You're right. Okay, this is not so bad. This is beautiful. Wow!

[Taylor Rourke] Isn't it gorgeous?

[Kohlsdorf] This is one of those truly beautiful unique Iowa experiences right here.

[Taylor Rourke] Well, we're the only ones that, and even in the Midwest we don't have anything like this in the Midwest, it's just us. So, we like to joke that we are the rail bike capital of the Midwest.

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[Kohlsdorf] And you are.

[Taylor Rourke] We are.

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[Kohlsdorf] Taylor, thanks for taking us out today. Tell us a little bit about rail explorers.

[Taylor Rourke] Of course, rail explorers has been around since 2015. The Boone, Iowa location is one of seven. We have everybody from all different ages, all different abilities that could come out and experience this beautiful track that we have here.

[Kohlsdorf] What are the kind of reactions that you hear from people who have done this?

[Taylor Rourke] We have a lot of people that say that they want to come back and ride with us at a different time of the season or different time of our tour. So, we have several different tours throughout the day. We have our morning tours, we have afternoon tours, we have our sunset tours and then our last tour that we do of the day is our lantern tours.

[Kohlsdorf] And I love how you encourage people to explore Boone when you're doing this, right? Don't just stop here, but go to the other places as well.

[Taylor Rourke] Yes, Boone County has a lot to offer around here, especially for those outdoor enthusiastic people.

[Kohlsdorf] Okay, I'm a little bit afraid of heights. So, what do you tell people as you're going over this or preparing to go over this bridge?

[Taylor Rourke] Yes, so we always recommend that people pick a spot right out in front of them and just continue looking at that spot. But really once you're out on the bridge it is so picturesque, a lot of people will come back to the depot and they're just so excited that they had overcome their fear of going across the bridge and we celebrate with them as well. So, it's a pretty great experience for sure.

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[Kohlsdorf] After a morning cruise peddling the rails, it's time to sit back and relax.

All aboard!

Say hi!

[Kohlsdorf] On a vintage railcar and locomotive ride operated by the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad Museum.

[Travis Stevenson] It's a museum but it's an operating museum. So, we have train rides and within that there's steam engine, there's diesel engines, there's electric trolley. We've got the rides, special events and then we have the museum, which we're standing in here, which gives a lot of history of railroading in Iowa.

Riding the train today, huh?

[Kohlsdorf] I am.

[Travis Stevenson] The train ride goes out into the Des Moines River Valley from Boone. It's about a 14-mile roundtrip ride.

Well, I think we're all full.

[Travis Stevenson] You get to go across the High Bridge and then the Des Moines River Bridge near the Y Camp. This time of year, it's great for fall colors. A little bit of everything.

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[Train Conductor] How's everybody doing today?

[Passengers] Good!

[Train Conductor] I've got a question for you guys. Is this the best train ride you've had all day?

[Passengers] Yeah!

[Train Conductor] I still got it, don't I?

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[Kohlsdorf] Do you kind of feel like people like this because it's a little bit of nostalgia and it takes them back in time?

[John Dawkins] I tell everybody that the museum is the inside museum and out here is the outside museum. This stuff, some of this stuff you can't find anywhere else.

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[Travis Stevenson] This is unique because there's some other museums in Iowa, railroad museums, but there's not one that has got the train ride to the extent that we have and then also this big of a museum space.

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[Travis Stevenson] If you're going across the Lincoln Highway, this through here is part of the history too. I mean, the railroads in Iowa were kind of what built the state.

[Train Conductor] Hey everybody, I want to thank you for coming. I hope you had a good time. Have a safe trip home and a nice evening.

[Passenger] Thank you!

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[Kohlsdorf] Travelers can find their next big adventure just a few miles down the Lincoln Highway. Welcome to Seven Oaks Recreation.

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[Kohlsdorf] Seven Oaks is known as one of the best ski resorts in Iowa. But the excitement during the summer months -- revolves around the guided canoeing -- kayaking and tubing tours down the Des Moines River.

[Joel Bryan] I think the vision has just always been to offer a family friendly, affordable, outdoor recreation opportunity. We've really always known our bread and butter is going to be the ski season, skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing. We got into canoeing and kayaking several years ago and then brought river tubing on. And the Des Moines River is a great place for that.

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[Joel Bryan] You're literally going to be in the Des Moines River Valley with just beautiful scenery with trees and bluffs. And so, it truly is unique to Central Iowa. You get that real outdoors feel.

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[Joel Bryan] We try to make sure that it is easy for a person to learn the sports of what we offer. There's so much to do right here on the Lincoln Highway that it doesn't have to be just be a day trip. You can make it a full weekend or a full week in this area pretty easy and do something every day. It takes us all to constantly tell people Boone County is cool so come on out!

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[Kohlsdorf] The Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway stretches from the Mighty Mississippi all the way to the Missouri River making this drive one of the best ways to see our state.

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[Kohlsdorf] We visited an original sandwich shop that is made just right. Wandered through a colorful living mosaic at Reiman Gardens. Drifted down the Des Moines River with Seven Oaks Recreation. And found a different way to travel on the Boone and Scenic Valley Rail Lines.

[Kohlsdorf] From river to river, the Lincoln Highway continues to connect Iowa communities. So, pull up a map and plan your road trip today. For more on the history, culture and landscapes along Iowa's scenic byways, join us next time on Road Trip Iowa.

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Kwik Star is proud to be a part of Iowa communities across the state. Family owned for over 50 years, we're dedicated to treating our guests, employees and communities as we would like to be treated.

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