The Big Creek Historical Society will host historian Michael Vogt on May 12, 2026, for a program exploring the pivotal role of Camp Dodge during World War I. Vogt, curator at the Iowa Gold Star Military Museum, will share the story of how Camp Dodge grew from a small National Guard camp into Iowa’s largest […]

Join Save Our Depot, Inc. in Red Oak on May 13, 2026 at 1 p.m. as Civil War historian O.J. Fargo explores Iowa’s role in the conflict from Fort Sumter to Appomattox. Drawing on his extensive research, Fargo highlights the everyday experiences of Iowa soldiers in the field, the struggles faced on the home front, […]

The Bondurant Community Library will host Darcy Maulsby on May 14, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. for a Humanities Iowa Speakers Bureau program. Maulsby takes audiences on a journey along the historic Lincoln Highway, better known today as Highway 30. Developed more than a century ago, the Lincoln Highway transformed travel in Iowa and across America. […]

Join the Bentonsport Improvement Association on May 16, 2026, for a one-man performance by Pete Grady, Unconditional Surrender: A Visit with Ulysses S. Grant. Through storytelling, period music, and historic images, Grady brings to life the Civil War general and 18th President of the United States. This engaging and insightful portrayal explores Grant’s military triumphs, his presidency, and his […]

Join the Iowa Rural Middle School Health Conference at the University of Iowa for Open Book, a dialogue-centered program that invites participants to reflect on history, culture, and civic life through conversations with culture bearers from their own communities. Program time and location TBA. This program is part of By the People: Conversations Beyond 250, a […]

O.J. Fargo dresses in full Union Army regalia and focuses the first person presentation on an individual Iowa soldier’s Civil War experience. After a brief overview of the state’s involvement, the audience is introduced to a returning Civil War veteran (played by O. J. Fargo). He will detail the experiences of an Iowan during the […]

Join the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Sioux City for “Iowa’s Ethnic Heritage: A Short History,” a presentation by John Liepa. Enjoy the unfolding and changing adventure of Iowa’s immigration history. Beginning with the Ioway, one of 17 distinctive indigenous tribal groups, we’ll trace chronologically who we are as Iowans. From Spanish explorers and French trappers, […]

Step into Iowa’s rich baseball history at this daylong public program hosted by the Hoyt Sherman Place Foundation. Featuring a free exhibition of historian John Liepa’s extensive collection of Iowa baseball memorabilia—spanning the 1850s to today—visitors can explore rare artifacts, historic photographs, and stories of Iowa’s early players and pioneers. Knowledgeable volunteers, authors, and baseball […]

Explore the shared history of baseball and international diplomacy. Join IRIS, Iowa Sister States, Japan America Society of Iowa, and the Des Moines Sister Cities Commission for a screening of Diamond Diplomacy, followed by a Q&A with director Yuriko Gamo Romer. This documentary traces how baseball became a cultural bridge between the United States and […]

In recognition of Memorial Day, the City of North Liberty welcomes the public to attend a free Civil War history performance at Hy-Vee Center at Centennial Park on Friday, May 29. Arrive at noon for a free performance of "Unconditional Surrender: A Visit with Ulysses S. Grant" by Pete Grady, former Iowa Department of Justice […]

Join Sarah Pratt, official butter sculptor for the Iowa State Fair, at Western Home Communities on June 1 for a fun and interactive workshop celebrating Iowa’s beloved butter art tradition. The session begins with a brief history of butter sculpting, the butter cow’s significance in the Iowa State Fair, and Pratt’s journey from apprentice to artist. […]

Join the Adel Public Library on June 2, 2026 for this presentation by speaker Chad Timm. Working with the Enemy: German, Italian and Japanese Prisoners of War in Iowa during the Second World WarAs part of a relatively quiet and under-publicized government program, thousands of enemy soldiers invaded Iowa in 1943. With the hugely successful […]