This tiny site in Iowa, part of a patchwork national wildlife refuge, is home to ancient flora and fauna.

An obelisk commemorating Lincoln's role in connecting the coasts.

One of just a few cities in the world to base their center of government on an island. Others: Paris and Osaka.

This massive railroad spike celebrates the 1939 premiere of the movie “Union Pacific.”

The farm toy capital of the world hosts a museum filled with toy tractors dating back to the late 1800s.

Largest gathering of hobos in the country has been meeting annually since 1900.

Remnants of a quarry company town still stand on the banks of the Wapsipinicon River.

Elaborate hand-carved wooden clocks two brothers made in their spare time are on display at this handsome little museum.

The highest point in Iowa, while not that impressive to mountain states, has earned its own monuments.

Most comprehensive museum in America devoted to one ethnic group.

Chilly air billows out from the entrance of an abandoned mine on a steep hillside, providing a refuge for Ice Age fauna and flora.

An unlikely Transcendental Meditation haven in the American Heartland built around the ancient Vedic principles of balance and harmony.

This long unused shot tower on the Mississippi remains a point of pride for a small city in Iowa.

No one knows the origin of this small town’s unique name.

The oldest university museum west of the Mississippi retains its 19th century feel.

In rural Iowa, an imported 19th-century windmill overlooks an unlikely enclave of Danish culture.

The “American Gothic" artist's largest works hang in an Iowa State University library.

The magazine keeps a perfectly groomed display garden for its photo shoots.

Piled high inside this warehouse and coffee shop are salvaged goods that span every corner of the globe.

This simple home was the beginning of a long journey for the iconic Western film star.

A small burial plot formerly stranded in the middle of a road.

An Iowa town celebrates its heritage with the tallest working Dutch windmill in North America.

The Iowa state contender for largest pan in the world oddly only comes in second or so.

This remote island in Iowa was abandoned after being devastated by flood.