American Gothic Barn near Mt. Vernon, Iowa
It’s located on Highway 30 near the entrance of Palisades-Kepler State Park between Cedar Rapids and Mt. Vernon. The mural was done by Mark Benesh, a local art teacher, a replicate of some of Grant Wood’s work.
Location: 1278 US Highway 30, Mt. Vernon, Iowa. (Google Maps exact location)
NOTE: The American Gothic Barn is on private property but is viewable from the road. You are encouraged to park alongside the road – or the small gravel path between the east and westbound paths. Plan on this being a super quick stop, as there is no designated parking and this is private property, so plan on getting your snapshot, then move on.
American Gothic is one of the most parodied artworks in modern times. Back in 2008, the barn owner commissioned a local artist, Mark Benesh, to paint his barn to also replicate the famous painting.
On the side facing Highway 30 is the replica of the father-daughter-pitchfork portrait. On the east side of the barn is a mural showing a typical Iowa scenic view with a family of deer, a red-tailed hawk, and a farm. On the west side of the barn is a mural of a bison in a prairie setting.
