The Bregant House, sometimes known as “The Little Peoples’ House” has been restored and is now open for tours in Council Bluffs. Location: 517 4th Street, Council Bluffs, Iowa. Who lived in this house? It is a custom-built home, sized specifically for Jean and Inez Bregant back in 1912. Jean was 46” tall and his…
I was driving through Winterset, Iowa while the snow was falling and I decided to find a location to shoot photos against the snowfall. Although the Madison County Historical Museum buildings were closed, their grounds are always open and provide some unique elements for photographing in the snow. For more information on the Madison County…
Maquoketa Caves State Park is one of Iowa’s most popular state parks, with up to 300,000 visitors each year. It also happens to be the state park that I have personally visited the most. However, I’ve only visited during spring, summer, and fall – until I had a chance to visit during the winter after…
I had spent the night in Denison, Iowa, and was planning an early morning trip to Sioux City. When I woke up, there was a generous cover of frost on everything in Denison. It was still dark at the time, so I headed on my trip, hoping to be out in the frost when the…
I have visited Trinity Heights several times, mostly during the summer and fall. However, the last time I visited was during the most beautiful snowfall. The wind was barely present and the snowflakes were large and ever so softly drifted downward. It was peaceful. And what better place to enjoy the calm and quiet…
Although Hospers is best known for their veterans memorial with no names, they also have an interesting collection of statues located at their public library. The collection was created by the same artist, Fred Reinders. Location: Hospers Public Library in Hospers, Iowa. The intersection of 3rd Ave N and Main Ave in Hospers, Iowa….
Where is Gitchie Manitou? Technically it is the farthest northwest you can be in the state of Iowa. It borders the Big Sioux River and it is just a couple of miles east of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The trip from Des Moines is about a four-hour drive. Locations: Parking area for Gitchie Manitou…
Color the Wind Kite Festival is the largest winter kite festival in the Midwest. And these kites are NOT your everyday kites. They are specialized kites like sharks, whales, bears, and astronauts. It’s a welcome kaleidoscope of colors during the often bland winter days. When is the Color the Wind Kite Festival? When: Feb…
The very first time I visited Orange City, Iowa was in the middle of winter. In fact, 8 am on a Sunday morning and snowflakes were flying ferociously. Not exactly high tourist season. In fact, early Sunday mornings are generally very quiet in Orange City, but the added snowstorm really kept the crowd…
It was one of those bright and sunny, yet extremely cold winter days. With a fresh layer of snow, I set out to explore Canyon Drive in Ledges State Park. Ledges State Park south of Boone, Iowa was one of the first state parks in the state. It opened in 1924 and is still…