Des Moines, Iowa, and the Golden Circle - Des Moines IA Off the Beaten Path

Preview: There’s no better place to begin your tour of this part of the state than the town of Grinnell. J.B. Grinnell, the founder of the town and the nationally acclaimed Grinnell College located here, was the recipient of Horace Greeley’s famous dictum: “Go West, young man, and grow up with the country.” Josiah Bushnell Grinnell was active in the early educational concerns of Iowa’s legislature as well as an ardent abolitionist. He made Grinnell a stop on the Underground Railroad; more than 1,000 freedom-seeking slaves passed through Grinnell in the pre–Civil War years. In 1859 he gave refuge to John Brown following his raids in Kansas and Missouri. Learn more about this influential man and this community when you visit the Grinnell Historical Museum, which is housed in a ten-room late-Victorian residence at 1125 Broad Street. Besides the furniture and artifacts of an earlier era, there is a barbed-wire collection and several carriages (including a surrey with fringe on top) made by the old Spaulding Carriage Company of Grinnell. For a real treat (and maybe even a few tricks) visit Carroll’s Pumpkin Farm during October. There’s so much to do here, it’s hard to go wrong. You can pick a pumpkin, get lost in a corn maze, climb into a tree house, burst with laughter as you slide into bales of straw, and see an honest-to-goodness pumpkin tree. If you have children along, you may want to devote an entire afternoon to Carroll’s. There’s a small concession stand that serves seasonal treats like caramel apples, popcorn, and cider, and you’re welcome to bring in a picnic lunch. With advance notice a bonfire can be built so you can roast your hot dogs and marshmallows. On the weekends there are unlimited hayrides, shows in the barn loft (don’t miss Bingo, the farm dog!), and if you were lucky enough to be born in October, you will be specially honored. The above description is an excerpt from "Iowa: Off the Beaten Path." Whether you're a visitor or a local looking for something different, this chapter from the Off the Beaten Path series will help you take the "road less traveled" and discover hidden attractions, unique finds, and unusual locales that most tourists miss.
© Copyright Lori Erickson and Tracy Stuhr published by Insiders' Guide all rights reserved.


This travel guide comes from:
Iowa Off the Beaten Path Guide Book