Iowa was founded in 1673 by French explorers Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet. The U.S. gained control of Iowa in 1803 through the Louisiana Purchase. Iowa became a state in 1846 and it now produces a tenth of the nation's food supply as sells over $10 billion annually of livestock and crops.

But that's not all Iowa is known for. Click on the "Things To Do" link below for a few of Iowa's unique attractions and landmarks.