Volume 18, Issue No. 4, July/August 2026
From the 1932 novel, to three films, to Broadway and TV, Iowa novelist Phil Stong’s “State Fair” has endured for decades in our popular culture. Just in time for this year’s fair season, author and broadcaster Tim Harwood revisits the classic summertime tale about the Frake family’s visit to the Iowa State Fair where the parents compete for prizes and their children find unexpected romance. Like eating food on a stick, or strolling through the cattle barn at the fair, reading our cover story about the history of “State Fair” needs to be on your bucket list of fun things to do this summer.
Publisher Michael Swanger reminisces about the 1976 U.S. Bicentennial celebration for his column.
Explore the Iowa Revolutionary War Memorial located on the grounds of the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines for a picturesque tribute to the 41 known patriots who are buried in Iowa. Publisher Michael Swanger takes you along exploring history.
Learn about the incredible story of survival of Larry Spencer—Iowa’s longest held prisoner of war and Vietnam War pilot who was detained for years at the “Hanoi Hilton” from Michael Vogt, curator of the Iowa Gold Star Military Museum.
‘Farmers never had it so good.’ Broadcaster and author Jeff Stein chronicles how President Richard Nixon’s response to a question from an Iowa broadcaster about the agriculture industry in 1974 made national headlines.
“Country Roads” columnist Arvid Huisman shares the lessons he learned during his youth while walking beans.
TO READ MORE FASCINATING STORIES ABOUT IOWA HISTORY, subscribe to Iowa History Journal. You can also purchase back issues at the store.