Volume 18, Issue No. 1, Jan/Feb 2026
From admiring a painting of President Abraham Lincoln that hung in his childhood home in West Branch, to delivering speeches on Lincoln’s birthday to pay tribute to “The Great Emancipator,” Herbert Hoover was a lifelong admirer of the 16th president of the United States. The influence of Lincoln’s philosophy and values on the Iowa native and 31st president of the U.S. is undeniable. The evidence can be found in Hoover’s personal papers that are in the archives of the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in West Branch, as revealed by author Timothy Walch in the first part of his series “Lincoln and Hoover.”
Publisher Michael Swanger writes about visiting “The American Revolution Experience” as we turn the calendar to a new year that marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Get the compelling story about the little-known connection between the Erie Canal, New York Gov. DeWitt Clinton and John Deere — all three of which spurred the development of Iowa during its early years. Ambassador Kennth Quinn, President Emeritus of the World Food Prize Foundation and recipient of the Iowa Award Medal shares the details.
Discover the inspiring story behind the person Catlett Hall is named after at the University of Iowa. Our publisher dives into the life and times of Elizabeth Catlett, the renowned artist, educator and civil rights activist who studied with Grant Wood at the University of Iowa.
How did the USS Iowa (BB-4) play a vital role in the Spanish-American War? Find out from Mike Vogt, curator of the Iowa Gold Star Military Museum.
“Country Roads” columnist Arvid Huisman can help you sharpen your trivia skills. Iowa provides a wealth of trivia from a bullhead to sliced bread!
TO READ MORE FASCINATING STORIES ABOUT IOWA HISTORY, subscribe to Iowa History Journal. You can also purchase back issues at the store.