Volume 18, Issue No. 2, March/April 2026
Jay Norwood “Ding” Darling was one of the most diverse and interesting Iowans of the 20th century. Darling, who spent half of his childhood and almost all of his adult life in Iowa, had two astonishingly successful and vastly different careers. He was among the most popular editorial cartoonists ever, winning two Pulitzer Prizes—including drawing for the Des Moines Register from 1906 to 1949—and his more than 15,000 editorial cartoons were syndicated nationwide. But he also essentially was the father of America’s conservation movement, as well as a sculptor, musician, pundit and philanthropist. In everything he ever did, he almost never was dull. Read the first part of our exclusive two-part series about Darling written by award-winning retired journalist and author Don Doxsie.
Publisher Michael Swanger writes about Tim Harwood’s latest book, “Seniors to Juniors: A Collection of Waterloo Hockey Stories,” which is available at Black Hawks home games and waterlooblackhawks.com.
Are you ready to boldly go where no town has gone before? Author Jerry Harrington chronicles Riverside’s annual Trekfest, celebrating the future birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk as this year marks the 60th anniversary of the popular Star Trek franchise.
IHJ Exploring History: Retired newspaperman Arvid Huisman celebrates the 100th anniversary of U.S. Highway 20, from its origins as a “dragged highway,” to the four-lane expressway today that spans the continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans—including Dubuque to Sioux City
Timothy Walch pens the finale of his Abraham Lincoln and Herbert Hoover series about the Great Emancipator’s influence on the Great Humanitarian
“Country Roads” columnist Arvid Huisman devotes his Country Roads column to story time at the library.
TO READ MORE FASCINATING STORIES ABOUT IOWA HISTORY, subscribe to Iowa History Journal. You can also purchase back issues at the store.
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.