Ethanol production consumes approximately one-third of Iowa’s corn production, and renewable fuels account for 8% of the state’s gross domestic product. A total of 39 ethanol plants produced 3.1 billion US gallons of fuel in 2009.
Renewable energy has become a major economic force in northern and western Iowa, with wind turbine electrical generation increasing exponentially since 1990. In 2010, wind power in Iowa accounted for 15.4% of electrical energy produced, and 3675 megawatts of generating capacity had been installed at the end of the year. Iowa ranked first of U.S. states in percentage of total power generated by wind and second in wind generating capacity behind Texas.
In 2016, Iowa was the headquarters for three of the top 2,000 companies for revenue. They include Principal Financial, Rockwell Collins, and American Equity Investment. Iowa is also headquarters to other companies including Hy-Vee, Pella Corporation, Vermeer Company, Kum & Go gas stations, Von Maur, Pioneer Hi-Bred, and Fareway.
Transportation:
Interstate Highways:
Iowa has four primary interstate highways. Interstate 29 (I-29), I-35, I-74, and I-80.
Airports:
Iowa is served by two in-state regional airports including the Des Moines International Airport and the Eastern Iowa Airport, in Cedar Rapids.
There are also two out-of-state airports that provide services to many Iowa residents based on relative proximity including Quad City International Airport, in Moline, Illinois, and Eppley Airfield, in Omaha, Nebraska.
Railroads:
Amtrak’s California Zephyr serves the south of Iowa with stops at Burlington, Mount Pleasant, Ottumwa, Osceola, and Creston on its daily route between Chicago and Emeryville, California. Fort Madison is served by Amtrak’s Southwest Chief, running daily between Chicago and Los Angeles.
The Flag of Iowa:
The flag of the state of Iowa is a vertical tricolor of blue, white, and red, reflecting the U.S. state of Iowa’s history as part of the French Louisiana Territory.
The image of a bald eagle with a long ribbon reading “Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain”, derived from the Seal of Iowa, is centered in the middle white stripe. The word “Iowa” is placed directly below it in red, serifed majuscules.
The flag was adopted in 1921; it was first approved in May 1917, by the Iowa State Council for Defense. It was designed in 1917, by Knoxville, Iowa, resident Mrs. Dixie Cornell Gebhardt, of the Daughters of the American Revolution of Iowa.
State Nickname:
Adopted early in the state’s history, Iowa’s nickname is “The Hawkeye State” as a tribute to chief Black Hawk, leader of the native American Sauk tribe, relocated to Iowa after unsuccessful fighting of settlers.
Next Up:
In our next installment, we move to the far north of the Midwest when we visit Wisconsin, the 30th state.