State of Iowa
Nicknames: The Hawkeye State
Motto(s): Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain
Date of Statehood: December 28, 1846 (29th state)
State Song: “The Song of Iowa” by S.H.M. Byers
Iowa Flag History
The flag of Iowa, adopted in 1921, was designed by Dixie Cornell Gebhardt, a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The flag’s design reflects Iowa’s history, its people, and its values. It consists of three vertical stripes of blue, white, and red, echoing the French Tricolor and acknowledging Iowa’s history as part of the French Louisiana Territory.
The central white stripe is broader and bears a bald eagle holding a flowing ribbon in its beak. The ribbon reads the state motto: “Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain,” reflecting the values and principles of the people of Iowa. Above the eagle is the word “IOWA,” a simple yet bold statement of state pride.
The flag’s colors of red, white, and blue symbolize loyalty, purity, and courage respectively. The design embodies a balance between honoring Iowa’s past, representing its present, and looking forward to its future. It serves as a reminder of the state’s rich heritage, its commitment to liberty and justice, and its steadfast determination to maintain its rights and freedoms.
Iowa Quick Facts
Capital City: Des Moines
Abbreviation: IA
Population: Approximately 3.2 million
Region: Midwest
Origin of State Name: Derived from the Iowa Native American tribe; means “beautiful land”
Sports Teams: No major professional sports teams, significant presence in college sports
Bordering States: Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota
Area Codes: 319, 515, 563, 641, 712
Highest Point: Hawkeye Point at 1,670 feet (509 meters)
Lowest Point: Confluence of the Mississippi River and Des Moines River at 480 feet (146 meters)
Geography of Iowa
Area: 56,273 square miles (145,746 square kilometers), 26th largest
Land: 55,857 square miles (144,669 square kilometers), 23rd largest
Water: 416 square miles (1,077 square kilometers), 47th largest
Coastline: None (landlocked state)
Shoreline: None (landlocked state)
Largest Cities:
- Des Moines
- Cedar Rapids
- Davenport
- Sioux City
- Iowa City
- Waterloo
- Council Bluffs
- Ames
- Dubuque
- West Des Moines
- Ankeny
- Urbandale
- Cedar Falls
- Marion
- Bettendorf
National Parks:
- Effigy Mounds National Monument
- Herbert Hoover National Historic Site
Iowa State Symbols
Living Insignia
State Bird: Eastern Goldfinch
State Animal: None
State Amphibian: None
State Butterfly: None
State Fish: Channel Catfish
State Flower: Wild Prairie Rose
State Horse Breed: None
State Insect: Honeybee
State Mammal: None
State Reptile: None
Inanimate Insignia
State Fruit: None
State Gemstone: None
State Soil: Tama
State Tree: Oak
State Quarter: Issued in 2004 featuring a one-room schoolhouse, Grant Wood’s Arbor Day, and a teacher and students planting a tree
State Beverage: None
State Colors: None official
State Dance: None
State Food: None
State Fossil: Crinoid
State Mineral: Geode
State Rock: Geode