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Hi, I was born and raised until my 20's in and around Ft. Dodge (Rolfe) and parts of Illinois. Back then,in the 60's, it was a pretty quiet place, culturally and socially speaking, but I thought this was a sign of the times. However, after returning 30 years later to visit family, my feeling is it's not much different now. Think of it more in terms of exposure to people, and when kids go off to college and return, gradually each generation gets more 'open-minded', to a point. Iowa is still very much a Bilble belt kind of place, and this may explain a little of the aloofness coupled with isolation. The weather is condusive to staying indooors with one's family alot, and not going to coffee shops in town and shopping, etc. Most people tend to make their own fun, or drink, or work from dawn to dusk. It does create a somewhat alienating society. That being said, I think that people are very nice, if not a little uptight. It takes time for them to loosen up. They hear alot about the liberal attitudes of the rest of the country and may judge things more harshly. They get into their routines and strangers seldom are a normal part of their lives. It's even challenging as a relative coming back (from California) to be totally accepted again. I've been tainted by lots of experiences they may never have to deal with, and I think the state is a little old-fashioned in attitudes. That's a good thing; they still have a bit of innocence. And, coincidentally, I heard stories of Indians etc as part of our local lore; in fact, I reacted to such stories with pride and as a way, perhaps, to explain my families large noses and high cheek bones, though this could also be German or .......who knows! I digress.
I also found that Des Moines is where all inner state transportation ends. To go into the farms where I was raised, one has to rent a car, or if going to a larger town, a bus. Trains took me to the biggest cities only. So be patient with Iowans. They are a rare jewel in our country. People who survive is cold climates do seem different than warm climates, just my humble opinion. I love them still.
Sorry, but I have to disagree with you. Iowa is definitely not a "Bible belt kind of place." Iowans are by and large progressive, and definitely too pragmatic to be fanatics. I, too, spent part of my childhood there (I lived in Iowa for a total of 14 years) and I would say my experiences are very different from yours.
To me, Iowa is very middle-of-the-road in almost every sense. Not too liberal or conservative, too old-fashioned or modern, too plain or too flashy. The only exception is education. Iowans are very educated and it has some of the best schools in the country! I think it's a good place to live. There's not tons of excitement, but then again it depends on what you like. Iowa is not the place to live if you enjoy climbing mountains.
As far as the friendliness goes- I think Iowans are pretty open people. Though Iowa has a reputation for being homogeneous, you would be surprised how much diversity you can find. This is especially true in Eastern Iowa- in towns like Iowa City and Cedar Rapids. This area is more liberal than western Iowa. Overall, I think Iowa is a great place to live and grow up.
Sorry, but I have to disagree with you. Iowa is definitely not a "Bible belt kind of place." Iowans are by and large progressive, and definitely too pragmatic to be fanatics. I, too, spent part of my childhood there (I lived in Iowa for a total of 14 years) and I would say my experiences are very different from yours.
To me, Iowa is very middle-of-the-road in almost every sense. Not too liberal or conservative, too old-fashioned or modern, too plain or too flashy. The only exception is education. Iowans are very educated and it has some of the best schools in the country! I think it's a good place to live. There's not tons of excitement, but then again it depends on what you like. Iowa is not the place to live if you enjoy climbing mountains.
As far as the friendliness goes- I think Iowans are pretty open people. Though Iowa has a reputation for being homogeneous, you would be surprised how much diversity you can find. This is especially true in Eastern Iowa- in towns like Iowa City and Cedar Rapids. This area is more liberal than western Iowa. Overall, I think Iowa is a great place to live and grow up.
Sounds like a beautiful place to rear children and enjoy a great family life -- in so many ways. It would certainly be on my list of choices if I were younger or could handle the climate.
In case all the differing opinions are confusing the heck out of all the non-Iowans reading these posts here's simple explanation: Variety.
You will find a very wide swath of cultures here. Everywhere from Amish to "big city", if you want to call DSM big (maybe not in population, but attitudes), diversity - yes. Go to one of the on line phone books and look for restaurants in Des Moines or West Des Moines. That'll open your eyes. Let's see: a lot of farmers, a lot of insurance companies (a LOT of insurance companies). A serious influx of Wells Fargo and all its various businesses.
Huge wind farms! With more coming. I think Iowa is #3 in the country for energy production using wind. I'm not going to make the obvious joke, but you can go for it.
There is far more diversity in Iowa than most think.
My husband and I moved our family from Cedar Rapids to the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri about 13 years ago. We've raised our two beautiful children here. However; we miss Iowa so much! We both lived there for over 30 years before we moved south. All of our family is still up there, so we get back 2 - 3 times a year. I have seen a big difference in Cedar Rapids. It used to feel like a "town" rather than a city. Now it feels a little more like a city (to me). It does have even more to offer than when we lived there.
With regards to education...the education that we received in Iowa is far superior to what we have seen down here in Missouri. Don't get me wrong, my kids have been very fortunate to be a part of a school that offers far more than most. The culture in Cedar Rapids is no comparison to here at the lake. I have seen bizarre things down here that I never knew existed. Talk about you "Slowzarks" mentality. People hang their "gone fishin' " sign out, and are gone for days. We still find that very frustrating.
I think eventually we will get back to Iowa. The land there is truly beautiful; and you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone. There's a lot to be said for wide open spaces.
My husband and I moved our family from Cedar Rapids to the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri about 13 years ago. We've raised our two beautiful children here. However; we miss Iowa so much! We both lived there for over 30 years before we moved south. All of our family is still up there, so we get back 2 - 3 times a year. I have seen a big difference in Cedar Rapids. It used to feel like a "town" rather than a city. Now it feels a little more like a city (to me). It does have even more to offer than when we lived there.
With regards to education...the education that we received in Iowa is far superior to what we have seen down here in Missouri. Don't get me wrong, my kids have been very fortunate to be a part of a school that offers far more than most. The culture in Cedar Rapids is no comparison to here at the lake. I have seen bizarre things down here that I never knew existed. Talk about you "Slowzarks" mentality. People hang their "gone fishin' " sign out, and are gone for days. We still find that very frustrating.
I think eventually we will get back to Iowa. The land there is truly beautiful; and you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone. There's a lot to be said for wide open spaces.
Well, I am not surprised about your experiences "down south." Most of Missouri is much different than the majority of Iowa when it comes to pretty much everything. Cedar Rapids is the Midwest core and the Lake of the Ozarks is what I consider to be the mid-south. The culture, types of people, entertainment, and speech patterns are more similar to the rest of the south in southern and southeast Missouri compared with the Midwest. Also, their seems to be a lot of Missouri people that tend to stay in rural counties with very few jobs, which is part of the reason why rural poverty is more of a problem in Missouri than in Iowa. Iowa residents are some of the best educated in the country and I have heard many good things about Iowa City as well.
If it weren't for the harsh climate, we would probably be living in Iowa now. We've always liked the people, the terrain etc. Have to agree with the poster who said Iowans tend to be "middle-of-the-road" and thus easy to get along with.
It has been found that people who do live in places with a continental climate are actually healthier then the rest of the country. Their rate of heart disease and high blood pressure tends to be much lower, and they are generally hardier overall. Seems our bodies respond and get stronger when faced with a greater environmental challenge.
Maybe we shouldn't have left the area in the first place. Now we are older and our health probably will never get back to what it was when we lived in the region. But if you are reasonably young and healthy, I think Iowa would provide a rewarding challenge as well as the wonderful feeling of living in the great open spaces.
As a former Iowan - from Cedar Rapids, now living in the fourth largest city in the United States - Houston, Texas, I would like to comment on Iowans in general.
Iowa (especially from the air) is an absolutely beautiful state. It has gently rolling hills with beautiful farm houses dotted among the green stalks of corn. It is a mosaic of greens, browns and in the fall, reds, oranges and yellows.
I was raised there - had the best public education in the entire country - anyone remember the ITEDs? Those tests were taken all over the country and that was the standard used to determine "accountability" in schools. The people there are fairly laid back. They basically are ethical, moral and compassionate.
Yet, I found myself in Texas more than 30 years ago - specifically Houston and to tell the truth, I know that if I were to "come home" I would be so bored - unchallenged as it were. Houston is such an incredible city - our cultural arts are second to none with our world-class symphony, our ballet company and opera. Our theatres bring in the latest from Broadway and we have an amazing diversity of fiestas, festivals and events.
I personally live on a lake - in fact, where I live is considered on of the top Marine areas in the country with one of the oldest Yacht clubs. Sail boats abound in our bay area. And, just up the road, you will find youngsters raising Longhorn cattle in a partnership with NASA.
There is never a lack of things to do in this great city. And, while I love my hometown and state, I could never live there again after having "tasted' life in the big city.
For those who wish a calm, relaxed atmosphere, one in which you can raise your children - I think Iowa fits perfectly! I also believe that Houston is as wonderful as Iowa - especially for raising children of which I've raised two pretty neat kids.
I think it definitely depends upon what city you are moving to in Iowa. The bigger cities are of course more cultured, liberal, and educated. The smaller farming communities are going to be more republican and conservative and more simple minded, and probably less willing to accept newcomers. Not necessarily a bad thing, but definitely different. I am quite positive the people of Iowa City are nothing like the people of Lamoni or Pella or Emmetsburg! If you go to the larger cities, or the college towns, you'll find a ton of different races, cultures, and people who are from all over the world.
As the mayor of Emmetsburg, Iowa I generally approve of these comments but take issue with the "simple minded" statement. Our town is proud to have attracted a multi-million dollar Ethenol operation that is building the world's first commercial cellulosic plant. We're delighted that our community leaders brought a new casino to our city, along with several hundred jobs. We have our own community college that teaches everything from agriculture to broadcasting, and we have been named as one of the top 100 places to live in the United States, not once, but twice! I'm quite sure Pella and Lamoni have similar success stories. Iowa small towns need to shed the image that their populations are under-educated and simple. We love attracting newcomers, but dislike folks that look down on us because we love to live in small town rural America. I haven't locked my house in years and my car keys are right where I can find them, in the ignition! Try that in our larger cities!
As a native Californian, who moved to Iowa in the mid 50's and stayed forever here, it might just be that those who hold with a negative image of Iowa and its people, came here with a negative attitude, and can't shake loose of it. Sour is as Sour does
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southern Missouri is not the Midwest
Former Iowan
