ia Magazine

The original White Pole Road, created in 1910, stretched from Des Moines to Council Bluffs, and offered a shorter, straighter and more level route across western Iowa. Its namesake poles were painted white and travelers were encouraged to travel the “Great White Way.”

According to legend, on April 16, 1934, two men purchased a Coca-Cola in Stuart and then ambled toward the First National Bank while a female friend waited nearby in a parked Oldsmobile. Inside the bank, the men ordered an assistant cashier and bookkeeper to the floor and robbed the bank of $1,500 (roughly $30,000 today). The unmasked crooks were later identified as Clyde Barrow and Henry Methvin. The woman in the car was Bonnie Parker.

Sure as shootin’: White Pole Road has stories to tell Then and now: The White Pole Road looks a lot like it did when it was buil. But the cars? ...

Reading is having a moment: Literary tourism has emerged as one of this year’s top travel trends. According to Hilton’s 2026 Trends Report, 68% of American travelers named reading among their top three most anticipated leisure activities. (The other two: listening to music or podcasts and relaxing by the pool.)

Iowa has strong literary roots, from the famed Iowa Writers’ Workshop and Iowa City’s designation as a UNESCO City of Literature to dozens of independent bookstores across the state.

Readers who are looking for a getaway with their fictional or IRL besties should consider a weekend in Cherokee.

A reading retreat in Cherokee The entrance to the Cherokee Public Library has welcomed readers for over 120 years with everyone’s favorite four-letter word. (Photo: ...

Down in the basement of Iowa State University’s Student Innovation Center, students are building snowmobiles and mining simulated lunar soil with robots. On the main floor, they operate their own retail store called Innovate 1858. Up on the fourth floor, they’ll make you a caramel macchiato from a fully student-run cafe.

It’s a creative playground for the curious, all under one roof.

The five-level, 140,000-square-foot building officially opened in fall 2020 to give students in all majors a common space to operate. The university offers dozens of specialized programs, from cybersecurity to dance to poultry production management, and the new center benefits students in every one.

Take a closer look inside in our latest for ia magazine, our annual statewide publication:

A DIY dreamspace At ISU’s Student Innovation Center, the main staircase doubles as seating for screenings and special events. Writer: Emmett McMenamy Photos: ...

Reiman Gardens is back with its extravagant Winter Wonderscape, once again transforming the gardens into a sparkling seasonal escape that feels straight out of a holiday storybook. Wander winding paths wrapped in tunnels of light, see glowing sculptures and stumble upon imaginative displays around every corner. The whole place is built for wonder, inviting visitors to slow down and take in the magic:

In Ames, go walking in a winter wonderland Don’t be jealous, Clark Griswold: Reiman Gardens plugged in more than 200,000 lights. (Photo: Reiman Gardens) Reiman Gardens is back ...