Iowa has the reputation of being one big corn field, so you may be surprised to learn it boasts a rich crop of recorded archaeological sites as well—approximately 27,000 at last count. Some are spectacular, such as the one hundred mounds at Sny Magill in Effigy Mounds National Monument, while others consist of old abandoned farmsteads or small scatters of prehistoric flakes and heated rocks. Untold numbers are completely gone or badly disturbed—destroyed by plowing, erosion, or development.

Fortunately, there are many sites open to the public where the remnants of the past are visible, either in their original location or in nearby museum exhibits. Few things are more inspiring than walking among the Malchow Mounds, packed so tightly it is hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. Strolling around downtown Des Moines is a lot more interesting when you are aware of the mounds, Indian villages, and the fort that once stood there. And, although you can’t visit the Wanampito site, you can see the splendid seventeenth-century artifacts excavated from it at Heery Woods State Park.

For people who want to experience Iowa’s archaeological heritage first hand, this one-of-a-kind guidebook shows the way to sixty-eight important sites. Many are open to visitors or can be seen from a public location; others, on private land or no longer visible on the landscape, live on through artifact displays. The guide also includes a few important sites that are not open to visitors because these places have unique stories to tell. Sites of every type, from every time period, and in every corner of the state are featured. Whether you have a few hours to indulge your curiosity or are planning a road trip across the state, this guide will take you to places where Iowa’s deep history comes to life.

William E. Whittaker is a research archaeologist at the Office of the State Archaeologist, University of Iowa. The author of many scholarly articles on Iowa archaeology and history, he is also the editor of Frontier Forts of Iowa (Iowa, 2009) and the Journal of the Iowa Archeological Society. Thousands of his photographs of the remains of small Iowa towns have been published online by the Iowa Digital Library and the University of Iowa’s Digital Studio for the Public Humanities. He lives in Iowa City, Iowa.
 
Lynn M. Alex retired in 2013 as the education and outreach program director at the University of Iowa Office of the State Archaeologist. During her long career in archaeology, she worked in sites near and far, from North American Plains to the European Arctic. In addition to book chapters, articles, and reviews, she has authored two books, Exploring Iowa’s Past and Iowa’s Archaeological Past (Iowa, 2000). She is a current member of the Iowa State Preserves Advisory Board. She resides in Iowa City, Iowa.
 
Mary C. De La Garza is a program director at the University of Iowa Office of the State Archaeologist. She develops applications that assist with archaeological research and manages all research data. Previously she was the systems administrator at Mercy Housing in Denver, Colorado. As a public affairs officer with the U. S. Navy in the 1980s and 1990s, she traveled the world, landed in Iowa, and is now its happy captive. She has a passion for archaeology and geology and wishes every little girl had a backyard full of dirt to dig in. She makes her home in Long Grove, Iowa.