In 1920, Iowa dedicated its first two state parks. In the century since, the Iowa State Parks system has evolved into a broad array of lands and waters that represent a legacy of tireless stewardship. Iowa State Parks commemorates the origins of our state parks and the riches they offer in the present.

The photo essays at the heart of this book feature the artistry of well-known nature photographers such as Carl Kurtz, Brian Gibbs, Don Poggensee, and Larry Stone. The images help tell the stories of Iowa’s state parks, recreation areas, preserves, and forests. A his­torical overview sets the stage, followed by essays on key aspects of our park system.
 

Rebecca Conard is professor of history emeritus at Middle Tennessee State University. Her publications include Places of Quiet Beauty: Parks, Preserves, and Envi­ronmentalism (Iowa, 1997) and Benjamin Shambaugh and the Intellectual Foundations of Public History (Iowa, 2002). She lives in Coralville, Iowa. Angela Corio worked as a state park planner with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources for more than three decades. She is coauthor of Iowa State Parks Design Guide: Long-Term Vision for State Park Architecture. She lives in Des Moines, Iowa. Jim Scheffler worked for the Iowa Conservation Commission/Iowa Department of Natural Resources for thirty years. His special projects included develop­ing the Iowa Civilian Conservation Corps museum and the Maquoketa Caves State Park visitor center. He lives in Bondurant, Iowa.