About the Book
In 1920, Iowa dedicated its first two state parks. In the century since, the Iowa state park system has evolved into a broad array of lands and waters that represent a legacy of tireless stewardship. “Iowa State Parks: A Century of Stewardship,” commemorates the origins of our state parks and the riches they offer in the present and for the future.
How to Buy A Copy
The Iowa Parks Foundation encourages you to support your local bookstore, you can also buy directly from the University of Iowa Press or Amazon.
Independent Bookstores
- Paper Moon, McGregor
- Book Vault, Oskaloosa
- Book Vine, Cherokee
- Beaverdale Books, Des Moines
- Page Turner, Indianola
- Burlington by the Book, Burlington
- Dragonfly Books, Decorah
- Prairie Lights, Iowa City
- Next Page Books, Cedar Rapids
- The Soul Book Nook LLC, Waterloo
or other on-line bookstores
Upcoming Events
A Century of Stewardship
It has been nearly 100 years since Iowa’s first state park — Backbone State Park in Delaware County in northeast Iowa — opened in 1920, sparking the beginning of one of the finest state park systems in the country. Iowa was one of the first states to provide stewardship of its natural beauty, stirring others around the nation to follow suit. These parks, preserves and forests are essential to the mission of protecting countless species of flora and fauna, including several rare and endangered species, a wide variety of geological features, archaeology sites
The book takes a historical look at the ecology, biology, geology, archaeology and park planning aspects of the state park system through the words of researchers and experts. You’ll also find a state park map, a state preserve map and descriptive profiles of each park throughout Iowa.
The foreword by Gerald Schnepf, the former executive director of Keep Iowa Beautiful, perfectly encapsulates the childlike wonder that state parks inspire. Each page displays awe-inspiring and dazzling pictures of Iowa’s special places.
The goal of the book is to ensure all Iowans — corporations, service clubs, schools, churches, families and individuals — celebrate this milestone. Our state parks continue to be a gold standard, with 13,387,014 day visits and 902,395 overnight guests per year.
This book presents a comprehensive look at how the parks came to be. Learn more about the contributors and committee members.