Iowa Aviation Museum and Freedom Rock

Down the road about 35 miles west and south of us is the Iowa Aviation Museum.  Started in 1990 from a donation of actual antique fighting planes and aircraft, the museum has grown in the last 3 years to have outgrown it's current place.  They need more room!

At the right of the parking lot

Lots of displays to look at 

Doorway to where planes are kept

Dedicated and honored and remembered for all the men and women who have served in the armed forces, specifically from their home state of Iowa, we were quite impressed with the history.  A couple of years ago they got a new curator who is turning sweat into money, raising awareness and getting the word out about what they are and what they are trying to do.  The husband and wife who were on duty at the time were so enthusiastic and bubbly, you could not fault them for their wanting to share all their knowledge with you.

1946 Piper J3

1927 Northrop Primary Wooden glider 'learner' plane

Amelia learned to fly on this

Parked side by side, and hanging by the rafters - so many planes
1957 Schweitzer Seconday Glider

And a number of kid's toy planes 

They admit they have no more room, have to expand - lots of stuff

Took lots of pictures, learned about history of aviation in it's many forms (mail carrying, commercial, flight schools, who trained where, barnstormers, all the wars and dedicated to the people who served, etc.) the museum is quite informative.

A little side note - on our way out was a display on 'when the music died' crash of the Big Bobber, Richie Valens and Buddy Holly who were killed late one night in a plane crash not far from the museum.  I remember when the headlines hit the next day (1959) about the day the music died.

   
On our way back, we stopped at the Freedom Rock.  (https://www.thefreedomrock.com). Very impressive story - a 19 year man in college painted a large rock in dedication to the men and women who served, and he has continued to this day to do this particular rock, started the project in 1999.  Each year in May he paints the rock with a new theme, always keeping to honoring vets.  Done voluntarily, the idea has now expanded and he is commissioned to paint rocks in other parts of the state.

Info about the rock

The first one - 1999

Pictures of rock since 1999

We pack up tomorrow morning and head to the Mississippi River about 30 miles south and east of Minneapolis, MN.  Small town called Wabasha.  Going to see the Great River Scenic Road area which runs along the Mississippi north between Wisconsin and Minnesota up to Duluth.  Will be there for a week.  We are also glad to leave Iowa, especially this KOA.  Dusty, dusty dusty.  Seems just about every road off the interstate is a gravel road.  Very few roads are little paved.  And this KOA - major upgrades and they are constantly running backhoes, having gravel delivered, dusty and noisy.  Will have to do major cleaning when we get to our next stop.