Headed to Iowa on Sunday. Any good collections to see?

[GR Gold]

I am headed North from Texas on Sunday to pick up a small piece of trailer mounted equipment.  Never been up there, and the wife and I would like to look around.  Are there any IH collections available to look at, cool salvage yards, good museums, or points of interest we should visit along the way?  The pickup bed is mostly empty if someone needs some wheel weights brought up there.  I have probably 8 or 10 sets.  Thanks in advance for your replies!

[Driver1]

In north central iowa there is a tractor museum in Clarinda.

[naedlaen]

44 minutes ago, Driver1 said:

In north central iowa there is a tractor museum in Clarinda.

Do you mean Clarion?  I ask as I know Clarinda is in SW Iowa.  Clarion is north central.  

@GR Gold Iowa is not as big as Texas, and I had a pickup like that once 😁 but having a better idea of where in Iowa would help.  Granted once you are here it is not that far to something interesting.  Search tractor museums Iowa and you should find several agricultural related places.  

Neal

[sandhiller]

I've made a few trips into Iowa to reduce the state of it's red tractor hoarding

I thought the whole state was a museum with clean and well kept farmsteads

Usually a nicely restored old tractor or piece of machinery in most every front yard as art. 

Just driving through on the secondary roads was enjoyable

And if you stop by any of them odds are they have a machine shed with some "come look at this" museum pieces

Maybe I'm just easy to please but I really enjoyed just driving around the state

Just be advised that their DOT is not a dues paying member of their Tourism board. 

 

[new guy]

Winterset. Birthplace of John Wayne, John Wayne museum, covered bridges (Bridges of Madison County was filmed here) Madison County historical complex has a museum, old log cabins, huge barn with old equipment, historical mansion, old railroad depot, small church etc.

[756puller]

If your coming straight north from Texas might check out the Nebraska tractor test museum in Lincoln Nebraska 

[Duntongw]

If you're in the Lincoln NE area, there is also the Harold Warp Pioneer Village that has all sorts of machinery, carriages, cars, all kinds of stuff.

[Coyote Crossing]

Earthmoving Legacy Center, Elkader IA  Mainly Cats  Quite a bit of old equipment--some restored-some not.  My note says 1880 to 1940.  earthmovinglegacy.com

[Lazy WP]

Kinze Innovation Center is on my bucket list. 

[Alan Dinan]

10 hours ago, Lazy WP said:

Kinze Innovation Center is on my bucket list. 

Drove past their factory once, 15-18 years ago going to an auction. Was with a friend, so didn’t stop. We drove past Ditch Witch also. Left home at midnight and drove all night for an Ag-Chem Row Gator that was misrepresented by the auction company and turned around and drove back home.

[IHRedDrive]

Iowa 80 trucking museum if you're anywhere near Walcott. 

https://iowa80truckingmuseum.com/visit-the-museum/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20730503490&gbraid=0AAAAADo5ih2fqZ4h9oecRJkY9t41U1gCp&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhO3DBhDkARIsANxrhTqBM2sJjBuz43EI3jaEheaHU93_JYUiLBadtHPN0y60hZg_dftRXVsaAlEzEALw_wcB

[DT Fan]

I think the Oliver museum at Charles City would be great to see. I've not been there but have watched videos, looks cool. 

[2+2love]

16 hours ago, new guy said:

Winterset. Birthplace of John Wayne, John Wayne museum, covered bridges (Bridges of Madison County was filmed here) Madison County historical complex has a museum, old log cabins, huge barn with old equipment, historical mansion, old railroad depot, small church etc.

I have spent a lot of time in winterset Iowa. The museum is definitely worth the time. 

 

[M35A2]

Not tractor related, but ag related is the Norman Borlaug birthplace homestead museum.  Outside of Cresco in NE Iowa.  Good way to learn about a non-famous/famous Iowan who won the nobel peace prize.   Lots of local historical societies that tend to have local history with a tendency to posses various peices of farm equipment.  Czech and Slovak Museum in Cedar Rapids.   Sweedish heritage museum in Sweedsburg.   John Deere tractor and engine museum in Waterloo-yes it's green, but a big part of Iowa history.  

[560Dennis]

My daughter said there’s a hot air balloon show coming ,she and grand kids were going to stop on the way east .

[Lazy WP]

1 hour ago, 560Dennis said:

My daughter said there’s a hot air balloon show coming ,she and grand kids were going to stop on the way east .

I took these south of Des Moines. Looked like they were going to land on the highway. Optical illusion 

[iowaboy1965]

Indianola  (South of des moines) used to be the home of the national balloon festival. Not sure if it still is, but think they still have a gathering every year?

[drglinski]

The truck museum was fun

 

I enjoyed the Toy museum in Dyersville.  Fields of dreams was interesting as well. 

[cumminstinkerer]

On 7/18/2025 at 6:48 PM, new guy said:

Winterset. Birthplace of John Wayne, John Wayne museum, covered bridges (Bridges of Madison County was filmed here) Madison County historical complex has a museum, old log cabins, huge barn with old equipment, historical mansion, old railroad depot, small church etc.

I didn't think you were in the neighborhood, I'm in the NE corner of the county, hopefully if the OP was around the county yesterday he was able to get around, went down to look at a 706 for a buddy between winterset and st. chuck and holy crap pretty bad flooding, he said he had 8.3 inches overnight, he is east of buffalo center about 3 miles, I know I had close to 4 inches and all the rivers and creeks between me and him were bank full or more! 

[cumminstinkerer]

23 hours ago, iowaboy1965 said:

Indianola  (South of des moines) used to be the home of the national balloon festival. Not sure if it still is, but think they still have a gathering every year?

balloon classic starts this week I believe, also the warren county fair is this week. 

[new guy]

7 minutes ago, cumminstinkerer said:

I didn't think you were in the neighborhood, I'm in the NE corner of the county, hopefully if the OP was around the county yesterday he was able to get around, went down to look at a 706 for a buddy between winterset and st. chuck and holy crap pretty bad flooding, he said he had 8.3 inches overnight, he is east of buffalo center about 3 miles, I know I had close to 4 inches and all the rivers and creeks between me and him were bank full or more! 

Few miles south of the county line. Only got an inch here thankfully. Middle river south of Winterset was out of its banks yesterday morning, dropping by later afternoon. We had to go to the fair in Winterset yesterday. Heard some pretty high rainfall totals from that area.