Ag Hall of Fame and US Hwy 24 – 2nd of 3 parts

We ended last time as I approached US Hwy 24, and was reminded I had never visited The National Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame. I had seen signs for it along I-70 so many times! It was just east of the intersection, so I decided to make a visit.

The first surprise was to realize the Renaissance Festival site is right there, as well. Turning south off US 24, it was just a short distance, past more Festival site, to the Hall.

The first thing you see is this mural/sculpture – the National Farmers Memorial:

Behind the memorial is The National Agriculture Center and Hall of Fame:

The left wing has the Hall of Fame, the right wing (in this view) is an auditorium with the Ag Broadcasters Hall of Fame on the walls, and a gift shop in the center (along with offices). BEHIND the building are other buildings (see below) and a large open space. To the right, from the building above, are two fields, one full of “honors placques” and the other with telephone poles where they conduct national “line man” competitions.

The Ag Hall of Fame has many notables from George Washington and Thomas Jefferson to Norman Borlaug (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Borlaug) and Bob Dole (http://aghalloffame.com/Ag%20Hall%20of%20Fame%20pdf.pdf). I was also please to Roswell Garst (http://aghalloffame.com/hall.aspx) – he was from Coon Rapids, Iowa, my home town!

In the Broadcasters Hall of Fame, I recognized both Herb Plambeck and Keith Kirkpatrick, central Iowa farm broadcasters as I was growing up on the farm and at Iowa State Universty!

I enjoyed this photo on the wall as I was going out back to look around:

And, this blacksmith shop is recreated out back!

Here is the view, right of center, out the back door:

The blacksmith shop, by the way, is the grey building right in the center, behind the green machine… ;-) The farmhouse is on the right, of course.

Before we go out into a couple of these building, we will explore the large building to the left, not in the photo above.

This building houses the larger machinery.

One example of a tractor – 1924 Farmall Regular:

Over in the Blacksmith shop (the better photo didn’t come out!)

And, in the one-room school, much like I went to through 7^th grade in Iowa.

And just one of several from the house… note the throw rug.

A very nice visit… but - as we always say in my family - Save something for next time!

...it was time to get back on US Hwy 24 and head west!