Iowa is a leading agricultural state, and the history of agriculture and rural Iowa are central to Iowa’s story. Understanding Iowa’s agricultural past provides critical insights not only about life on the farm or experiences in rural America but also about Iowa’s politics, economy, culture, and population.
The State Historical Society of Iowa’s Agricultural History Project brings together a deep and diverse array of resources related to Iowa’s agricultural history. These resources feature agricultural history collections from partners in every corner of the state, and they highlight over a century of writing, thinking, researching, and collecting Iowa’s agricultural heritage.
Explore our partners' collections from throughout the state, the millions of resources held by the State Historical Society of Iowa, or read one of the hundreds of books and articles about Iowa's agricultural past.
Statewide Partners' Agricultural History Collections
Explore the agricultural history collections held by local libraries, historical organizations, and universities throughout Iowa. For partners who participated in the project, each guide offers an overview of the organization's collections and contact information to arrange a visit.
- Iowa Agricultural History Master Collections
- Iowa Agricultural History Regional Guide - Northwest highlighting Buena Vista, Calhoun, Carroll, Cherokee, Clay, Crawford, Dickinson, Emmet, Greene, Ida, Lyon, Monona, O’Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Pocahontas, Sac, Sioux, and Woodbury Counties.
- Iowa Agricultural History Regional Guide - North Central highlighting Boone, Butler, Cerro Gordo, Floyd, Franklin, Grundy, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Humboldt, Kossuth, Marshall, Mitchell, Story, Tama, Webster, Winnebago, Worth, and Wright Counties.
- Iowa Agricultural History Regional Guide - Northeast highlighting Allamakee, Benton, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Chickasaw, Clayton, Delaware, Dubuque, Fayette, Howard, Jackson, Jones, Linn, and Winneshiek Counties.
- Iowa Agricultural History Regional Guide - Southwest highlighting Adair, Adams, Audubon, Cass, Fremont, Guthrie, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie, Ringgold, Shelby, Taylor, and Union Counties.
- Iowa Agricultural History Regional Guide - South Central highlighting Appanoose, Clarke, Dallas, Decatur, Jasper, Lucas, Madison, Mahaska, Marion, Monroe, Polk, Poweshiek, Warren, and Wayne Counties.
- Iowa Agricultural History Regional Guide - Southeast highlighting Cedar, Clinton, Davis, Des Moines, Henry, Iowa, Jefferson, Johnson, Keokuk, Lee, Louisa, Muscatine, Scott, Van Buren, Wapello and Washington Counties.
State Historical Society of Iowa Agricultural History Collections
Use these quick guides to learn about the millions of agricultural history documents held by the State Historical Society of Iowa in Des Moines and Iowa City. These guides will help you begin your exploration of Iowa's agricultural history, either online or by visiting us in person.
- State Historical Society of Iowa Library and Archives Research Center - Des Moines
- State Historical Society of Iowa Library and Special Collections Research Center - Iowa City
Bibliographies of Iowa Agricultural History
Examine over 50 pages of bibliographies to guide interested readers to books, articles, and theses about hundreds of topics in Iowa’s agricultural past. These bibliographies are divided between articles in SHSI's periodicals and materials published by other publishers.
- Iowa and Midwestern Agriculture Bibliography of State Historical Society of Iowa Articles
- Iowa and Midwestern Agriculture Bibliography of Books, Dissertations, Theses, and Books Published by Publishers Other than the State Historical Society of Iowa
Photo Credits
- State Historical Society of Iowa, Iowa City. Fred W. Kent Collection - KENT CSS-C1.7.1 Combining oats near Colo, IA. August 7, 1950
- State Historical Society of Iowa, Iowa City. Meskwaki Food Sovereignty Collection, Ancestral farming manager Luke Kapayou. May 2022
- Background: State Historical Society of Iowa, Iowa City - A. M. Wettach Collection, WETT 3807 Field of young corn. ca1940