FALL FOR THE GREAT RIVER ROAD
The heavy rains have slowed down this year's color show, but the leaves are starting to turn. That means it's time to roll the windows down, find a stretch of two lane highway, and follow the Mississippi River along Iowa's eastern edge. The Great River Road runs 328 miles along Iowa's eastern border, winding past limestone bluffs, river towns, old storefronts, and pieces of American history.
Follow the River, Find the Stories
Photo provided by the LeClaire Marketing Alliance
LeClaire, Iowa- LeClaire isn't just another stop along the Mississippi. It's home. It's where my roots are, where my love for American history runs deep, and where I built something around the idea that the past still matters. This is a town shaped by the river. Steamboats, river pilots, and generations of people who made their living along these banks helped put LeClaire on the map.
Photo provided by the LeClaire Marketing Alliance
Walk down Cody Road. Get into the shops. Talk to the people behind the counters. Look at the old buildings. Stop by Antique Archaeology, visit the Buffalo Museum, and spend some time along the Mississippi. Because the best thing about a place like LeClaire isn't just what's sitting on the shelves. It's the people, the history, and the independent spirit that keep a town like this alive.
Photo provided by the LeClaire Marketing Alliance
Dubuque, Iowa - Keep heading north, and you'll hit Dubuque, Iowa's oldest city. The Mississippi Valley opens up around steep hills, limestone bluffs, and historic. buildings that have weathered generations. Head downtown, take in the architecture, and ride the Fenelon Place Elevator for a view that puts the whole river valley into perspective.
Photo from www.TravelDubuque.com
This time of year those bluffs will be lit up with color. But don't get so caught up chasing the perfect selfie that you forget to look at what's right in front of you. The old buildings, the streets, the riverfront, that's the real story. The leaves just make it that much better.
Photo from www.VisitGalena.org
Galena, Illinois - Cross into Illinois and make your way to Galena. Galena's historic downtown is packed with old buildings, independent shops, and the kind of Main Street that forces you to pull over.
Photo from www.VisitGalena.org
The surrounding hills roll into valleys and winding country roads heading into the territories where the bluffs, river views and landscape can truly be appreciated this time of year.
Photo provided by Mike Wolfe
I've dedicated a big part of my life to finding history, digging into forgotten stories, and looking for the character that makes one place different from the next. Here's what I've learned: You don't find that character by driving past it. An old sign. A weathered storefront. A family owned business that's been hanging on for generations. A town that refuses to lose its identity. That's the stuff that I’ve always found my inspiration. Fall color is a hell of a reason to hit the road, but it's not the whole story. It's the excuse to get out there and find the places, people, and pieces of American history that still make this country what it is. So, get off the interstate and explore the two lanes.
