Talk to someone who remembers living on a farm in Iowa during
the Great Depression 75 years ago. Consider what it was like for
the first pioneers on the prairie nearly 200 years ago. It all
seems like a long time ago. Now try to imagine Iowa 12,000 years
ago. That’s about the time the first humans lived in the area
that became Iowa. And that was a long time ago. About 12,000
years ago humans began to share common religions, cultures,
locations and experiences in the land that became Iowa. Those
early inhabitants were the first to live, work and play on the
land. They lived in groups similar to today’s towns. There were
dads and moms and kids. There were people who thought of new
ways of doing things. Men and women had different jobs. New
people moved into the area. There were conflicts between groups
of people. Since this time people have continued to move to and
through the state. Groups have brought unique cultures and
traditions to share. Individuals have inspired others. The
contributions of Iowans have s