An Iowan Visited All 955 Towns/Cities in Iowa in the Last 5 Years

We didn't realize that the state of Iowa had so many towns and cities!

According to a new article from the Des Moines Register, an Iowa transplant by the name of Dave Miglin is now more familiar with our state than most. After moving to Iowa from Atlanta for work back in 2014, he found himself on a mission to visit every single city and town in Iowa, a mission he completed earlier this summer.

It all started in the small town of Dyersville, most famously known as the home of the Field of Dreams Movie Site. Dave, his wife Karen, and his two kids went to visit the movie site, and his son Evan began asking what his dad would see next. The rest is history!

When Dave began his journey across Iowa, there were 955 incorporated towns. Unfortunately, that number dropped to 945 at the end of last year. Still, Dave managed to visit all 955 destinations in the past five years, with his final stop being West Bend, Iowa, a small town in north central Iowa that is home to the Shrine of the Grotto of the Redemption. He took a trip there back in July of this year.

So, what exactly did Dave do in all of these Iowa towns? Well, first of all, he took a a bunch of photos, which he then made into a coffee table book for his family and friends (sorry, but it's not for sale). But, he didn't just take pictures. According to the Des Moines Register:

"Miglin checked off his last town in West Bend in July 2021. By that time, he had crisscrossed the state multiple weekends to do anything from simply taking a photo by a town’s sign to visiting with locals on city streets, bars, tourist attractions and anywhere else he could strike up a conversation."

Dave encourages other Iowans to explore the state and help support small business owners during their travels. You can read more about his experiences here in Iowa in the Des Moines Register article HERE.