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The Image of Iowa Trivia Quiz

This quiz is about a variety of Iowa topics, people, and places. Good luck.

A multiple-choice quiz by bigkihap. Estimated time: 7 mins.

Author
bigkihap

Time
7 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
156,921

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
25

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
14 / 25

Plays
1089

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 25

1. Which TV personality was NOT born in Iowa? Hint

Star Jones

Harry Reasoner

Kate Mulgrew

Johnny Carson

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Question 2 of 25

2. What northeastern town is internationally known for its elaborate homage to Norwegian heritage known as Nordic Fest.

Answer: (One Word)

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Question 3 of 25

3. Name Iowa's famous African-American opera singer.

Answer: (first and last name)

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Question 4 of 25

4. How many Iowa towns begin with a "z"? Hint

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Question 5 of 25

5. Which Broadway musical is set in Iowa? Hint

Cats

West Side Story

Wicked

State Fair

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Question 6 of 25

6. What is the largest Iowa County? Hint

Pottawatamie

Kossuth

Madison

Adams

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Question 7 of 25

7. Along the same line, what is the smallest county in Iowa? Hint

Keokuk

Adair

Humboldt

Bremer

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Question 8 of 25

8. What feature film was NOT filmed at all in Iowa? Hint

Field of Dreams

O, Pioneers

Twister

Bridges of Madison County

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Question 9 of 25

9. What Iowa River translates as "Potato River"? Hint

Nishnibotna

Wapsipinicon

Ocheyedan

Maquoketa

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Question 10 of 25

10. What Iowa town shares its name with one of the world's oceans?

Answer: (One Word)

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Question 11 of 25

11. Iowa has 100 counties.

True

False

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Question 12 of 25

12. What Iowa University mascot shares its name with the state's nickname? Hint

University of Iowa

Buena Vista University

Iowa State University

University of Northern Iowa

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Question 13 of 25

13. What town is Indianapolis Colts' Tight End Dallas Clark from?
Hint

Livermore

Cedar Rapids

Washington

Dallas Center

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Question 14 of 25

14. What newspaper has the largest distribution in the state? Hint

"Iowa City Times"

"Fort Dodge Messenger"

"Des Moines Register"

"Waterloo Courier"

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Question 15 of 25

15. What state and river form borders to Iowa?

Answer: (One Word)

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Question 16 of 25

16. Which is NOT one of the Quad Cities? Hint

Clinton

Moline

Rock Island

Davenport

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Question 17 of 25

17. What organization was interested in Fort Dodge's famous hoax, the Gypsum Giant? Hint

The Smithsonian

Barnum and Bailey's Circus

Ripley's Believe It or Not

New York Historical Museum

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Question 18 of 25

18. First Ladies Mamie Eisenhower and Lou Hoover are from Iowa.

True

False

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Question 19 of 25

19. What city's court house is situated on an island? Hint

Dubuque

Cedar Rapids

Council Bluffs

Ames

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Question 20 of 25

20. Which town was home to a World War II German POW camp? Hint

Woodward

Algona

Burlington

Creston

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Question 21 of 25

21. What former president was also a radio announcer for Iowa's WHO radio station?

Answer: (First and last names or just last name. He loved jelly beans.)

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Question 22 of 25

22. Which town has NEVER been a capital of Iowa? Hint

Des Moines

Iowa City

Burlington

Davenport

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Question 23 of 25

23. What Iowa college is the only college in the nation to have the entire campus on the National Registry for Historic Places? Hint

Simpson

Luther

Cornell

Wartburg

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Question 24 of 25

24. What town was once a fort, and the only one ever built in the United States to protect one Native American tribe from another?

Answer: (Two Words)

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Question 25 of 25

25. What town claims Kate Shelley Bridge, the tallest double track bridge in the world? Hint

Oskaloosa

Polk City

Boone

Marshalltown

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which TV personality was NOT born in Iowa?

Answer: Star Jones

Actress Kate Mulgrew grew up in Dubuque. The late newsman Harry Reasoner from the show "60 Minutes" is from Humboldt. Late night host Johnny Carson came from Corning.

2. What northeastern town is internationally known for its elaborate homage to Norwegian heritage known as Nordic Fest.

Answer: Decorah

Incidentally, Decorah also is home to the United States largest single ethic museum, the Vesterheim.

3. Name Iowa's famous African-American opera singer.

Answer: Simon Estes

More than just farmers!

4. How many Iowa towns begin with a "z"?

Answer: 2

Zearing & Zwingle are the two.

5. Which Broadway musical is set in Iowa?

Answer: State Fair

Another one set in Iowa is "The Pajama Game".

6. What is the largest Iowa County?

Answer: Kossuth

Kossuth was originally two counties that combined into one.

7. Along the same line, what is the smallest county in Iowa?

Answer: Humboldt

Humboldt used to be bigger. As a favor to Webster County, Humboldt County "gave" part of the southern portion of the County to their Southern neighbor. The agreement was to return ownership of the land to Humboldt after ten years when Fort Dodge could become Webster County's county seat.

After the ten years, the borrowed land was considered bu Humboldt officials to have been so economically and agriculturally damaged so the agreement was annulled and Webster County kept the borrowed land therefore making Humboldt Iowa's smallest county.

8. What feature film was NOT filmed at all in Iowa?

Answer: O, Pioneers

Field of Dreams - Dyersville
Bridges of Madison County - Winterset
Twister - Ames, Boone, Eldora, Rippey, and Whitten

9. What Iowa River translates as "Potato River"?

Answer: Wapsipinicon

I have no idea why it is called the potato river, but it sure doesn't help the Idaho-Iowa misunderstandings!

10. What Iowa town shares its name with one of the world's oceans?

Answer: Atlantic

Ironically the town was going to be named Pacific.

11. Iowa has 100 counties.

Answer: False

Iowa has 99 counties, though as stated earlier North and South Kossuth counties combined to create Kossuth county.

12. What Iowa University mascot shares its name with the state's nickname?

Answer: University of Iowa

Iowa is known as the Hawkeye State, so the Iowa Hawkeyes share the name. The rest are:
ISU - Cyclones
BV - Beavers
UNI - Panthers

13. What town is Indianapolis Colts' Tight End Dallas Clark from?

Answer: Livermore

The town is so small that the school district of the area, Twin River Valley, uses 8-man football.

14. What newspaper has the largest distribution in the state?

Answer: "Des Moines Register"

You can easily get the paper anywhere in the state.

15. What state and river form borders to Iowa?

Answer: Missouri

The state borders the south, the river is the western border.

16. Which is NOT one of the Quad Cities?

Answer: Clinton

The Quad Cities actually occupy two states, Iowa and Illinois.

17. What organization was interested in Fort Dodge's famous hoax, the Gypsum Giant?

Answer: Barnum and Bailey's Circus

The Gypsum Giant was a gypsum sculpture designed by a Fort Doge native in order to make a quick buck. He had a life sized sculpture of a primitive looking man carved and buried in his field. After one year, the man decided to dig a well in the spot where the sculpture was buried.

After one year the giant looking significantly aged and the man claimed he had "discovered" a petrified giant. Of course it was a fraud carved from gypsum, but the man made a small fortune before this was discovered.

18. First Ladies Mamie Eisenhower and Lou Hoover are from Iowa.

Answer: True

Lou Hoover's Presidential husband Herbert was also from Iowa.

19. What city's court house is situated on an island?

Answer: Cedar Rapids

Even though Cedar Rapids is not near the mighty Mississippi, the court house is still on an island in the Cedar River. Which incidentally runs right through town.

20. Which town was home to a World War II German POW camp?

Answer: Algona

Camp Algona was on the site where the Algona airport exists today. Along with Camp Clarinda, Camp Algona kept German POW's from WWII. Prisoner Eduard Kaib constructed a nearly life-size nativity scene out of wire and plaster. The nativity scene was an amazing achievement by prisoners in such a camp. Kaib's original nativity scene remains in the town of Algona to this day and visitors are able to view it every Christmas season. Ironically, Algona is also home to the world's largest Cheeto.

21. What former president was also a radio announcer for Iowa's WHO radio station?

Answer: Ronald Reagan

Former President Reagan was the sports announcer for the Iowa Hawkeyes long before politics, or even his acting career.

22. Which town has NEVER been a capital of Iowa?

Answer: Davenport

As Iowa's population grew, the capital kept moving to make it more centrally located.

23. What Iowa college is the only college in the nation to have the entire campus on the National Registry for Historic Places?

Answer: Cornell

The other campuses also have buildings on the registry.

24. What town was once a fort, and the only one ever built in the United States to protect one Native American tribe from another?

Answer: Fort Atkinson

Fort Atkinson is known now for its annual Renaissance Fair.

25. What town claims Kate Shelley Bridge, the tallest double track bridge in the world?

Answer: Boone

The bridge transverses an enormous valley and is named after a thirteen year old girl who saved a train load of people when the tracks were out.

Source: Author bigkihap

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor minch before going online.
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