Location:
Northeast Iowa, Indigenous History Tour
Project Manager/Content Developer:
Lilly Jensen, Northeast lowa RC&D
Designer:
Jared Nielsen
Partners included Native American consultants (Angel De Cora Museum) and the owners of the partner sites; Decorah Park & Recreation, Winneshiek Co., Winneshiek Co. Conservation Board, Kenny White/Bluffton, cities of Marquette, Lansing, and Fort Atkinson, & Decorah Chamber.
Northeast Iowa’s Indigenous History Tour
Indigenous communities have long inhabited Northeast Iowa, but their history is often overlooked or misunderstood. Northeast Iowa’s Indigenous History Tour provides a glimpse into the rich Indigenous history of the region, with a focus on the “Neutral Ground” where the Ho-Chunk tribe was relocated in the 19th century. From its inception, the goal of this project was to bring together Native American representatives with city & county partners to develop interpretive panels, educational kiosks, a short video, and a self guided tour that conveyed the history and culture of the Native American tribes.
Project deliverables included seven 24”x36” Interpretive Kiosks with outdoor stands, eighteen 13”x9’’ Interpretive panels, one 2-4 minute YouTube video about Native American history and culture, and one Self Guided Tour Print Publication. Northeast lowa’s RC&D partnered with iZone imaging to design the interpretive kiosks and panels that provided a better understanding of Native American culture and history. iZone’s CHPL was chosen for its proven exterior durability, and high quality graphics.
This project was funded by a federal grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to the National Trust for Historic Preservation ZOR-283411-21 on October 1, 2021. The project received funding and consultation from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Angel De Cora Museum and Research Center. Special thank you to all who made this project possible.
