Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area

At Living History Farms

Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area is not a site but a collection of sites oriented around the same theme: farm life, agribusiness and rural communities - past and present. The National Heritage Area designation came in 1996 and the name is meant to signify the farms and industries that collectively constitute modern agribusiness. There are 37 counties in northeast Iowa included in the Heritage Area, about 1/3 of the state.

The National Park Service recognizes more than 90 privately-owned and community sites in the area that interpret different aspects of the story of American agriculture. These sites range from museums and dairy farms to tractor-assembly plants and grape vineyards. Two of the sites are the Living History Farms and the Amana Colonies, among the top Iowa tourism attractions. Also included in the Heritage Area are several state-designated scenic byways and the Great River Road All American Byway.