Hawkeye Point - Iowa's High Point

Order of Visit: High Point #40

Date Visited: June 4, 2021

Route Taken: Walk from parking lot – 1/4 mile loop through exhibits

Type of Terrain: Corn fields and prairie

Elevation: 1,670 feet

Ancestral Lands: Yankton

What’s in a name?

For decades in Iowans believed that Ocheyedan Mound was the highest natural point in the state. That moderately large kame (deposit of sand/gravel resulting from melting ice and glacial movements) formed on the Iowa plains approximately 13,000 years ago, and looks like a gentle hill protruding from its flat prairie surroundings.

However, in 1971, surveyors discovered another point just 50 feet higher on a private farm owned by the Sterler family in northwestern Iowa. It’s easy to understand how this second location, located just a few 14 miles away, was originally overlooked by lay observers. It didn’t have the geographic prominence of Ocheyedan Mound, and was nearly indiscernible from the surrounding farmland.

The Sterler family christened this newly found high point as Hawkeye Point. The name was, admittedly, not a super creative choice in a state with so many other things already bearing that same moniker. But, Hoosier Hill (Indiana’s high point) and Mt. Sunflower (Kansas’ high point) aren’t much different in that regard.

So what exactly is a Hawkeye?

The state acquired this nickname primarily through the creative efforts of two people in the mid 1800s, newspaper editor James G. Edwards and a judge named David Rorer.

The name was already in the public conscience because of the fictional character Hawk-eye in the novel The Last of the Mohicans, which was published in 1826. So when Edwards moved his newspaper from Fort Madison to Burlington, Iowa, in 1833, he proposed renaming it the Burlington Hawkeye, as tie-in with the fictional character Hawkeye and as a tribute to the indigenous Sauk leader and warrior, Black Hawk, whose autobiography was a new bestseller.

Soon thereafter, Edwards and Judge Roher began their campaign to make ‘the Hawkeyes’ the nickname for Iowans across the state. The state’s nickname was first recorded in 1859, and the University of Iowa later adopted the Hawkeye as their athletic mascot.

In 2008, Iowa’s Osceola County acquired the seven acres surrounding Hawkeye Point from the Sterler farm, and they have since developed it into a nice roadside stop for travelers. Perhaps linking this obscure piece of farmland to the Iowan identity helped turn it into what it’s become today.

TRIP SUMMARY

Hawkeye Point was the fourth (out of five) state high points I visited on my solo Great Lakes trip in June 2021.

I’d spent the prior night camping up on the North Shore of Lake Superior after tackling Eagle Mountain (Minnesota’s high point). Thus, I had 400 very long miles of driving down the length of Minnesota to get into northern Iowa today.

After heading south through Duluth, St. Paul, and stopping for a late lunch in Mankato, I made it to the Minnesota-Iowa border around 2 pm. After that, it was a piece of cake. Hawkeye Point was only a meager 3.5 miles over the state line, just off Iowa Highway 60.

The early afternoon heat was broiling across the farm fields by the time I turned into the entrance for Hawkeye Point. The dashboard display on my rental car showed the mercury was well into the mid-90s, even though it was barely June.

Not surprisingly, I was the only visitor at Hawkeye Point this particular afternoon. So I had my pick of places to park on the long dirt road leading up past the Sterler Family farmhouse and toward the tall metal silo with the observation deck.

Once parked, my first stop was the vivid red barn that contained a walk-thru museum about the local area. Inside, there were some facts about farm culture and the hand-painted barn quilt over the entrance. Plus, they had a historical photo of President Teddy Roosevelt – who’d once visited nearby Sibley, Iowa, on the train in 1910.

Just outside of this museum, there was also a generous display of antique farm machinery. Visitors could walk through the area while reading signs about what tasks each machine used to perform. I suspect most people don’t even give a second thought to how hard it is to make the soil productive, and I appreciated that these items were there to illustrate the point.

Like most people, I didn’t grow up on a large-scale farm like you see here in Iowa. Nonetheless, I had a more rural upbringing on what most people would describe as a hobby farm. We raised smaller animals (milk goats, chickens, rabbits, and the occasional calf), and we grew a good bit of our food in our family’s garden. Consequently, I got a real kick out of seeing all the farming implements on display.

With my farming curiosity sated, it was time to head over toward the tall silo and the actual high point monument. But first, I needed to stop and take a photo of the American Gothic sproftacchel that visitors could stick their faces into and pose for the camera. (Sadly, my solo status meant I didn’t get my own quirky picture for the blog.)

Then, it was time for the actual high point. The displays surrounding the monument were some of the more elaborate ones I’ve seen thus far. There was a giant mosaic on the ground, a stone marker on the side of a tombstone, several benches, and numerous tall poles with directional signs pointing to the other 49 states’ high points.

I wandered over to find the sign for Oregon’s high point – because it’s my home state – and learned that Mt. Hood was 1,287 miles to my northwest. And the next high point on my list to visit tomorrow (Illinois) was still 283 miles to my east.

Additionally, there was also a giant boulder from the local military veterans welcoming visitors to Hawkeye Point. It seemed like every local group in the area put together something or another here to commemorate the state high point.

Although all the various displays and markers were interesting, my favorite sight was still yet to come. There was a decent-sized observation deck built on the size of the tall silo just to the north of the monument. As I got closer to the railing of the deck, I spied a sign that made me stop in my tracks and laugh out loud.

I just love the fact that these Iowans didn’t go for a run-of-the-mill club name (like ‘Junior Farmers’ or ‘Osceola County 4-H’). They just leaned right into the stereotype and named their 4-H Club “Those Crazy Goat Kids.” Hilarious!

My final stop at Iowa’s high point was on the very edge of the field near an informational sign explaining the ecology and plants of the prairie. I got so engrossed in the information that I somehow forgot to take photos of it. But, if you’re visiting – it’s worth your time to learn more about this unique landscape.

Honestly, I didn’t expect quite so much fanfare and interesting items from Iowa’s high point. So, for whatever it may lack in elevation, prominence, or a creative name, it certainly made up for in its variety of exhibits.

DETAILS

When to Visit: This high point is open and accessible year-round.

Getting There: Hawkeye Point is located in the northwest corner of the state, just 3.5 miles from the Minnesota border and 40 miles from the South Dakota border. The closest major city is Sioux Falls, South Dakota, which is approximately and hour drive to the west.

Entrance Fees: None. Hawkeye Point is owned and managed by Osceola County.

Parking: There is room for at least a dozen cars to park between the barn and the high point monument.

Accessibility: Good for all ages and abilities.

Bonus: The Hawkeye Point Campground is located immediately adjacent to the state high point on 130th Street. The campground is open year-round and includes 12 RV campsites, a bathhouse, a pavilion, playground equipment, a fire pit, picnic tables, and an RV dump station. Each campsite has water and electric hook-ups and crushed concrete pads. Sites are generally first come, first served – though reservations can be made by calling the Osceola County Conservation Board at 712-758-3709.