Friday / Weekend Open Line


One of the states that figured prominently in the recent presidential election — Iowa — became the 29th state to join the Union on this date in 1846. The name “Iowa” is derived from an American Indian word meaning “the beautiful land,” and it’s thought that the nickname “the Hawkeye State” is in honor of the famous Indian chief, Black Hawk. Iowa has long been an agricultural powerhouse and is the nation’s leading producer of corn and soybeans, as well as hogs and eggs. When Iowa became a state, it had a population of less than 200,000. Today, it is home to just over 3 million people. You can find more facts about America’s people, places and economy from the American Community Survey at <www.census.gov>.