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Cresco

Have you ever been to Cresco, Iowa? Well, if not, it’s time you visit! Located in northeast Iowa, Cresco offers landscape designed for all four seasons and a variety of activities to engage all participants. Whether resident or visitor, we’ve got somethign for everyone! Tour the Boyhood Farm and Birthplace of Dr. Norman Borlaug and see why this gentle man is only one of seven people in the world to ever be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, the Congressional Gold Medal, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Dr. Borlaug is credited with saving millions of lives by developing a hybrid of wheat that could be grown in places that previously could not do so.

A must-see in Cresco is the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame. Located in the Cresco Welcome Center, it is the only museum dedicated to Iowa-born natives who have contributed to amateur wrestling. See the likes of Dan Gable, Gold Medalist of the 1972 Olympics, and many others as you learn about Iowa’s proud sport of wrestling. An added bonus is the new IWHOF 40-foot mural dedicated to wrestling in Cresco and Iowa. This is a must-see experience!

Whether walking, biking, or nature watching, the Prairie Springs Recreation Trail (PSRT) is a 3-mile paved trail accessed from downtown Cresco at Balk Park to Vernon Springs, winding along the Prairie’s Edge Nature Center next to the Turkey River. Along the trail are benches and picnic tables to stop and enjoy your moments outdoors. Breathtaking beauty and glorious displays of nature can be seen the entire length of this trail surprising the delighted recreational enthusiast with prairie grass, flowers, rolling farmland, and shaded woods that brings you back to a less complex world. But the trail doesn’t stop there! Connecting to the Prairie Farmer Trail, this paved 22-mile experience traverses through an old railroad bed offering views of rich Iowa farmland along the way.

The first fitness trail in the State of Iowa possesses outdoor fitness equipment strategically placed along the recreation trail (PSRT) and offers a work-out for all ages and levels. Enjoy a run/walk and workout all along the trail, because this scenic experience now adds a challenge to all fitness levels!

Cresco is home to the first stewardess in the world. Ellen Church made many contributions to aviation and one of them was to devise a pilot program to bring nurses on board the newly proposed “passenger plane” back in the 1930s. Convincing the airlines that nurses on board would instill confidence in their passengers, they allowed Ellen to go forward with her program. It became such a success the first “Air Hostess” was born, which evolved into the “Stewardess,” and today, the “Flight Attendant.”

To raise community and visitor awareness to a form of art not often seen outside museums and galleries, Cresco is dotted with over 45 sculptures of children featured outside of historic buildings and landscapes. This is a great walking tour of a picturesque town in northeast Iowa that residents and visitors alike enjoy all year round!

Take a walk (and maybe a fishing pole) on Iowa’s first Rock Arch Rapids. This innovative fish ladder replaced a 150-year-old spill-water dam reconnecting hundreds of miles of river habitat. Over 280 feet of pools and rapids showcase this stunning new recreation area and is located at the end of the Prairie Springs Recreational Trail.

Find us on the web at www.howard-county.com for more information on the rich heritage and history of the Cresco area. See you soon!

Cresco Fitness Center
Address: 316 3rd Ave East
City:
Cresco
State:
IA
Phone:
563-547-3443
Website:
cityofcresco.com
Category:
Cresco, Iowa, Recreational
Tags:
Health
Description:

A place for all ages. Pool, Hot Tub, Fitness Equipment, Track, Basketball Court, Volleyball Court, Wrestling Room, Aerobics Room, Batting Cage, Golf Putting, Golf Cage, Meetings, Party Rooms.

Howard County Tourism
Address: 101 2nd Street SW
52136
City:
Cresco
State:
IA
Phone:
563-547-3434
Website:
www.howard-county.com
Category:
Attractions, Cresco, Iowa
Tags:
History
Description:

Norman Borlaug Boyhood Home. Iowa Wresling Hall of Fame. Over 35 Unique Bronze Statues. Multiple Full-Serive Campgrounds. Three Scenic and Challenging Golf Courses. Visit www.crescochamber.com too

Looking Glass Prairie Furniture Store
Address: 24852 Klondike Road
City:
Harmony
State:
MN
Category:
Cresco, Iowa, Shopping
Tags:
Amish, Furniture, Gifts
Description:

Completely Amish owned and operated. Quality handcrafted furniture: Dining room, bedroom, tables, chairs, rockers, shelves, quilts, gifts.

Regional Health Services of Howard County
City:
Cresco
State:
IA
Website:
www.rhshc.com
Category:
Cresco, Iowa, Services
Tags:
Health
Description:

Working together for the Health of our Community.

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Iowa Towns

  • Burr Oak
  • Calmar
  • Charles City
  • Clermont
  • Cresco
  • Decorah
  • Dyersville
  • Elkader
  • Fort Atkinson
  • Guttenberg
  • Hawkeye
  • Kendallville
  • Lansing
  • Lime Springs
  • Osage
  • Riceville
  • Spillville
  • Waukon

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Visit Bluff Country

Historic Bluff Country, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Adams, Austin, Caledonia, Canton, Chatfield, Fountain, Harmony, Houston, Kellogg, Lanesboro, LeRoy, Mabel, Millville, Minneiska, Peterson, Plainview, Preston, Reads Landing, Red Wing, Rushford, Rushford Village, Spring Grove, Spring Valley, St. Charles, Wabasha, Whalan, Winona, Wykoff, Burr Oak, Charles City, Clermont, Cresco, Decorah, Dubuque, Dyersville, Elkader, Fort Atkinson, Froelich, Guttenberg, Hawkeye, Kendallville, Lansing, Lawler, Lime Springs, McGregor, Marquette, Osage, Protivin, Riceville, St. Ansgar, Spillville, Waukon, Alma, La Crosse, Platteville, Tomah, Viroqua, Warrens, Galena, Antiques, Apparel, Art Galleries, Financial, Banking, Craft Beer, Winery, Distillery, Brewery, Camping, B&B, Bread and Breakfast, Vacation Rentals, Amish, Scenic Byway, River, Fishing, Hunting, Canoe, Kayak, Tubing, Fly Fish, Golf, Recreation, Hiking, Theatre, Movies, Shopping, Gifts, Niagara Cave, Commonweal, Spam Museum, Root River State Trail, Beaver Creek Valley State Park, Horse Riding, Tours, Biking, Rentals, Skiing, Music, Stand Still Parade, Trout, Prairie Visions, Shooting Star, Lake Louise State Park, Steam Engines, Grumpy Old Men, Museums, Lakes, Upper Iowa River, Mississippi River, Laura Ingalss Wilder, Apple Blossom, Cranberry Festival, Veterans

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Minnesota Towns

  • Caledonia
  • Canton
  • Chatfield
  • Fountain
  • Harmony
  • Houston
  • Kellogg
  • Lake City
  • Lanesboro
  • LeRoy
  • Mabel
  • Millville
  • Minneiska
  • Peterson
  • Plainview
  • Preston
  • Reads Landing
  • Red Wing
  • Rushford
  • Spring Grove
  • Spring Valley
  • Wabasha
  • Whalan
  • Winona
  • Wykoff

Iowa Towns

  • Burr Oak
  • Calmar
  • Charles City
  • Clermont
  • Cresco
  • Decorah
  • Dyersville
  • Elkader
  • Fort Atkinson
  • Guttenberg
  • Hawkeye
  • Kendallville
  • Lansing
  • Lime Springs
  • Osage
  • Riceville
  • Spillville
  • Waukon

Wisconsin Towns

  • Alma
  • Dodge
  • La Crosse
  • Platteville
  • Trempealeau
  • Warrens
  • Westby

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