Iowa’s99…The Beginning

Iowa’s 99 began with a simple realization: I had lived in Iowa most of my life, yet my understanding of it was incomplete. I knew the highways, the towns I passed through, and the places I was told were “worth seeing.” But I hadn’t really seenIowa—not its quiet prairies, overlooked parks, back roads, or the stories held in each county.

I started Iowa’s 99 to change that.

This project is my commitment to slow down and pay attention—to explore all 99 counties with curiosity. It’s about discovering the landscapes that don’t always make the postcards, the public lands and small communities that shape Iowa’s identity, and the natural spaces that deserve to be noticed and protected.

Iowa’s 99 is also about connection. Every place has a story, and every county has people who know it best. By visiting, listening, and creating, I hope to gain a truer understanding of this place I call home while building a deeper relationship with the land itself.

At its heart, Iowa’s 99 is a creative journey rooted in place. It’s an invitation—to myself and to others—to look closer, travel with intention, and rediscover the beauty of where we are.