History & Walking Tour
Our neighborhoods are compact and historically interesting. The Northside Neighborhood, a commercial and residential area located just north of downtown, was settled by Czech immigrants. Check out Old Brick, the first church in the area, now serving as a community center. The State Historical Society of Iowa on Iowa Avenue is great for genealogy and photographic archives. Celebrate local history during Irving Weber Days. Take a downtown walking tour using our downloadable PDF!
Unique Literary History
Explore Iowa City's unique literary history with a stroll down the Iowa Avenue Literary Walk. The Walk highlights the many authors who studied at the world-famous Iowa Writer's Workshop or called Iowa City home, among them: Robert Frost, Dylan Thomas, Kurt Vonnegut, John Irving, W.P. Kinsella and Tennesee Williams.
Their work and the work of so many others has earned Iowa City recognition as one of only three UNESCO Cities of Literature in the world. The University of Iowa campus, intertwined with Downtown, showcases the Old Capitol Museum, the Pentacrest Museums and other cultural attractions.
