Have you ever heard of Iowa’s Northern Lakes region?

You are living in it.

Let me explain.

Iowa is about one percent of the population of the United States. It is divided neatly by the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. The state of Missouri and  Minnesota form our other borders.

If you have ever seen a picture map, you might understand why Iowa has an image problem when it comes to tourism and economic development. On picture maps, states are represented by images that typify the activities that allegedly go in that particular state. As an example, Texas has a picture of oil derricks and cattle. As you know, most Texans do not own cattle or oil wells. Wisconsin is likely to have a picture of dairy cattle and up by Door country an image of someone fishing.

Incidentally, Minnesota (particularly Park Rapids, Bemidji, Walker, Detroit Lakes) does not have a problem attracting tourist, nor does Missouri with it’s Lake of the Ozarks.

A picture map for Iowa has a farmer standing next to Corn. Corn and hogs. In other words, we feed the world. Nebraska has the same stereotype. In the 1950’s, there was a popular song on the pop charts about Iowa having corn “sky high by the fourth of July.” Given the preceding, do you want to spend your tourist dollar in Iowa?

Over the years, I have been to almost every region of Iowa. As a kid,  my family would go to Lake Okaboji for a vacation. In other words, our money was spent in Iowa’s Great Lakes region.

Later, when we were older, we would travel further to Park Rapids, Minnesota to a resort there and stay for a week to six weeks. Those were wonderful memories.

When Jennifer, my wife, and I first entered Cedar Rapids, we were very impressed with the woods and the rolling hills from Iowa City to Cedar Rapids. In fact, that was about 20 years ago about now.

I was most intrigued by Lake McBride and Corralville Reservoir. I also noticed that there were cabins and lodges that you could see from the highway.

After traveling back and fourth over I-80 probably 100 times (my former home town is Omaha)  it became extremely clear to me how Iowa varies. Around the Skunk River, Iowa’s flat land begins to become hilly and rolling. By Grinnell, there is more woods along the highway. Brooklyn, Iowa has pretty Holiday Lake.

After Victor, Iowa, you soon approach signs indicating the Amanas. My sisters’ large extended family had a family reunion in the Amanas. My  mother’s 80th birthday celebration was also there. Folks from all over the country came there and spent money.

When talking with old friends from my hometown of Omaha, I explain to them that I live in the Wisconsin portion of Iowa. There eyes light up. They understand that I live among water, woods, ponds, lakes, rivers, creeks, bluffs, rolling hills and deer.

I would like to suggest that the Northern Lakes region of Iowa is roughly from the Amanas to the

Quads and upward to Decorah and the Minnesota border. For those geographers and topographers reading this, don’t call me on this for academic accuracy, but see this from a marketing perspective.

There could be special signs on I-80 near the Amanas indicating to travelers that they are entering Northern Lakes . (Geographically, we are about  one-tenth of the state, and the area includes small portions of Wisconsin and northern Illinois.)

Northern Lakes  is the Wisconsin  of  Iowa. Roughly 22 miles from here near Central City the next northern topographical belt. Folks in Dyersville and  Dubuque talk with a Scandinavian-German accent. Both Galena of Northern Illinois and Platteville/Potosi Wisconsin have beautiful rolling hills and  they are but 90 minutes from here. There are beautiful camp grounds on the Mississippi.

Cedar  Rapids is not a  resort community, but a community for conventions and  traveling tourists.

 One major  marketing criteria is that they extend their day (or more) here. It is also a wonderful place for economic development. There are only 200 places like us in the whole USA. Most are edge cities without a central business district. The city has dramatically improved in the last two decades and our strengths are that we are located in the newly developed Cedar River projects and other attractions to come. We are the place to be when you want to go to the numerous other sites in the Northern Lakes region.

In terms of economic development, it is a great place to live and have a camper or cabin at  the revitalized Lake Delhi. From the Field of Dreams to the Amanas, from the pretty McGregor area to Cassville-Galena,Cedar Rapids is in the middle of it all.

Last fall, the SIOUX CITY JOURNAL  ran a story on Ellis Park and all the boat houses. With the new hosing development just adjacent to Mohawk Park (across from Ellis) it should be even more refurbished and gentrified.

What Northern Lakes needs is a new picture map of “our area.” It would project and magnify all the parks, tourist areas, and the Mississippi. It includes  three (or 4)  metropolitan areas and  tons of pretty places to go. Did you know that you can have a nice overnight with your camper at Morgan Creek. My guess is that most readers don’t know that I am talking about a place right here in Cedar Rapids, with trails, a creek, woods, and  pretty bridges.

In other words, that is our problem.