As visitors drive the highways and roads in Iowa they can encounter a variety of statues and sculptures that is fun to see. The Statues and sculptures were mainly designed to bring attention to local points of interest in the towns and cities they are located in. These famous landmark statues and sculptures in Iowa are unique and memorable parts of the Hawkeye state to both visitors and natives alike.
Albert the Bull in Audubon, Iowa
Albert the Bull is a 30 foot high 45 ton statue of a Hereford bull located along Highway 71 just south of the town of Audubon, Iowa. The bull was sculpted to honor and was named for local banker Albert Kruse who supported the local economy by making loans to cattle farmers. The statue is lit up at night and if visitors press a button the statue will tell its story.
World‘s Largest Strawberry in Strawberry Point
Located on a pole right in front of city hall in Strawberry Point, Iowa is the 15 foot high World’s Largest Strawberry statue. The town of Strawberry Point used to be known for abundant wild strawberries and celebrates a Strawberry Days Festival each June and the World’s Largest Strawberry was built to commemorate Strawberry Point’s history and remind people of the annual strawberry festival.
Bison Sculpture in Prairie City
The large Bison Sculpture is located right along Highway 163 near the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge in Prairie City, Iowa. The statue commemorates the wild bison or buffalo that used to live in this area. A decent size herd of bison lives today in the Neal Smith Wildlife Refuge.
Iowa’s Largest Frying Pan in Brandon
Iowa’s Largest Frying Pan was built by locals in Brandon, Iowa using scrap metal and is 14 feet 3 inches tall and would be able to hold 44 dozen eggs and weighs over 1,000 pounds. This huge landmark statue or sculpture in Iowa was sculpted to promote Brandon’s semi-annual Cowboy Breakfast and is located right on Main Street in Brandon.
The Black Angel in Iowa city
The Black Angel is a famous statue located in the Oakland Cemetery in Iowa City, Iowa. Not to be confused with the Black Angel statue in Council Bluffs that was sculpted by Daniel Chester French who also sculpted the seated Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial. The Black Angel in Iowa City is 8.5 feet tall and full of superstition and lore which draws a constant stream of visitors. Legend has it that anyone kissing or even touching this statue will immediately be struck dead unless the person is a virgin. Local school kids gather around the statue every Halloween.
