History bus exhibit highlights Iowa heartland transitions

TRACES Center for History and Culture will bring its mobile exhibit "At Home in the Heartland: How We Got to be 'Us'" to the Decorah Public Library Saturday and Sunday.  The "bus-eum" shows how the Iowa that existed as little as 35 years ago is gone because of sweeping, long-term changes in the region's agriculture, economy, technology,  politics and demographics.

Project director Michael Luick-Thrams, whose family has lived in Iowa since the 1830s, has spent forty years researching photos, maps, and other documentation that offers a narrative look into Iowa history.

Admission is free, in part with support from Decorah Genealogy Association and Winneshiek County Historical Society. 

The bus will be parked on Main Street outside the main entrance to the Decorah Public Library, and will be open for viewing from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. on Saturday and from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. Sunday.  There will also be programs given in the library's public meeting room on Saturday and Sunday.  History Bus coordinator Michael Luick-Thrams will talk about the "Social Context of Family History" at 10:00 a.m. Saturday and again at 1:30 p.n. Sunday.  At 1:30 p.m. Saturday he will talk about "the Refugees in Europe Today."

The History Bus is created by TRACES Center for History and Culture, in conjunction with 60 local hosts and the Iowa Genealogical Society.  The History Bus will be in Lansing on Friday, and continue on to Highlandville on Monday.  The History Bus will tour the whole of Iowa during this year.

Details about both the tour and TRACES can be found at: http://roots.traces.org/at-home-in-the-heartland or staff@TRACES.org