Things to Do in Sac City, Iowa

What do barn quilts, the world's largest popcorn ball and the Chautauqua movements of the early 1900's have in common? They are all connected to Sac City, Iowa.

Embraced by the Raccoon Rover Valley, Sac City is replete with rich soil nurtured by 14,000 year old glacial till. Agrarian in origin, the city was so named because at the time of the Louisiana Purchase it was inhabited by the Sauk and Fox Indian tribes. Now it is best known for its distinctive attractions.

Chautauqua Building
Sac City's 1908 "Chautauqua Building" is the only complete existing building of its kind in the entire state.

The building was constructed during the Chautauqua movement of the early 1900's. The roots of the movement were established in 1874 when visionary educators John Heyl Vincent and Lewis Miller established the "Chautauqua Institution."

Vincent, Miller and their brethren made it their mission to bring education to rural communities throughout the U.S. by constructing centers of cultural learning entitled "Chautauquas."

"Chautauqua buildings" quickly became places where rural residents could listen to concerts, watch theatrical productions, and enjoy lectures.

Though extremely popular at first, the movement fell out of favor in the mid 1930's. This was due in part to changes in the transportation industry that made cultural opportunities in nearby urban areas easier to access.

The Sac City "Chautauqua Building" is open to the public from Memorial Day through Labor Day. As of 2010 admission is free and its' hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm.

Chautauqua Building
Park Avenue
Sac City, IA 50583
717-662-7316

Sac County Barn Quilts
A barn quilt is an eight foot square wooden block that is usually found on the side of a barn or corn crib and is painted to look like a quilt. Barn quilts are vestiges of the American Barn Quilt Movement that started in Adams County, Ohio years ago.

The barn quilts were such favored expressions of creativity that today almost 1/3 of all Iowa counties have at least one. Sac City however, has more than one; they actually have well over 100.

The Sac City barn quilts display stretches over 108 miles with the majority of them prominently placed on antique corn cribs, wooden barns and retail buildings.

The barn quilts can be seen year round. A map of each quilt location along with the significance of it's' design is available online for download. The barn quilt tour is free.

Sac City Museum Village
The "Sac City Museum Village" consist of several out building that include a country store, doctor's office, hardware store, church, telephone office and country school.

Exhibits include vintage costumes, early examples of farm tools, farming equipment, pioneer artifacts and the world's largest popcorn ball.

Entered into the "Guinness Book of World Records" in February 2009, the Sac City popcorn ball stands over eight feet tall and weighs 5,000 pounds. It is so large that it is housed at the museum village in its' own building.

This is the third time that Sac City's popcorn ball made it into the "Guinness Book of World Records." The making of the popcorn ball was a massive undertaking and took 230 volunteers over 12 hours to complete.

As of 2010 admission to the "Sac City Museum Village" is free.

Sac City Museum Village
13^th and Main Streets
Sac City, IA 50583
712-662-7383

North Raccoon River Water Trail
Just recently Sac City was named the head of the 41 mile "Raccoon River Water Trail." Designed for canoes and kayaks, the newly designated trail is replete with wildlife viewing areas. As of 201 the river water trail accesses points are free and do not require a permit for use.

Additional Information
Those would-be visitors who wish to learn more about Sac City should log onto the city's tourism website.