5 Phrases Only Iowans Know

Every state and every region in the United States has ways of saying things but, here in Iowa and the Midwest, we have some of the best and funniest ways of saying, or explaining something. I’d even go as far as to say that we may have some of the best phrases here in the states.

Let's see if you know, or use all these great, and iconic Iowa sayings.

eclipsedi & Jake Truemper

We have all probably said one of these words, this makes for a great quiz for your non-Iowa and Midwestern friends. Let us know how you and your friends did. We have 5 iconic sayings, and a few honorable mentions.

Iconic Iowa Sayings

Have you said these Iconic Iowan, and Midwestern sayings before?

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Do you say any of the phrases or know someone who does. I say three out of the five all the time. My mom says all of them. I refuse to call the game corn hole, even though I'm an Iowan. I gotta call it bags. My family and I even joke about it.

Another word that has a different meaning is Soda, or pop, or cola, or coke. Depending on where you are that carbonated drink has a different name, and people will fight you about it what the right answer is. What do you think the right answer is?

Share your favorite Iowa, or Midwestern saying below. If you grew up somewhere else let us know your awesome local sayings.

Questions Iowans Are Tired of Being Asked

Whoever said there are no dumb questions is an idiot. Here are some of the most common questions Iowans get asked...proven through SCIENCE! Also, the answers are included so if you're tired of being asked you can just send this right along.

Hilarious Iowa DOT Signs

Anyone else share a sense of humor with a state's Department of Transportation? Just me? Well, every Monday the Iowa Department of Transportation puts up a sometimes hilarious, sometimes straightforward message on their road signs across the state. This is called "message Monday" and Iowa DOT tries to entertain and educate drivers through these signs. Here are just a few of our favorites.

Iowa's Island City

There is something unique about every town, but there is really something special about Sabula, IA. Known as "Iowa's Island City," Sabula is the only town in the state of Iowa that is entirely on an island. While not a lot of people have been to, or live in Sabula, it is a quaint little town nestled right on the Mississippi River.

Before we show you around "Iowa's Island City," let me give you the history of Sabula. Sabula was established in 1835, according History of Jackson County, Iowa, Volume 1 by James Whitcomb Ellis. Isaac Dorman and a man named Hinkley crossed the river from the Illinois side on a log and decided to settle on what is now Sabula. An Ohio couple, James and Margaret Woods would settle on Sabula about a year later in April of 1836. Their son, Dr. E. A. Woods would purchase Hinkley's interest in the claim. Charles Swan and W. H. Brown would soon purchase Dorman's interest. The three men, Woods, Swan and Brown later had the land plotted in 1837.

The idea behind plotting the land was because there was no town between Lyons (north Clinton) and Bellevue. The plot of the new town was recorded in Dubuque as this area was part of Dubuque county at the time, according History of Jackson County, Iowa, Volume 1 by James Whitcomb Ellis.

According to Island City Harbor's website, Sabula went through a few names before landing on the official town name. In 1837, Sabula was first called Carrollport. Residents of the town didn't like the name because there was a man's name who was Carroll who had a bad reputation. The town changed its name to Charleston, after early settler Charles Swan. The only issue was that there was already a town called Charleston in Iowa which caused much confusion.

In 1846 the settler’s decided to find a name. Island City Harbor's website says that because of it’s sandy soil, William Hubble suggested the town be called "Sabulum" which is Latin for sand. A party was being held around the time the town name was being discussed, when a woman, supposed to be Miss Harriet Hudson, suggested the town be called Sabula as it was easier to pronounce and sounded more elegant, according History of Jackson County, Iowa, Volume 1 by James Whitcomb Ellis.

Sabula did not actually become an island until 1939. According to Wikipedia, in the 1930's, the Army Corps of Engineers constructed the lock and dam system. In 1939, Lock and Dam No. 13 between Clinton, IA and Fulton, IL was built which caused the bottomlands west of the town permanently flooded. With the Mississippi River east of the town, this created the "Island City." A levee was built around Sabula in 1957 for protection, according to Island City Harbor's website. This also allowed for the south sand pit to be turned into a boat harbor.

I would like to thank my mom Beth, her fiancé Matt, my brother Nolan and my wife Ellie for accompanying me to Sabula. We always have a blast on our trips and this one was no exception.

It's now time to introduce you to Sabula, Iowa, Iowa's Island City.

Filed Under: Iowa, Iowa slaying, nl

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