Happy New Year! And if you noticed I did not blog at all during the months of November and December. I decided to take those two months off for various reasons, but I did do
Happy New Year! And if you noticed I did not blog at all during the months of November and December. I decided to take those two months off for various reasons, but I did do enough research for next year to allow me a two-month extravaganza of local Christmas events which we will be touring this coming holiday season in 2023.
And since we are talking about 2023, let’s make this year the best yet by starting off with a tour of the city of Denison, Iowa. I specifically chose Denison for January after Governor Kim Reynolds proclaimed January 27th Donna Reed Day in remembrance of what would be her 100th birthday. More about Donna Reed in a later post, but for now, let’s explore the history of Denison, Iowa.
Top of the charts!
Doing some research about this small Midwest town, I was happily surprised by what I found. Having a population of just over 8,000 this unexpecting town continues to remain at the top 3% of places to live in the United States. In addition, Denison leads the state by being the second most diverse city in all of Iowa, even beating out the capital of Des Moines! This unique ensemble of eclectic backgrounds and cultures makes Denison a must-visit while in the area.
Founded in 1856 and incorporated nearly twenty years later in 1875. Denison was named after its founder J.W. Denison who offered to build a town hotel and general store, as well as the courthouse if the residents agreed to name the settlement after him and make this the county seat. Thus, Denison was born.
Adding to the town’s diversity, Denison is home to a division of Job Corps, which has locations all over the Midwest, from Grand Rapids, Michigan, down to Tulsa, Oklahoma, and all the way up to Fargo, North Dakota.
Job Corps helps its students find career paths with hands-on learning, from brick laying to pharmacy technician, the opportunities are endless. In fact, while I worked as a recruiter for a local staffing agency, I would see references to Denison Job Corps on several resumes. More on them in a later post!
Plan your visit
Overall, this town will be a lot of fun to explore, and probably one of my most surprising finds to date. Being that my husband used to be Denison’s FedEx driver for close to four years, he has been adamant that he tails along with me to all our adventures. So far, he has wholesomely enjoyed meeting up with familiar faces, seeing how the town has grown, and he even insists on driving since he thoroughly knows the town’s layout.
Located just over an hour’s drive from Sioux City, this picturesque bustling little city will quickly rise to the top of your list for destination day trips come summer time. I was originally introduced to Denison during my wedding series last September, and on that tour, I was able to meet up with Laura who owns and runs the Stables at Copper Ridge. She and her assistant, Zoey, both told me I needed to make a visit to Denison’s downtown, and eat at one of their favorite local Mexican restaurants.
Therefore, on our next post we will start our exploration of downtown Denison, where we’ll find quaint little shops and beautiful intersections inlayed with colorful brick. I hope you’re able to tag along, and maybe some day soon plan your own trip, or even make your way to the Crawford County Fair in July.
