From Steamboats to Dirt Roads: A Look Back at Iowa Travel [GALLERY]

It's wild to think how much travel in Iowa has changed since the state officially joined the U.S. at the end of 1846. Many of the items on the list predate the official birth of the state.

No one was taking the bus in the 1840s. They certainly weren't flying, driving, or grabbing an Uber from their iPhone.

So, what did travel look like in Iowa throughout the early years of our state?

I've compiled a huge list of Iowa travel firsts. With the help of the Iowa DOT, I have a list of firsts I bet you never knew about.

Things Used to Be VERY Different in Iowa

While it may be wild to think a seatbelt law in Iowa only became a thing in the mid-80s, it's also crazy to think that there was a first for so many travel elements we see every day.

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A first road, a first interstate, a first... female flight attendant? Yep. We have them all covered below!

I learned a lot putting this list together, I think you'll find it very interesting as well.

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Technology moves fast. Think of a time before smartphones... it wasn't that long ago!

From Road Salt to Passenger Buses

So many firsts happened in the first 100+ years of Iowa's history. Scroll to learn of the many travel firsts in our state's history!

Think of how many of these your grandparents and great-grandparents were around for. And, how many of these do we now take for granted?

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Check 'em out and see how far we've come in the Hawkeye State!