Here Are 8 Surprising Things You Didn't Know Came From Iowa
By Michaela Kendall|Published May 28, 2015
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Michaela Kendall
Author
Michaela is a born and raised Iowan. She writes for a newspaper by day, and writes content for websites by night. In her spare time, she enjoys reading a good book, or just binge watching Netflix.
From the first computer to sliced bread, Iowa has provided the nation with many inventions that have changed our lives forever. The list below is just a small sampling of some of Iowa’s most notable inventions.
1. The Computer: The first automatic electronic digital computer was created at Iowa State University in Ames. Thank you ISU for taking us one step closer to watching hours of cat videos online.
2. Sliced Bread: They don't say 'the best thing since sliced bread' for no reason. Thanks to Davenport native Otto Rohwedder's automatic bread-cutting machine, we don't have to worry about the tedious nature of cutting bread.
3. Blue Bunny Ice Cream: Every girl who has ever been broken up with and eaten a whole tub of Blue Bunny Ice Cream can thank Wells Dairy from Le Mars, Iowa. Le Mars also happens to be the ice cream capital of the world.
4. Vending Machine: In 1931, an Iowan man spent his last $12 to start the company that would later become one of the country's largest vending machine manufacturers, which is located in Clive.
5. Trampoline: Also in 1931, a Cedar Rapids man created the trampoline and sold them out of his home before selling his business to a company in New Jersey.
6. Pinterest: The near 50 million Pinterest users across the globe can thank Ben Silbermann of West Des Moines for helping them plan their wedding, cook dinner for their in-laws, and find new ways to get flat abs with his revolutionary social media pinboard.
7. Gas Tractor: Now I know this one seems like a given being in Iowa and all, but the first gas-powered tractor was a really big deal. The inventor, John Froelich, went on to start a company that would become John Deere.
8. Atomic Bomb: Although Iowa didn't technically "invent" the atomic bomb, Iowa State University was essential in the production of the bomb, as they provided the government with massive amounts of uranium.
