“There’s something special about small towns.”
Cyndi Gryte of Jewell said it herself in the quote we featured in the table of contents.
But what, exactly, is that something? Maybe it’s magic.
Hear me out. A few days after we chose our cover photo of that glowing tree in Hanlontown, my family spent a weekend just a few miles away on Clear Lake. Since we were so close, my mom and I decided to see the tree for ourselves even though it looks different on a summer’s day. I hopped out of the car and snapped a selfie.
I hadn’t planned it, but that embroidered cap in the picture came from Sayulita, Mexico, a little west-coast village the Mexican government has officially designated as a Magical Town (Pueblo Mágico). The national tourism office launched the program in 2001 to encourage visitors to get off the beaten path and discover places that offer “enormous cultural and natural richness,” including art, architecture, cuisine, history and genuine hospitality.
And if those are the criteria for magic, well, Iowa has some Magical Towns, too.
The team here at ia magazine is proud to share that magic through our annual print issue and digital newsletters throughout the year. We’ve filled the pages with surprising stories and beautiful photos that showcase Iowa, like that tree, in its very best light.
I didn’t know about the tree until I read the story about a dozen day trips. When I called the Hanlontown city office to see if anyone might have photos, the woman who answered the phone piped up immediately: “Oh, you should talk to Clayton.”
Barely an hour later, Clayton Rye — retired farmer, news reporter, photographer and my new friend — emailed a stack of gorgeous tree photos. He explained that he was unfamiliar with ia magazine but had just found last year’s issue online and read our story about a restaurant up the road from his farm house.
“My wife is a foodie and adores Cafe Mir,” he wrote. “My preference is meat and potatoes and, for me, a key ingredient is tater tots. I told my wife about your Cafe Mir article, and she is so inspired she wants to eat there tomorrow night for Taco Tuesday. It’s going to happen.”
See? I told you: magic.
