Events and Activities : La Porte City’s Main Street Turns Into a Time Machine

If you’ve ever wanted to walk down Main Street and feel like you were stepping through the pages of a history book — without the smell of dust or the threat of a pop quiz — here’s your chance. On Sunday, September 28, from 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., the La Porte City Historic Preservation Commission is rolling out its annual Sip & Stroll Walking Tour.

Now, this isn’t your ordinary “walk around town and wave at the neighbors” kind of stroll. For one afternoon, Main Street will be transformed into something closer to an open-air museum — minus the velvet ropes and the “don’t touch” signs. Twelve oversized storyboards will line the street, each one packed with tales from rural Iowa’s past and La Porte City’s own colorful history.

Think of it like Netflix for history buffs — only the episodes don’t buffer, and you get some fresh autumn air thrown in. Families can wander at their own pace, coffee in hand, and discover how a small town in Iowa grew, adapted, and built the kind of heritage worth bragging about.

And if storyboards aren’t enough to keep you moving, here are a few highlights that might tip the scales:

• Historical Walking Tour: Twelve storyboards filled with the saga of rural Iowa, from pioneer grit to present-day grit of a different flavor.

• Live Entertainment: Local music drifting through the street, because history always sounds better with a soundtrack.

• Vintage Vehicle Display: A lineup of cars, trucks, and tractors that prove steel and horsepower have been turning heads long before chrome bumpers and Bluetooth.

• Hands-On History: Spinning and weaving demonstrations in a genuine 1800s log cabin — a reminder that life without Amazon Prime still managed to function.

• Family Activities: Special fun for the kids, who might just learn something between the games and snacks.

• Historic Sites Tour: The Rural Iowa Heritage Center’s jail house and fire station, preserved to show how small towns kept order and put out fires before smartphones told us everything.

• Food and Refreshments: Lunch served by the FFA Historical & Ag Museum, with wine and beer on hand for those who think history goes down a little easier with a cold drink.

The best part? It’s free. The only thing you’ll pay for is food and drinks — and maybe your pride if your kids know more about pioneer life than you do by the end of the day.

Organizers say events like this aren’t just about remembering the past, they’re about keeping it alive: “We’re not just showcasing history – we’re building connections between neighbors and creating new memories.”

The La Porte City Historic Preservation Commission has made it their mission to celebrate and protect the area’s agricultural and cultural roots through gatherings like this. Donations are welcome to keep the effort going.

So whether you’re a longtime resident retracing your roots, or a newcomer who just wants to know what all the fuss is about, the Sip & Stroll promises an afternoon of history, music, food, and community.

For more information, call Jan Erdahl at 319-215-0257.

Bottom line? Don’t miss it. Because sometimes the best way to move forward is to take a slow walk back in time — preferably with a sandwich in one hand and a local brew in the other.