Join award-winning Iowa historian Kevin Mason for an engaging presentation exploring Iowa’s environmental past through the story of the 1835 First U.S. Dragoon Expedition. Drawing from his new book, Retracing the Dragoon Trail in Iowa, Mason shares how the state’s prairies, wetlands, and Indigenous landscapes transformed into the farms, towns, and highways we know today.

Blending environmental history, firsthand travel, and archival research, Mason offers a fascinating look at how Iowa’s landscape continues to reflect its rich history. The presentation is inspired by his 2021 walk across Iowa and features insights into the people, places, and events that shaped the state.

Copies of Retracing the Dragoon Trail in Iowa will be available for purchase!