Grant Wood's "Fall Plowing" Rural Historic Landscape District

Grant Wood's Fall Plowing Rural Historic Landscape District is an agricultural area north of Viola featuring traditional farm buildings set into gently rolling terrain. The district contains several historic structures and sites that reflect early 20th-century farming practices in the region.

The district earned its National Register listing in 2003 for preserving the exact location that inspired Grant Wood's 1931 painting Fall Plowing. The landscape documents how Midwest farmland became a source of artistic inspiration during that period.

The landscape reflects how rural communities inspired artists in the Midwest during the early 20th century. Visitors can see the rolling terrain and field patterns that caught the eye of painters working in the region.

The district lies north of Viola near Matsell Lane and Stone City Road and can be explored on foot or by vehicle. The open landscape offers clear views of the historic buildings and fields that define the area.

Two of the original barns in the district appear in Grant Wood's preliminary sketches for the painting but were deliberately excluded from the final version of Fall Plowing. These differences reveal how Wood carefully refined his composition before completing the work.

Location: Iowa

GPS coordinates: 42.11528,-91.38889

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:45