Henry County

Wikipedia

Notes

Space scientist James Van Allen, for whom the Van Allen Radiation Belts were named, was born in Mount Pleasant in 1914. Mary Harlan Lincoln, daughter-in-law of Abraham and Mary, grew up in Mount Pleasant. The city is also the home of Iowa Wesleyan University (not the one in Connecticut), the Temple Theatre (formerly a Masonic temple), and the Museum of Repertoire Americana. Tom Vilsack was mayor of Mount Pleasant before becoming Iowa's 40th governor.

This county was named for General Dodge,

So why is it not called Dodge County?

It was way back when Iowa was part of Wisconsin.

Who knows? But his first name was Henry.

The county seat here is a most pleasant town.

They called it The Athens of Iowa.

It was home to Van Allen and home to a Lincoln,

But in winter, you might need a parka.

There's Wesleyan College, and films in a temple,

And Vilsack was one of the mayors.

And there's a museum that's all about theaters

And tent shows and showboats and players.

But biggest of all is the Thresher's Reunion.

It happens right here every year.

There's trains and there's shows and steam engines galore,

And a whole lot of antique farm gear.