 Country Heritage Community Maize Maze
-Located near Elgin, Iowa-
Come Visit
the Maize Maze!
2006 Theme:
"Get Wild at the Maze"
(map of NE Iowa
available here)
The MAZE theme this year will be "GET WILD AT THE MAZE"
The design will be wildlife in NE Iowa with deer, turkey and trout.
There will NOT be a grand opening like the past.
MAZE OPENING
Saturday, July 15, 2006 and Sunday July
16, 2006
Hours 1 pm - 6 pm
AFTER THE OPENING, REGULAR SUMMER HOURS:
OPEN Fridays and Sundays, 1-6 pm
OPEN each Saturday, 1-10 pm
Monday Sept.4, Labor day the Maze will be open.
The last WILD PARTY at the Maze will be Halloween the last week of OCT.
exact dates to be announced.
Cost to go through the Maze will be $6 adults, $4 age 12
and under. Age 5 and under free. School groups with 10 or more kids $3
each. The maze is located
just east of Elgin on B-64 at the Gilberston Nature Center.
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HORSE PLOWING AT THE MAIZE MAZE - Elgin,
Iowa
Gilbertson Nature Center
State Line Plowing Association.
Of SE. Minnesota & Northeast Iowa
Saturday, April 22, 2006
½ mile east of Elgin on B 64
10 AM - 3 PM
Walking plows, 1 bottom Sulky plow, Gang Sulky plow
Watch how the soil was prepared for planting 75 years ago.
Watch the soil roll over. Notice the lack of noise, (NO tractors roaring!)
See how our pioneers worked from sun up till sun down,
walking 7 to 10 miles a day behind a plow. Smell the fresh turned soil.
Take pictures of those huge Belgians, Percherons, Shires, Mules.
Contact-Laverne Swenson
563-423-5927
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For more
information about the maze or to set up field trips call:
Upper Explorerland RPC at 877-4NE-IOWA (1-877-463-4692) or
(563) 864-7527
OR LaVerne Swenson at
(563) 423-5927 or (563) 419-1133
or email - lagracia@acegroup.cc
Nature center, Dawn Amundson -563-426-5740
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Arial view of 2005 "Wind on the Farm" near Elgin, Iowa
NEW:
See Virtual
Tour of Maze Here
2004 Pictures>> |
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SPECIALS RATES
FOR GROUPS |
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4-H
clubs, boy scouts, girl scouts, church groups-
schedule with Laverne for times to come to the
Maze. Cost is $2/person for special groups.
FAMILY reunions and large groups of 10
or more are $1 off regular price of
$6/adult, and $4 ages 6-12.
Age 5 and under free. School groups
with 10 or more kids $3 each.
The Maze is open July
16, 2005 through Halloween. The maze is open Wednesday through
Sunday from noon until dusk, weather permitting.
The maze is located
just east of Elgin on B-64 at the Gilberston Nature Center.
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 HOW THE
MAZE
BEGANThe Country Heritage Maize Maze began back
in 1998. LaVerne
Swenson, a farmer from Clermont, Iowa, and some of his friends and neighbors around the
area had dreamed of telling the story of Iowa’s agricultural heritage and increasing
tourism in Northeast Iowa. LaVerne heard about Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage
Area and contacted them.
One of the ideas came from a newspaper article LaVerne had seen about
cornfield mazes. They thought a maze near the Gilbertson Nature Center in Elgin, Iowa,
would be an ideal spot. Silos and Smokestacks helped by writing a successful grant
to the McElroy Trust, an Iowa private foundation to fund the maze and several other
educational projects in the four county area of Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette and
Winneshiek. This four county cooperative effort became known as Country Heritage Community
and formed a partnership with Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area. 
The Iowa Department of Economic Development voted the Country Heritage
Community Maize Maze "Iowa’s Best New Tourism Attraction" in 1998. We
hope you enjoy your visit to the maze. As LaVerne says, "It is an A-MAZING
success!"
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