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I'd never heard of the Wallace family until I picked up a brochure on the Wallace House Foundation from one of the many rest stops I halted at on my trip through Iowa. They sounded so interesting that I decided to nip into Des Moines and check it out.

The Wallace family consisted of both men and women, of course, but it's three generations of men who've made their mark, Henry A, Henry C. and Uncle Henry. They were "writers and editors, scientists (farming) business leaders, farm organizarers, and political leaders." (Henry A. Wallace was vice-president of the US from 1940-1944.)

Their home, in which the first Wallaces moved in 1892, and in which the family lived until the 1940s, was sold and eventually partitioned into apartments in the 1950s. It was bought by the Wallace Family Foundation in 1988 and restored to its appearance in 1910 (aided by photos taken at the time by daughter Josephine)

Permanent and rotating exhibits on the Wallace family are displayed. Hours are 9 am to 2 pm Tuesday through Friday, and other times by appointment. Admission is free.

Check out their website at: http://www.wallace.org/museum.html