The Okoboji Project

An old airplane hangar, a dairy farmer, and a women's college from Missouri. Explore every decade of OST's history, pre-theatre airplane hangar shots, and more on our blog . Follow The Okoboji Project on Instagram and Facebook Sign up for our weekly newsletter and never miss an episode of The Okoboji Project! Visit The Okoboji Summer Theatre Explore Stephens College Thank you to Gary and...

Put on your American flag t-shirts and bell bottoms! We're setting the clock to July 1976 to see how Okoboji celebrated the bicentennial summer. Explore Dickinson County’s wild bicentennial history on our website with photos from the Spirit Lake parade, wild commemorative merch, and videos from the national celebration on our blog . Follow The Okoboji Project on Instagram and Facebook Sign up...

Before the bike trails, there were the railroads. The story of the lines that brought Gilded Age battles, built towns overnight, and connected the Iowa Great Lakes to the rest of the world. Explore every depot in Dickinson County, decades of railroad maps, and how the railroads are still visible in the Iowa Great Lakes on our blog . Follow The Okoboji Project on Instagram and Facebook Sign up for...

We'll pick you up at the train station, old sport! Explore photos from Arnolds Park, Prohibition in Okoboji and these incredible party destinations on our blog . Follow The Okoboji Project on Instagram and Facebook Sign up for our weekly newsletter and never miss an episode of The Okoboji Project! Explore The Dickinson County Museum and support  their incredible work. Guests: Cole Clawson, Di...

In Okoboji, romance is always in the air. For five couples, it’s where something lasting began. Check out heart-melting shots from our guest's photo albums on our blog -- and some bonus pictures of backdrops from these beautiful love stories. Follow The Okoboji Project on Instagram and Facebook Sign up for our weekly newsletter and never miss an episode of The Okoboji Project! Thank you to Ba...

From homemade skis to world championships, we trace the homegrown history of wake sports in Okoboji -- and the lake rats who made it legendary. Check out more videos, maps, and illustrations about The Iowa Great Lakes' glacial history on our blog . Follow The Okoboji Project on Instagram and Facebook Sign up for our weekly newsletter and never miss an episode of The Okoboji Project! Follow Ty...

The Iowa Great Lakes region: shaped by ice, studied for over a century... and still revealing new discoveries. Check out more videos, maps, and illustrations about The Iowa Great Lakes' glacial history on our blog . Follow The Okoboji Project on Instagram and Facebook Sign up for our weekly newsletter and never miss an episode of The Okoboji Project! Explore incredible resources and community...

In northwest Iowa, The Flood of ’93 left more than damage. In 2024, those lessons rose with the water. Watch The Sandbag Summer and explore more stories on our blog . Follow The Okoboji Project on Instagram and Facebook Sign up for our weekly newsletter and never miss an episode of The Okoboji Project! Donate to Spencer's Flood Relief Disaster Fund . Launched by the Spencer Chamber Foundation...

The Queen isn’t a monarch—she’s a boat. A moving landmark, carrying the spirit of Okoboji. But her story is anything but smooth sailing. Explore more stories from The Queen and The Queen II on our blog . Follow The Okoboji Project on Instagram and Facebook Sign up for our weekly newsletter and never miss an episode of The Okoboji Project! Get your tickets to ride The Queen II this summer. And make...

The Loon Lake Cemetery was active for just fifty years, but a single myth reshaped its memory. We trace the records, names, and lives behind the legend. Explore more stories from The Loon Lake Cemetery on our blog . Follow The Okoboji Project on Instagram and Facebook Sign up for our weekly newsletter and never miss an episode of The Okoboji Project! Visit The Jackson County Historical Society in...

What do bike trails, an art center, and (several!) clean water projects have in common? A group of locals who rolled up their sleeves four decades ago. Explore some of our favorite community projects supported by the Foundation on our blog . Follow The Okoboji Project on Instagram and Facebook Sign up for our weekly newsletter and never miss an episode of The Okoboji Project! Love Okoboji? So do w...

For over a century, one lakeside store has stood at the crossroads of East and West Lake Okoboji. In this episode, we trace the history of The Okoboji Store, the families whose stories are built into its walls, and what it reveals about how this place has changed—and what’s stayed the same. Explore photos from every era of The Okoboji Store on our blog . Sign up for our weekly newsletter and never...

How did a community of fewer than 20,000 residents build an art center that feels like it belongs in a big city? The Pearson Lakes Art Center 's history is a testament to Okoboji's deep creative spirit. Explore the artists and people intertwined with the Pearson Lakes Art Center 's history on our blog . Sign up for our weekly newsletter and never miss an episode of The Okoboji Proje...

The biggest question... WHEN IS SEASON 2 COMING? We got answers to that and plenty more! + Support us on Patreon to hear bonus Okoboji Project stories. + Explore our website. + Sign up for our weekly newsletter and never miss an episode of The Okoboji Project! Guests: Co-Creators Ryan Maris + Emma Myhre

Hop in the Chevy! We're taking you to the hottest spots in town for our season finale! Meet the whole cast of characters and explore these incredible party destinations on our blog . Support us on Patreon to hear bonus Okoboji Project stories. Sign up for our weekly newsletter and never miss an episode of The Okoboji Project! Guests: Bob Boettcher and Don Gregerson

Six weeks. $7 million. How did a small Iowa community save one of the country's oldest amusement parks? Explore news coverage of Save the Park's thrilling story, plus Sue's iconic photo, on our blog . Supporting us on Patreon to hear bonus Okoboji Project stories. Sign up for our weekly newsletter and never miss an episode of The Okoboji Project! Guests: Sue Richter, The Three Sons...

Stories, memories, and milestones from the first 100 years of Arnolds Park. Visit every era of Arnolds Park's history with photos on our blog . Supporting us on Patreon to hear bonus Okoboji Project stories. Sign up for our weekly newsletter and never miss an episode of The Okoboji Project! Guests: Toby Shine, Okoboji Classic Cars

From transit to competition, sailing has always been a favorite way to experience The Iowa Great Lakes. Dive deeper into Okoboji's nautical history from every decade on our blog . Supporting us on Patreon to hear bonus Okoboji Project stories. Sign up for our weekly newsletter and never miss an episode of The Okoboji Project! Guests: Steve Avery, C Scow Sailor and Lawyer

How one of the Midwest’s oldest summer camps keeps the flame of tradition alive and fosters growth in every camper. Explore decades of summer fun with Camp Foster's rich history . Also, please consider donating to Camp Foster to support their incredible work. Supporting us on Patreon to hear bonus Okoboji Project stories. Sign up for our weekly newsletter and never miss an episode of The Okob...

120 years later, it's a museum, a public park, and a groundbreaking laboratory. Explore how The Lakeside Laboratory evolved over its history, from the first photos of the lab to contemporary walking guides. Also, please consider donating to Friends of The Lakeside Lab to support their incredible work. Supporting us on Patreon to hear bonus Okoboji Project stories. Sign up for our weekly newsl...

Louis Armstrong. Johnny Cash. The Beach Boys. The Roof Garden hosted decades of chart-toppers on the shores of West Lake Okoboji -- and inspired generations of musicians. Explore more photos and stories about The Roof Garden on our website. You can also find our curated Roof Garden playlist on Spotify ! Supporting us on Patreon to hear bonus Okoboji Project stories. Sign up for our weekly newslett...

Discover the true story behind The Spirit Lake Massacre as two historians share accounts from those who lived through it. Buy Dr. Beck's book, Inkpaduta: Dakota Leader , on Amazon and Birchbark Books in Minneapolis. Explore more photos and stories about The Gardner Cabin, one of Iowa's first tourist sites, on our website . And sign up for our weekly newsletter and never miss an episode o...

True stories (and tall tales!) from thousands of years of Okoboji fishing. Explore more photos and stories from Okoboji's epic fishing history on our website . Supporting us on Patreon to hear bonus Okoboji Project stories. Sign up for our weekly newsletter and never miss an episode of The Okoboji Project! Guests: John Grovesnor, Professional Fishing Guide Mary Dreier, Director of The Dickins...

How a mythical university brought a community together… and funded essential services for The Iowa Great Lakes. Explore more photos and stories from The University of Okoboji on our website . Supporting us on Patreon to hear bonus Okoboji Project stories. Sign up for our weekly newsletter and never miss an episode of The Okoboji Project! Guests: Emil Richter and Matt Richter from The Three Sons ....

Why do hundreds of thousands of people flock to a little town in northwest Iowa every summer? The Okoboji Project sits down with historians, story-ellers, and local legends to uncover the rich history of The Iowa Great Lakes. Subscribe to The Okoboji Project newsletter to see bonus content from Okoboji's storied history.