♪♪ [Kohlsdorf] Take a detour off Highway 27 north of Coralville for one of the state's most beloved nature escapes, Lake MacBride State Park.

A tributary of the Iowa River, Lake MacBride State Park, is named after University of Iowa botanist and conservationist Thomas MacBride.

It was founded in the 1930s as part of America's great era of land preservation.

Today, it's a peaceful blend of history, habitat and recreation.

[Ron Puettmann] Lake MacBride is one of Iowa's largest state parks.

We've got a 900 acre lake and about 2,200 total acres in the park.

We were created by the Civilian Conservation Corps back in the 1930s.

They sold cottage lots at a place that we call the Cottage Reserve, and the sale of all those lots generated $90,000, which basically allowed them to make Lake MacBride State Park.

We've got 1,000 acres of timber in the state park and a lot of trails that go through the woods.

[birds chirping] [Ron Puettmann] Fishing is probably our number one lake activity.

Recreational boating is probably second.

We do have a ten horsepower limit in the summer, so we do get a lot of paddle sports out here kayaks, sailboats and paddle boards, that sort of thing.

♪♪ [Ron Puettmann] Our state parks were created back in the 30s by Thomas Houston MacBride, you know, the namesake of our park to set aside places like this for people to enjoy.

One of the most important things that we've done in the state of Iowa.

So keeping our state parks alive and vibrant and healthy for future generations, that's so important.

It's just a beautiful place to work.

Every day, you know, we get to see this beautiful resources, the giant oak trees and see the lake every day while you're working.

And I just love it out here.

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