The Midwest was once a vast sea of tallgrass prairie that grew to heights over 9 feet. When Iowa became a state in 1846, the same rich soil and ample rainfall that supported prairie grasses drew eager settlers to the region. Northwest Iowa’s early settlers came mostly from the eastern United States in search of land and opportunity. Their first homes typically were small, one-room cabins constructed from plentiful native hardwoods. In 1861, the George Peck family built a cabin approximately two miles north of La Porte City, where seven family members lived. The challenges and hardships that pioneer families endured shaped Iowa's culture of hard work, faith and family bonds.