A small Iowa town of just under 800 people is home to one of the most iconic homes in American art history. Grant Wood, one of Iowa's most famous artists, based his iconic 1930 painting, "American Gothic," on a unique home in the small town of Eldon, on the banks of the Des Moines River in southeastern Iowa. The home, most recognizable for its arched window, was built in 1881-’82 by the Dibble family and serves as the backdrop of the painting. Wood — the most well-known artist of the American Regionalist movement, which focused on the human condition and the values of a rural environment — saw the house while in town for a friend's art exhibit, and the concept of "American Gothic" was born. According to the americangothichouse website, "Wood said he found the window amusing and called it 'pretentious' for such a small house … he sketched his idea on site, but returned to his studio in Cedar Rapids to complete the work." #Eldon #Iowa #HiddenGems #IowaHistory