Iowa Travel Blogger Makes Pit Stop in Hampton

 Tyler Sullivan — the man behind the popular “Iowa Scenic Views by Foot” Facebook page, which has garnered more than 26,000 followers — made a pit stop in Hampton on Saturday afternoon, Jan. 3.

He was given a tour of the Franklin County Historical Society Museum, the REA Power Plant Museum and the Harriman-Nielsen Historic Farm.

His tour guides for the afternoon: Rick Whalen, who showed him around the REA Plant Museum; Carol Sensor, who showed him around the Harriman-Nielsen Historic Farm; and Jim Davies, who showed him around the Franklin County Historical Society Museum. Davies served as his main tour guide, coordinating the different visits and answering any questions he had while there.

Tyler’s visit to Franklin County is one of many. It’s his goal to visit (and run through) all 99 counties and all the cites on the Iowa road map around the state, which he documents and shares on his Facebook page called “Iowa Scenic Views by Foot.” And he’s almost there. So far, he’s visited 97 counties, making sure to see as many historical sites and museums as possible along the way.

His interest in traveling around the state, and delving into the history of each county, started in 2015, he said. He was living in Iowa City at the time and dating a woman in Mason City, so every other Friday (once he got off work), he would travel north to visit her. While doing so, he would pass through counties he was unfamiliar with and realized he wanted to learn more. So he began stopping at historical sites and museums, grabbing pamphlets and brochures from welcome centers, which he would then take home and study for hours.

He loved it. So he kept going.

In 2024, he visited 156 museums around the state. And last year, he visited 366 museums. His goal for 2026? To visit more museums and attraction by allowing the passion to continue to grow. Why not try to add another 200 museums to the list?

“In my mind, these towns are magical,” said Tyler. “It is where people go to church. Where people go to school. Where people call home.”

In recent years, Tyler has written and self-published a couple of books, as well — one dedicated to his grandparents and another for his late high school cross country and track coach, all of whom has since passed away due to cancer.

Tyler said he has found inspiration from his coach.

“I was very fortunate to have him throughout high school,” he said. “He never cared about the winning. He never cared about the losing. It was about giving your best every single day and then the winning would take care of itself. So that’s why I give it my best effort for all of these cities. People live there. Why should I leave them out?”

Tyler would also like to write a poem for each county, which he’s already begun working on.

Davies, who serves as the President of the Franklin County Historical Society, said he was happy to hear from Tyler when he first reached out about a possible visit.

“It was great to make the connection with Tyler,” said Davies after the visit. “I am really impressed with his interest in history and the amount of time, energy, and resources he has devoted to visiting all 99 counties, many more than once.”

Tyler, 37, currently lives in North Liberty and works as a custodian for the University of Iowa in Iowa City, and at Wal-Mart on Sundays.

When he's not busy working, he travels with his girlfriend, Emma, who he calls “a goddess from Minnesota.” Emma has been tasked with finding old school yearbooks at each stop. For her, it’s a fun way for them to connect, as they both enjoy traveling and learning about the history of different areas.

Tyler shared the following poem about Latimer, Iowa:

In the past seven years I have been making my stride up and down throughout hundreds of cities across the state

Finding that hidden gem in words I cannot explain

In reward, each city leaves a special impact on me

Something I will always take with me

I love seeing them grow as a community

The cheerful welcome sign as you enter from either direction

The local businesses making a name for themselves and catching the eye from people outside of town

I love stepping inside and seeing what charm they may bring

Finding the local historical society and knowing that’s where I may find the true history about this city

It may not be the day to worship the man above, but I’d love to take a walk down the aisle in some of these churches

The stain glass or the architectural design gets me every time

I may be a stranger and never be a number to add to the population of these communities

However, I love seeing a progressive community grow like the ones I have ran through

6 October 2022 (Latimer - A Progressive Community, Franklin County)