I think honoring "the Father of National Parks", some of the astounding natural beauty he worked to protect, and one of our great conservation success stories is pretty interesting!
I love that the best the states with the worst education systems can do amounts to: "Look, we got a bridge!", "Look, we got horsies!", or "Look, somebody famous was born here!".
As opposed to the capitol building (Maryland), a tree (Connecticut), a famous guy and a rock (California)? By their very nature, quarter designs are going to be somewhat superficial, so I'm not sure what your point is (something political maybe?).
(US News says those three are the top state school systems.)
@bezz -- it's a reference to the paintings of Grant Wood (his most famous is "American Gothic" but painting depicted on the quarter is "Arbor Day"). I think honoring a famous artist from your state is a fine use of a quarter.
@bezz -- Iowa has always prioritized education. It's currently ranked #5 overall, and has the highest public high school graduation rate (#4 if you include private schools). The University of Iowa was founded around the same time Iowa became a state, which may be what the quarter is referring to, and it had the first law school west of the Mississippi. Not bad for a state with not much else besides corn and hogs!
The New River Bridge is a famous landmark in WV, and has been featured in national TV commercials. What else would you suggest they use on their quarter? Generic mountains? Harper's Ferry which would be difficult to recognize, or the Greenbrier Hotel, a resort for rich people?
The first time my dad saw the Alabama quarter, not realizing it was Helen Keller on it, he thought it was really strange that a state would celebrate the fact that it was the first one to put a woman to death in the electric chair. Makes me smile every time I see an Alabama quarter.
(US News says those three are the top state school systems.)
Never knew that