Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg and the State Historical Society of Iowa board of trustees presented the annual Excellence in Iowa History Awards last week during a ceremony in Clear Lake. The awards honor individuals, organizations and communities that make outstanding contributions to the field of Iowa history. Awards include the Benjamin F. Shambaugh Award for the most significant book published about Iowa history and the George Mills & Louise Noun Popular History Award for the most significant popular history article. “Iowa’s early founders recognized the importance of recording and sharing Iowa’s history for the future, and this work builds on that foundation they created 166 years ago,” State Historical Society of Iowa Administrator Susan Kloewer said in a prepared statement. “I encourage our award winners and others to keep preserving and sharing our history as we know firsthand the importance history has to the identity of our fellow Iowans and how it helps enrich our communities.” This year’s award winners include individuals and projects from Ames, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Des Moines, Dubuque, Iowa City, Johnston and Laurens as well as from around the country. To view all the award recipients, visit this link.