Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On July 29, 1929, Iowa farmer and artist Norma “Duffy” Lyon, better known as ‘The Butter Cow Lady’ was born. From 1960 until 2006, Lyon crafted a buttery bovine for the Iowa State Fair each year.
After a childhood in Tennessee, Lyon arrived at Iowa State hoping to study Veterinary Sciences. However, she instead studied animal science because the university did not allow women in the vet sci program at the time. While in Ames, she studied sculpture with Christian Petersen.
In 1960, Lyon took over carving the annual Butter Cow at the Iowa State Fair. Although the tradition dates to J.K. Daniels's original creation in 1911, Lyon became well-known to Iowans for her work crafting a bovine out of US Grade AA salted butter at the fair for decades.
Eventually, Lyons expanded to create other sculptures out of butter: Garth Brooks, Elvis Presley, John Wayne, the popular Peanuts cartoon gang, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, American Gothic by Grant Wood, and the Last Supper. She even once made a cheese bust of David Letterman. #IowaOTD #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaHistoryCalendar
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