Clermont, Iowa is known as “Brick City” –  founded in 1849. Current population is 586.

The Straight Story
A movie partially filmed in Clermont. The Straight Story lawn mower is on display in Clermont.

Alvin (Richard Farnsworth) is an elderly World War II veteran who lives with his daughter. When he hears that his estranged brother has suffered a stroke, Alvin makes up his mind to visit him and hopefully make amends before he dies. Because Alvin’s legs and eyes are too impaired for him to hold a driver’s license, he hitches a trailer to a thirty-year-old lawn tractor, which has a maximum speed of 5 miles per hour, and sets off on the 240-mile journey from Laurens, Iowa, to Mount Zion, Wisconsin.