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| The Indians who first
roamed these prairies called it Iowa, which is Indian for "This is the
Place" or "The Beautiful Land." Iowa completed 100 years of statehood
on December 28, 1946. It was the twenty-ninth state admitted to the
Union and was the first free state west of the Mississippi River. There
were 100,000 residents when Iowa became a state. Now we have 2,621,073. During the first 160 years following the voyage of Joliet and Marquette down the Mississippi River in 1673, the land that is now Iowa was a favorite hunting and trapping ground for a number of tribes of Indians. Adventurers, miners, fur buyers, and traders followed the worn trails along the valleys and over the prairies. Part of Louisiana Purchase Iowa was a part of the vast Province of Louisana purchased by the United States from France. Other states had been formed in this region, but Iowa was the first state carved out and established with soil forever dedicated to human freedom. The probationary time as a territory was for eight and a half years and it had been only 13 years since the first legal settlements. Mining of lead had been engaged in at Dubuque since 1788, by favor of the Indians, and there had been feeble efforts at colonization along the river under Spanish grants, but not until 1833, following the Black Hawk war, did the home seekers secure title to their holdings. Spanish and French monarchs had vague claims of jurisdiction over the region, but the standard of neither country had ever been set up permanently in any part of what is now Iowa. The United States closed out the French claim by purchase in 1803, after which local authority shifted frequently; namely, Indiana territory given jurisdiction, 1804; Louisana territory organized with St. Louis capital, 1805; Iowa included in Missouri territory, 1812; when Missouri became a state, Iowa left without government, 1821; Territory of Michigan with a capital at Detroit given jurisdiction, 1834; became the major part of Wisconsin territory, 1836; organized and named Territory of Iowa, 1838; statehood first authorized, 1845; organized as a state, 1846. Indians Were Here First Iowa had been the home for many centuries of American red men, who succeeded an unknown race of pottery makers and mound builders, but few Indians were seen by the first explorers. A small band of friendly Indians entertained Joliet and Marquette at a camp on the Des Moines River near its mouth. A century later, the Sac and Fox federation of two Algonquin tribes had villages along the Mississippi River, where they cultivated land and had permanent homes. They had migrated originally from the Atlantic coast and before settling in Iowa had united for defense. When Illinois became a state, they were driven from their homes east of the river, and their lands bought or confiscated. Chief Black Hawk, the military leader of the Sac tribe, made heroic resistance, but was taken to Washington and kept a prisoner for a time. The Sac and Fox federation had been chief occupant of the land along the Mississippi valley, and in 1833, following the Black Hawk war, a large part of their land in Iowa was taken by the United States and opened for settlement. The Black Hawk purchase, through which the Iowa River flows, was the beginning of Iowa, and by later acquisitions the entire state was opened for the use of the pioneers. While the Sac and Fox federation claimed the eastern and central part of Iowa, there were other tribes having rights and making use of the hunting grounds. The Iowa tribe wandered all over the state. The Winnebagoes were given land in northeast Iowa, but later were moved north. The Pottawattamies lived along the Missouri river, and were associated with the Otoes, Omahas and others. The Sioux tribe, of the Dakotah nation, claimed all northern Iowa and not until long after statehood was their title extinguished. The Mesquakie Indians, now living at Tama, are a branch of the Fox tribe, who returned after removal to the south. Forts Were Established The United States maintained several forts in Iowa or along the borders. Fort Madison, in Lee county, was maintained for a time after 1808. Fort Armstrong was placed on Rock Island in 1816. Fort Crawford had been maintained at Prairie due Chien many years. Fort Atkinson was located on the "neutral strip" and Fort Croghan was on the Missouri. In 1834, Fort Des Moines was built at Montrose, and the second Fort Des Moines was located at the Raccoon fork of the Des Moines in 1843. Fort Clark was maintained for a brief time at Fort Dodge. The present Fort Des Moines was established as a cavalry post at the state capital in 1900. The site for the capital city of Iowa was first studied by Gen. Stephen W. Kearny, then a colonel in command of the first Fort Des Moines, who in 1835 brought a company of dragoons to the Raccoon forks looking for a good place to establish a military post. He was accompanied by Capt. Nathan Boone, son of Daniel Boone, and by Lieut. Albert M. Lea, who published a description of central Iowa and made a map on which he named this the "Iowa district." From this the territory formed soon afterwards took its name. People Demanded Statehood Although there were only 22,859 people in the twenty-two counties west of the Mississippi River when Iowa was set off as a territory, agitation for statehood commenced almost at once. One obstacle was the unwillingness of Congress, as then constituted, to admit any free soil state without also adding a slave state, so that the slave states would at all times have control of the senate. Several states had been so paired off for admission. The bill authorizing admission of Iowa in 1845 also provided for admission of Florida, one free and one slave state. The people of Iowa and Congress disagreed as to the proper boundaries for Iowa, and Iowa twice rejected what was offered. Congress proposed that the western one-third of the state should not be included, but that all of southeastern Minnesota should be a part of Iowa. The Iowa people finally got the boundaries as they are now and a year and a half after admission was authorized, the final act of admission was passed and the state proclaimed, December 28, 1846. When the territory was organized, Brevet Brig. Gen. Henry Atkinson was named territorial governor of Iowa, but declined the appointment and Robert Lucas was named and assumed the office. General Lucas had been governor of Ohio and had fought in the American wars. When the state was organized, Ansel Briggs of Jackson county was elected to be the first governor of the state. The general assembly met and enacted laws before the final act of admission was completed at the national capital. Part of Wisconsin Territory When the territory of Wisconsin was established by act of Congress April 20, 1836, Belmont, located in Lafayette county, became its first capital. The first session of the territorial Legislative Assembly was held in a frame building built for the purpose. Prior to the convening of the second session of the Wisconsin Territorial Legislative Assembly on November 6, 1837, the capital was moved to Burlington, in the Iowa District. By act of Congress approved by President Van Buren June 12, 1838, the Territory of Iowa was created for that portion of Wisconsin Territory west of the Mississippi, and Burlington became its capital, remaining so until removal to Iowa City in 1841, which became the first state capital in 1846, and so remained until 1857 when removed to Des Moines. The capitol building at Iowa City was turned over to the State University, and a temporary brick statehouse occupied at Des Moines while the present state capitol was being built. The state constitution under which Iowa had entered the Union and which had been hastily prepared in 1844 and remodeled in 1846, was discarded and a new constitution adopted in 1857, which has since been several times amended. Slavery was forbidden from the state, but voting rights were reserved for white persons until 1868. Liberal school legislation was enacted at the outset. Elections were held every year until the biennial election system was adopted in 1904. Some Iowa Slogans Iowa's contribution to the building of the Washington monument at the seat of government was a stone on which was lettered this inscription penned by Lt. Gov. Enoch W. Eastman: "Iowa, her affections like the rivers of her borders, flow to an inseparable union." The State Seal displays a banner, and on the ribbons is the state motto: "Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain." Nicknamed the "Hawkeye State," by the press and adopted by the people, the slogan by Sidney A. Foster, "In all that is good, Iowa affords the best," is more true today than when it was first spoken. Politics, Too Iowa was strongly Democratic in politics as a territory and for the first eight years of the state. In 1854 the Whigs elected the governor, who helped the free soil element organize the Republican party, which dominated for 35 years. In 1890 a Democrat became governor, because of dissensions over policy as to alcoholic drinks. Then followed eleven Republican administrations, when in 1933 the Democrats again seated two governors, who were followed by six Republicans to January 1957, when a Democrat became chief executive of Iowa. In 1907 the law required that all party nominations be made at primary elections. By 1860 the state had 674,000 people, and for war that came soon after furnished 76,000 volunteers. In the period 1860 to 1870, the population increased to 1,194,000 after which the growth was slower. The land area of the state is 55,586 square miles, or 35,575,040 acres, and the water surface 561 square miles. The maximum elevation of the state above sea level is about 1,600 feet. Good Schools, Roads, Lakes Iowa's literacy is high - 99.2%. There are almost 7,200 public schools, including kindergartens, elementary schools, junior high schools, senior high schools, and a small number of adult education classes. There are 23 junior colleges—16 municipally operated and seven privately operated. There are three state owned colleges, two special schools, one for the blind and one for the deaf. There are 22 colleges of higher learning, maintained by various denominations. There are 381 public libraries, almost 500 newspapers, 64 radio stations and 14 TV stations which keep the public well informed. And 24 artificial lakes, 72 natural lakes and 137 public hunting grounds furnish recreation centers to thousands each year. Included in the highways of Iowa are approximately 9,656 miles maintained by the state, known as primary highways; 13,700 miles of county trunk line highways and in excess of 80,000 miles of county roads. The two latter named road systems are maintained by the counties in which the highways are located. Each county, however, receives a share of the funds collected from state gasoline taxes. Iowa has an average of more surfaced roads per square miles of its area than any other state. Surfaced roads of the state are over 40,000 miles. Surfacing connects every city, town and village with the general road system. |