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IOWA'S CAPITALS
Three important dates in Iowa history should
be remembered in reading the story of Iowa's Capitals. They
are: 1836, when Iowa land became a part of Wisconsin
Territory; 1838, when the Territory of Iowa was organized; and
1846, when Iowa became a state.
BURLINGTON TWICE THE CAPITAL
The first legislature of Wisconsin Territory
met at Belmont, Wisconsin. The place was not satisfactory to
the legislature and they decided on a new location, that of
Madison, now the capital of Wisconsin. Since it would take
time, however, to build a new capitol, the Hon. Jeremiah
Smith, Jr., who was a member of the legislature from
Burlington, then called "Flint Hills," offered to put up a
building in his city to be used as a temporary capitol. The
offer was accepted and the next legislature of Wisconsin met
there in 1837. Mr. Smith's building burned soon after the
legislature met and the members had to be housed in other
buildings.
The third session of the Wisconsin legislature
was being held in Burlington during the summer of 1838, when
the news came that Congress had organized the new "Territory
of Iowa." President Van Buren appointed Robert Lucas, of
Ohio, as its governor and told him to select a place for the
capital. Gov. Lucas made a trip up the Mississippi River,
visited the important towns, and then decided on Burlington
for the capital of the new territory.
"CITY OF IOWA" CHOSEN
The first legislature of the Territory of Iowa
met in Zion Church in November, 1838. It decided to change
the location of the capital, in order that it might be nearer
the center of population. Travel at that time was difficult
and it took some of the first legislators a long time to get
to Burlington. Three members of the legislature were
appointed to choose the new location, with instructions to put
it in Johnson County. They chose a hill on the Iowa River and
called the place, "City of Iowa." There was but one log cabin
at the place at that time.
Mr. C. Swan of Dubuque, one of the three men
who selected the site, was chosen to plan the city and the new
capitol. He was also appointed to oversee the erection of the
building. Work on the new capitol was started in 1839 and the
cornerstone was laid on July 4, 1840. The stone and lumber
for the new building were found near Iowa City. A great
celebration was held at the laying of the cornerstone and
Governor Lucas delivered an address.
On April 30, 1841, Governor Lucas issued a
proclamation whereby the capital was officially changed from
Burlington to Iowa City. Since the new building was not yet
completed, a large, two-story frame building, called the
Butler Hotel, was for a time used by the state officials.
Some of the business of the state continued to be done at
Burlington for several years.
TALK OF A NEW CAPITAL
Soon after Iowa was admitted to the Union and
the boundaries of the state were known, people again began to
talk about a new location for the capital, nearer to the
center of the state. The legislature in 1847 appointed a
group of men to select a location for a new capital. These
men decided on a place in Jasper County as the best site and
named it Monroe City. The place was surveyed and lots were
sold. But the next legislature decided that the capital
should not be moved and Monroe City was soon forgotten. It is
said that most of those who bought town lots in the "new
capital" had their money given back to them.
Other places were now suggested for the
capital, among these being Oskaloosa, Pella, Fort Des Moines,
and Red Rock. Some legislators were opposed to moving the
capital on account of the expense to the state. Because of
this, some towns offered free land for the capitol and also
offered money with which to build it. Gradually, Fort Des
Moines came to be more and more favored as the most desirable
place. It had many advantages, such as nearness to the center
of the state, a river (the Des Moines) by which it could be
reached by steamboat, and location in a rich agricultural
region that was covered with timber and underlain with coal.
DES MOINES CHOSEN
In 1854 the legislature decided to move the
capital and voted that it should be located within two miles
of the junction of the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers. A hill
a short distance from the former river was selected and a
three-story brick building erected. Governor Grimes approved
the new building, and in October, 1857, state officials began
to move the seat of government.
There were no railroads west of Iowa City when
the capital was changed and since winter was approaching, the
moving became quite a task. The Western Stage Company offered
free rides for the officials. The moving of the equipment,
however, was not so easy. Four large safes and several loads
of furniture were hauled on sleds, drawn by oxen, for a part
of the way.
When the third convention met in the "Old
Capitol" at Iowa City in 1857 to draft the constitution which
we now have in Iowa, it provided in that constitution that the
capital of the state should be located at Des Moines. This
constitution was adopted by the people at an election held
during the summer of 1857 and the location of our capital was
thereby definitely fixed, as the legislature had voted.
As the population and wealth of our state
grew, it became necessary to provide for a larger capitol.
The present splendid building was dedicated in January 1884,
although it was not completed until 1886. Its total cost was
$3,296,256.
The capitol grounds at first covered but four
blocks. In order to enlarge it and to make of it one of the
most beautiful capitol grounds in the country, the legislature
in 1913 added more ground, so that now it includes eighty-four
acres.
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