PM 788 2-99
Produced by
Director’s Staff Division
800 Lincoln Way
Ames, IA 50010
515-239-1372
Discovering historic
Iowa transportation
milestones
Approaching the turn of the century
Introduction
I
n studying and forming an understanding of Iowa’s trans-
portation history, we must surely develop a reverence for the
lifestyles which preceded ours. Achieving a greater under-
standing of our past, we are better prepared to plan our future as
we say farewell to the 20th century and move forward into the
21st. In the words of Oliver Wendell Holmes: “I believe the
greatest thing in this world is not so much where we stand as in
what direction we are moving... and the further backward you
can look, the farther forward you can see.”
To help Iowans gain a better understanding of our state’s
rich transportation past, the Iowa Department of Transporta-
tion has produced a collection of materials including this
booklet, the 1999-2000 Iowa Transportation Map, a video
entitled A History of Iowa’s Rivers, Roads, Rails and Runways, and
a traveling photo exhibit.
In addition, Iowa is fortunate to have many local organi-
zations, and the state-owned museum and historic sites, working
to preserve the history of our state. Listed in the back section of
this booklet are the addresses and descriptions of many sites that
offer visitors an opportunity to see a wide range of transporta-
tion-related artifacts.
The information and photographs are organized in time
sequence. However, you will note that many of the transporta-
tion eras overlap. The booklet begins with Iowa’s pre-settlement
era and concludes with the historic highway and transit program
that was signed into law by President Clinton in 1998.
As you can imagine, condensing this much Iowa history
into a booklet-sized resource was a monumental challenge.
Making selections and abbreviating the information resulted in
some difficult editorial choices. However, we hope this publica-
tion will inspire readers to learn more about our rich, rewarding
past and to visit and experience some of Iowa’s historic sites.
1
Before Settlement
Ten thousand years ago nomadic hunters followed game through Iowa. Later,
Native Americans plied Iowa’s rivers in canoes or dugouts.
Early Exploration
To French explorers Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet traveling down the
Mississippi River in 1673, the land which would become Iowa was “Pays Inconnu,” the
unknown land west of the great river. The explorers landed their canoes on the west
bank of the Mississippi on June 25, 1673, and became the first Europeans to set foot
on Iowa land, claiming it for France. The landing was near the mouth of the Iowa River
in what is now Louisa County.
On April 30, 1803, the land we know as Iowa became part of the territory of the
United States. It had been included in the $15 million Louisiana Purchase transaction
made with Napoleon Bonaparte in the Treaty of Paris. The average price per acre was
three cents. After the purchase, President Thomas Jefferson selected Captains
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to lead an expedition to explore the headwaters
of the Missouri River and find an overland route to the Pacific Ocean by way of the
Columbia River. Their expedition (1804-06) passed along the western border of Iowa,
where they explored the region and made observations about its geography, and plant
and animal life. A monument erected in 1935 on a bluff north of Council Bluffs marks the
site where Lewis and Clark held council with the chiefs of the Oto and Missouri Native
American tribes. Further north, at Sioux City, a 100-foot tall monument marks the burial
place of the only person to die on the historic journey. Expedition member Sergeant Charles
Floyd became ill and died suddenly near present-day Sioux City. He was buried on Aug. 20,
1804, on a hill on the Iowa side of the Missouri River. Watch for the Lewis and Clark Trail
signs along Interstate 29 as it follows the Missouri River in Iowa.
In 1805 Lieutenant Zebulon M. Pike poled his keelboats up the Mississippi and
passed the Iowa shore during the famous Pike Expedition which set out to discover the
source of the Mississippi River.
Settling Along the Banks of the Mississippi
Iowa’s oldest cities are found along the Mississippi River. The river towns were the
commercial hubs of pioneer Iowa. Many early settlers who established these economic
centers arrived by flatboat, raft or keelboat. Settlers usually built boats large enough to
carry a family and all its possessions, including a a few hogs, chickens and cows. Until
the arrival of steamboats, keelboats were the primary means of transporting people and
freight up and down the rivers. More streamlined than flatboats, keelboats had long
rudders that extended from the rear of the boat; sometimes they had masts and sails.
Early Pioneers
Beyond the Mississippi, pioneers headed west on land for the new territory which
had been opened in 1833. They came on foot, on horseback, in prairie schooners or in
covered wagons. With no roads (and no bridges) to rely on, they followed Native
American trails in their search for a place to call home.
2
Navigating the Missouri
and Iowas Interior Rivers
Throughout the history of Iowa, river towns and riverboats played key roles in both
transportation and economic development. However, successful travel on Iowa rivers
other than the Mississippi depended on high water levels. Flatboats and barges carried
supplies and navigated the Missouri River until the completion of the transcontinental
railroad in 1869. In 1819 the Western Engineer (the first steamboat to pass along an
Iowa border) reached Council Bluffs. In 1857 there were 46 boats operating on the
Missouri. However, this waterway was difficult to navigate and obstructed by many
snags.
In July 1841, Lieutenant John C. Fremont carried out a War Department survey of
the Des Moines River (the only one which completely crosses the state) from the
Racoon River fork to the point where it enters the Mississippi. From 1850 to 1865
approximately 30 steamboats traveled the Des Moines River to Fort Des Moines and, at
times, even as far as Fort Dodge. However, because steamboats depended on high water
levels, Congress declared in 1865 that the Des Moines River was unnavigable. After
the declaration, smaller boats were used on the Des Moines River to carry supplies and
grain.
In the late 1830s and early 1840s, flatboats of about 50 feet in length floated grain
and other products down the Iowa and Cedar rivers. At one point, eight different
flatboats, keelboats and barges navigated the Iowa and Cedar rivers when high waters
made it possible. The first large riverboat to come to Cedar Rapids was the Maid of
Iowa. The steamboat was the first built in Iowa and was owned by Mormon leader
Joseph Smith. It carried Mormon settlers to Cedar Rapids in 1844, then went on up
the Cedar River to Waterloo. A month later the steamboat left for St. Louis, loaded with
wheat. It was supposed to make regular runs between the two cities, but never
returned. The Maid of Iowa did, however, make trips on the Skunk River. The railroad
reached Cedar Rapids in 1859 and hastened the demise of the riverboats used for
commerce. The last large steamer to run in Cedar Rapids was in about 1866. Eventu-
ally, the federal government deemed the Cedar River “unnaviagable” because of its
shifting sandbars and shallow depths.
Dragoon Trails
In 1835 Lieutenant Colonel Captain Stephen Watts Kearny and the First Regiment
of Dragoons blazed a trail through Iowa, following the course of the Des Moines River.
The Dragoons were a lightly armed cavalry organization authorized by Congress in
1833. The term “Dragoon” originated in England where it applied to certain cavalry
forces. The name was taken from the word “dragon,” a short, large-bored musket or
carbine that was carried by these early soldiers. The Dragoons played an important part
in opening the Iowa frontier, establishing what are now known as the “Dragoon Trails.”
Today you can travel this scenic 200-mile corridor along the Des Moines, Boone and Racoon
rivers by following the Dragoon Trail signs.
3
Steamboat Era
Steamboats reigned on the Mississippi and Missouri rivers in the early to mid-19th
century. The first steamboat to pass along Iowa’s eastern border was the Virginia. In
1823 it made a round-trip between St. Louis, Missouri, and Fort Snelling, Minnesota.
Often portrayed as a glamourous means of travel, steamboats had their drawbacks. For
one thing, travel was limited to the basic north-south flow of the rivers. In addition,
rivers were impassable for several months of the year due to ice and varying water levels,
and rapids posed a problem as well. The “golden age” of the Mississippi River steam-
boats ended as the lumber industry diminished and railroads came to dominate
transportation. At the Mississippi River Museum in Dubuque, visitors can meet explorers,
pilots and riverboat gamblers in life-size exhibits that cover 300 years of river history.
Tales of Iowa’s steamboat era are many - from snags to fires to sinking ships. Among
the most notable tales is the saga of the Bertrand. In late March 1865 the ill-fated vessel
set out from St. Louis on a journey up the Missouri River to Montana Territory. On
April 1, 1865, she hit a snag in the river and sank in 12 feet of water, approximately 25
miles north of Omaha. In 1969, after years of searching for the wreck and its precious
cargo of mercury, the Bertrand was discovered nearly intact under 30 feet of silt and
clay. The De Soto National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center houses and displays artifacts from
the famous Bertrand cargo collection.
Steamboats on the Mississippi River at Le Claire.
4
Des Moines River Locks and Dams
In 1846 the federal government authorized the Des Moines River Land Grant,
which was to be used for developing navigation on the Des Moines River. The sale of
certain public lands was to be used to finance the construction of the locks and dams.
There were to have been 28 locks and eight dams built to make the Des Moines River
navigable from its mouth to the Raccoon Forks (at Des Moines), but these ambitious
plans were never completed due to floods and financial problems. The money and
supplies were transferred to the railroad companies to hasten the construction of
railroads connecting Iowa towns.
In 1846 a massive stone masonry lock and dam was built at Bonaparte as part of the
Des Moines River Project. The lock walls and dam shoulders there are the only ones remaining
of the old Des Moines River Navigation Company System. Parts of the lock can still be seen
in Bonaparte’s historic Riverfront Park.
Early Territorial Government
White settlement began in Iowa with the Black Hawk Purchase in 1832. On June
1, 1833, Iowa became part of the Michigan Territory. On July 4, 1836, after Michigan
achieved statehood, Iowa became part of the Wisconsin Territory. The second session of
the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature convened in Burlington, Iowa, in November 1837.
Finally, two years later on July 4, 1838,
the Iowa Territory was carved out of a
portion of the Wisconsin Territory west of
the Mississippi River. Before an Iowa
territorial capital city was finally selected, the
first Iowa territorial legislature met in
Burlington in the Old Zion Church. The
original two-story frame building in
Burlington that had been used by the
Wisconsin Territorial Legislature had been
destroyed by fire. The final location of the
Iowa Territory’s capital city was Iowa City in
Johnson County. The capitol building,
which was constructed in the early 1840s, is
known today as the Old Capitol. It served as
the last capitol of the Iowa Territory (1842-
1846) and the first state capitol (1846-
1857).
Government Land Surveys
The government land surveys in Iowa, conducted from 1836 to 1859, began in the
southeast corner of the state and proceeded to the northwest corner. The system
established the one-mile grid system of roads as the land was developed and roads were
opened on the section lines.
The first Iowa territorial legislature
met in the Old Zion Church in
Burlington.
5
Iowas First Territorial and Military Roads
With territorial status (1838) came the need for inland transportation routes. On
Dec. 14, 1838, the first governor, Robert Lucas, approved a law requiring the establish-
ment of a road from Keokuk to Iowa City - known as the first “official” road in the
territory.
On December 31, 1838, Congress passed a bill appropriating $20,000 for Iowa’s
first “military” road. Language in the bill required that the road pass through as many
county seats as practical. Once signed by President Van Buren on March 3, 1839, the
funding allowed Iowa’s first official territorial road to be extended from its ending point
in Iowa City, to Dubuque.
When completed, the combined territorial and military road passed through the
cities of Dubuque, Cascade, Monticello, Ivanhoe, Solon, Iowa City, Ainsworth,
Crawfordsville, Mount Pleasant, Hillsboro and Keosauqua.
Primitive road building techniques were employed during the construction of the
military road. Lyman Dillon, a Dubuque merchant, was employed to plow a furrow
from Iowa City to Dubuque to serve as a guide for road builders. Dillon hitched his
five oxen to a heavy plow and plowed a deep, straight furrow from Dubuque to Iowa
City. This segment of the road was known as “Dillon’s Furrow.”
Traveling by Stagecoach
Stagecoaches made their way to Iowa to meet the need for mail delivery to western
settlements. Equipped with seats for passengers, stagecoaches became a popular means
of passenger travel. The first regular stagecoach line in Iowa began operating in 1838
and ran twice weekly from Burlington through Fort Madison and Montrose to
St. Francesville, Missouri - an 18 hour trip of 45 miles. The standard fare was “ten
cents, per mile and a fence rail.”
The male passengers used the
fence rail for removing “sloughed-
down” coaches. Prior to the
postal laws of 1845, the mail rate
on the stage for a folded single
sheet delivered more than 400
miles was 25 cents. The first
stages were described as “wagons
without springs and with white
muslin tops, drawn by two
horses.” Towns near stagecoach
stops benefitted financially due
to increased demand for lodging,
meals, and livery stable and
blacksmith services. Despite its popularity, many problems plagued travel by stage.
Mud and plank roads, winter blizzards, prairie fires and robberies added up to discom-
fort and long delays. Stages gave way to the railroad or the “Iron Horse” when smaller
communities received rail connections. The last coach of the Western Stage Company
left Des Moines on July 1, 1870.
Stagecoach stop at Ackley.
6
Territorial Road Scandal
Territorial roads were established by territorial commissioners who had the authority
to locate roads virtually anywhere they pleased. By the end of the 18-year territorial
road period (1838-1856), the routing of the roads rapidly degenerated into a mere
scheme to acquire and influence votes and pay political debts. The practice was put to a
stop in 1857 by the Third Constitutional Convention. Article 4 of Sec. 30 provided
that the General Assembly shall not be involved in the laying out, opening, or working
on roads or highways.
Ferries
The first license to operate a man-powered ferry crossing from Illinois into Iowa was
received by James White of Hancock County, Illinois, to operate to Fort Madison.
Horse-powered ferries followed in 1841. The first steam ferry was operated by John
Wilson in 1852 in Davenport. The first license for regular ferry service across the Des
Moines River was issued to John B. Scott, who operated the business with his brother,
Willson Alexander Scott.
Balloons
The fascination with flying in Iowa dates back to the balloon era. An unmanned,
gas-filled balloon flight occurred in Burlington on July 4, 1845. The first manned
balloon - Hercules - was piloted by Professor Silas Brooks at Burlington in 1856.
Following the Civil War, balloon ascensions and races were popular at fairs and city
celebrations. The National Balloon Museum in Indianola houses a collection of ballooning
artifacts and memorabilia depicting the history of hot-air and gas ballooning, ballooning
events and personalities.
Statehood
On December 28, 1846, Iowa became the 29th state in the Union and the first free
state west of the Mississippi.
Mormon Trail
Between 1846 and 1869, about 70,000 Mormons seeking refuge from religious
persecution crossed southern Iowa using oxen-drawn wagons or handcarts. The trail
started in Nauvoo, Illinois, traveled across Iowa, connected with the Great Platte River
Road at the Missouri River, and ended near the Great Salt Lake in Utah. The trek by
the Mormons is considered perhaps one of the single most important journeys made in
America’s history. This corridor became the transportation route for successive waves of
emigrants, trappers, soldiers, stagecoach drivers and Pony Express riders. The Prairie
Trails Museum of Wayne County in Corydon features a Mormon Pioneer Trail exhibit with
an authentic oxen-drawn wagon. Also available is a motor vehicle tour route administered
by the National Park Service. The tour closely follows the trail’s historic route and is marked
by Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail signs. The route begins in eastern Iowa at
Montrose in Lee County (Sugar Creek Camp). It follows U.S. 218 northwest to Iowa 2, and
then west to Leon in Decatur County. The route continues north on U.S. 69 to Osceola, then
west on U.S. 34 to Creston, north on Iowa 25 to Greenfield, and then west on Iowa 92 to
Council Bluffs.
7
Pony Express Riders and Buffalo Bill Cody
Ranked among the most remarkable exploits to come out of the American West was
the Pony Express. During its brief 19 1/2 months of operation (April 1860 to
November 1861), the Pony Express delivered mail and news between St. Joseph,
Missouri, and San Francisco, California. Although none of the 157 Pony Express relay
stations were located in Iowa, one of its most notable riders
was an Iowan: Col. William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody. The
famous rider was born February 26, 1846, near Le Claire
in Scott County, Iowa. The Cody family left Iowa in 1853
when Bill was a young boy. At age 14 he was employed as
a Pony Express rider, one of the youngest on the line. After
some months of employment, he was transferred to the
Slade Division in Wyoming where he made the longest
non-stop ride – from Red Buttes Station to Rocky Ridge
Station and back – when he found that his relief rider had
been killed. The distance of 322 miles over one of the most
dangerous portions of the entire trail was completed in 21
hours and 40 minutes using 21 horses. Cody later went
on to become a soldier, buffalo hunter and owner of the Wild West Show. Cody earned
his nickname “Buffalo Bill” as an efficient and skillful buffalo hunter providing meat for
workers on the transcontinental railroad. He was one of the greatest showmen of his
day, bringing the thrill of America’s Wild West to the world. Cody died on Jan. 10,
1917, at the home of his sister in Denver, Colorado. Visit the Cody homestead in
Princeton and the Buffalo Bill Museum in Le Claire for an insightful look back in time.
Plank Roads
Construction of the first plank road in Iowa was authorized by the Second General
Assembly. The initial project was to be 94 miles of graded toll road from Bloomington
(Muscatine) in Muscatine County to Tipton in Cedar County, and on to the county
seat of Benton County (later described as Vinton). During the years 1849-1851, the
General Assembly authorized nearly 600 miles of plank roadway in the state. However,
no more than 50 miles was actually built. Failing to generate the expected revenue (the
toll for a wagon drawn by two horses was 2 1/2 cents per mile), the era of the plank
road in Iowa ended by 1860. A notable leader in the movement for the plank road was
James Wilson Grimes (1816-1872), a Whig from Des Moines County. He worked for
the establishment of a plank road to Mount Pleasant before he became governor of Iowa
(1854-1858). The Iowa General Assembly did authorize construction of three plank
roads radiating from Burlington in 1849. One of those was completed in 1851 as far
west as Mount Pleasant.
Buffalo Bill Cody.
8
First Railroad Bridge
In 1853 the Railroad Bridge Company was authorized to build, maintain and use a
railroad bridge across the Mississippi River near Rock Island, Illinois. The bridge was
completed April 14, 1856. The first train, a locomotive and eight cars, crossed it two
weeks later on April 22, 1856. Within less than a month, on May 6, 1856, the
steamboat Effie Afton hit the bridge. The boat caught fire and was destroyed. A part of
the bridge was destroyed as well, putting it out of commission for months. The
steamboat company sued the railroad, calling the bridge a river hazard. Defending the
railroad company was a young attorney from Illinois: Abraham Lincoln. The first trial
ended in a hung jury, but subsequent lawsuits and appeals ended with the railroad
company victorious, and the trains were allowed to continue to cross the Mississippi
River. After this bridge was built, steamboats played a subordinate role to the railroads.
The bridge has been removed, but the site is still identified by markers.
Wooden Covered Bridges
Wooden covered bridges were built in Iowa between 1855 and 1884. The bridges
were roofed to keep the rain, snow and ice off the flooring and beams, thus preventing
rotting of the wood and prolonging their life. Young couples found them a romantic
place to slowly ride through in a buggy which led to calling them “kissing bridges.”
Scattered across the countryside of Madison County near Winterset are six of Iowa’s historic
covered bridges. A Covered Bridge Festival is held in Winterset in early October each year.
Other original bridges in Iowa are located in Keokuk, Marion and Polk counties.
Early Railroad Era
The early railroad era in Iowa was filled with railroads chartered but not built;
bankruptcies, insolvencies and reorganizations of many that were built; and lines that
were named and renamed time after time. By 1860 there was 655 miles of trackage
Train station at Okoboji.
9
built in Iowa. Railroads made significant contributions toward development of perma-
nent communities in Iowa. In 1867 the first railroad that traversed the state to the
Missouri River was completed. By the early 1870s railroads had significantly altered the
economic structure of Iowa. As a growing state, Iowa had emerged from its era of
subsistence farming to become a commercial farming state. Iowans and visitors are
encouraged to stop and enjoy the numerous railroad attractions in Iowa including museums,
excursions, displays and restored depots.
The Great Road
As the pioneers traveled west across the Iowa prairie they often became lost. To help
these westbound travelers, two men in 1856 plowed a pathway from Sioux City to
Webster City. This path became known as “The Great Road.” The portion of U.S. 20
between Webster City and Sioux City closely follows the old pathway.
First Transcontinental Railroad
On July 1, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Pacific Railroad Enabling
Act, under which the Union Pacific was chartered and the building of the first trans-
continental railroad was authorized. Construction of the railway began in December
1863. It ran westward from Council Bluffs across the plains
and over the Rocky Mountains. In 1866 General Grenville
Mellen Dodge (1833-1916) of Council Bluffs resigned his
military commission to accept an appointment to serve as chief
engineer for the Union Pacific Railway. Dodge succeeded his
friend, former employer, notable surveyor and fellow Iowan
Peter Dey, who had resigned from the position. On May 10,
1869, the Union Pacific Railroad and the Central Pacific
Railroad (built eastward from Sacramento, California) met at
Promontory Point, Utah, to complete the first transcontinental
railroad. Although Council Bluffs, Iowa, was designated by
President Abraham Lincoln on November 17, 1863, as the
railroad’s eastern terminus, train service between that city and
Omaha was not available until completion of the first railroad
bridge (single track) across the Missouri River in 1872. Prior
to that time, freight and passengers were ferried across the
river. Grenville Dodge was one of Iowa’s foremost citizens and
one of the nation’s greatest railroad builders . He began his career
as a surveyor for the Illinois Central Railroad in 1851. From 1855 to 1861 he supervised
railroad construction in Iowa. During the Civil War Dodge built roads, bridges and railroad
lines for the Union Army. He died in Council Bluffs and is buried in a tomb in Walnut
Hill Cemetery. The Grenville M. Dodge House built in 1869 was designated a National
Historic Site in 1963. The Iowa National Guard’s training campground, Camp Dodge,
was named in honor of General Dodge.
General Dodge.
10
Early Road Building (1860-1900)
Most of Iowa’s roads were opened for travel by township trustees who graded
ditches and did some dragging of the roadway bed to form a primitive grade. There was
little road grading during these early years. Plans were seldom prepared in advance of
work. Estimates of costs were unheard of. Distances were measured by “stepping off”
or “wagon loads.” The workers were mostly farmers working out their road tax in the
easiest way possible. In 1858, male residents of townships were required to do two
day’s work annually upon the roads. By 1900 Iowa had 104,000 miles of road open to
travel - all rural mileage was dirt. There were no motor vehicles on the roadways yet,
and 20 miles of travel was a long journey for a farm team and wagon.
Horsecars
Horse- and mule-drawn streetcars traveled on iron tracks down city streets in Iowa’s
larger cities in the late 1860s and early 1900s. The city of Des Moines received the first
franchise for a narrow-gauge horse-car line to run from the Polk County Courthouse to
the foot of Capitol Hill. Speeds of four to six miles per hour were possible.
Cycling Craze
Prior to the 1860s, cycling had
been a fad taken up by a small
number of enthusiasts. Then, almost
overnight, cycling became a huge
social phenomenon in the United
States, France and England. During
this period, people talked about
“velocipedes” and “velocipeding.” The
words “bicycle” and “bicycling” did
not come into circulation until the late
1800s. The invention stimulated a
new form of recreation and style of
traveling. In fact, the desire of bicycle
riders and manufacturers for good
cycling routes is said to have been a
catalyst in Iowa’s Good Roads
movement.
Mississippi River Locks and Dams
The first major improvement to navigation on the Mississippi in Iowa commenced
in 1867 with the construction of the Des Moines Rapids Canal near Keokuk. It was
about eight miles in length and 750 feet wide in the narrowest stretches. It contained
three navigation locks and cost more than $4 million - a remarkable achievement and
expenditure for its time. Bypassing the rapids, it served navigation for 35 years.
Introduced in 1865, the Velocipede,
or fast foot featured pedals applied
directly to the front wheel.
11
Great Train Robbery
Jesse James and his notorious gang of outlaws staged the world’s first robbery on a
moving train the evening of July 21, 1873. The gang had learned that $75,000 in
gold was to come through Adair, Iowa, on the recently completed Chicago, Rock Island
and Pacific railroad line. When the train came along, the rail was jerked out of place,
plunging the engine into the ditch. The gang members climbed into the express car,
forced the guard to open the safe, but found only $2,000 in currency. The gold
shipment had been delayed. A locomotive wheel marks the site of the robbery along county
road G30 (old U.S. 6) west of Adair.
Cessna Airplanes
Clyde Vernon Cessna (1879-1954), was born at Hawthorne, Iowa, in December
1879. During the latter part of 1880 his family moved to Kansas. Growing up,
Cessna exhibited an aptitude for mechanics and became an expert at repairing farm
machinery and early automobiles. In 1911 he set out to build an airplane. In the late
1920s, Cessna formed Cessna Aircraft Company of Wichita, Kansas. During his life he
played an important role in the development of general aviation, and the company he
founded went on to lead in the private plane market. Cessna was inducted into the
National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1978.
Lorenzo Coffin
When railroad brakemen fell to their deaths in the 1880s the tragedies attracted
little attention - that is until Lorenzo Coffin, a successful farmer and preacher, was
appointed to the State Railroad Commission in 1883. Appalled by the high number of
casualties, Coffin went to work getting laws passed, over strong railroad opposition,
requiring the installation of automatic brakes and couplers on railroad cars.
Early Road Marking
In the 1800s there were no organized systems for guiding travelers crossing Iowa.
Travelers often became lost. Local residents who had grown tired of giving directions
made and placed many of the first road signs. At the time there were no established
guidelines for naming the routes. Frequently, associations and community groups
designated route names and erected their own markers. These routes carried names such
as the Star Route, Red Ball Route, Tall Corn Highway and Lincoln Highway. Markers
were painted on posts, poles, rocks and buildings. Eventually, there were so many
different markers that travelers became almost as confused as they were before the signs
went up.
12
Electrified Streetcars (Trolleys)
The invention of steam power and electrification soon replaced the public transit
system’s dependence on animal power. Electric power for use by the transportation
industry was introduced by the Broad Gauge Railway Company in 1886 to operate
streetcars on Locust Street and Grand Avenue in Des Moines. These first electric
streetcars were put into service on December 20, 1888, becoming the second electric
railway in the United States. By the beginning of the 1920s, a combination of
automobile competition, poor financial condition of the streetcar industry, and an
inability to meet riders’ needs, brought an end to this mode of transportation.
The Horseless Carriage and
Iowas Automobile Builders
Few inventions have had more impact on 20th Century America than the automo-
bile. For instance, as automobiles (and tractors) replaced horses, farmers devoted less
and less acreage to oat production. That made room for more profitable crops such as
corn and soybeans. Also, garages, filling stations and parking meters replaced black-
smith shops, livery stables and hitching posts.
The first automobiles displayed in Iowa were shown at a fair in Linn County in
1899. In 1905 there were 799 horseless carriages or motor cars in Iowa. At first they
were merely regarded as a curiosity, and few people saw the practical application of such
contraptions. However, by 1915 Iowa ranked first in the nation in the number of
automobiles per capita (147,078 registered vehicles). By 1927 there was one motor
vehicle for every 3.31 persons, and automobiles were responsible for 85 percent of total
highway traffic in the state.
The following Iowans were among the first Americans to build and produce
successful automobiles:
In 1892, J.C. Duncan gained fame when he drove his “steam wagon” from
Davenport to Bettendorf.
In 1893, two Des Moines men, Dr. Lew Arntz and William Morrison, designed
and produced a three-seated “horseless carriage” powered by 12 storage batteries. It was
exhibited at the World’s Fair in 1893. Although the “Morrison Electric Car” was a big
hit with fairgoers, it was not a hit with car buyers since it was slow and required
recharging every 50 miles.
Brothers Fred S. and August Duesenberg
(1876-1932 and 1879-1955, respectively),
were German-born mechanical masterminds
raised in Rockford, Iowa, in a large immigrant
family. They taught themselves the principles
of transportation engineering and designed
and built their first car, the Marvel, in Des
Moines in about 1904. The brothers then
went to Indianapolis, where the Dusenburg
Automobile and Motors Company was established in 1920. The custom-built
Dusenburg was considered the finest car in the world. It was also the most expensive
luxury automobile in the world, sold only to the very affluent.
1929 Duesenberg Model J.
13
William Colby, a Mason City businessman, organized the Colby Motor Co. He
built a factory in 1911 in Mason City and turned out a trend-setting line of handmade
autos at the rate of four per day. At its peak, the company employed 250 men at salaries
of 35 cents an hour. Ultimately driven out of the market by stiff competition from
Detroit, the company folded in 1915. The only know Colby automobile is on display at
the Kinney Pioneer Museum in Mason City. It is a 1911 Model D Semi-racer.
Several other automobile manufacturing firms, many of them short-lived, also
sprang up in Iowa - the Des Moines (1902), the Monarch (1907-09), the Wells
(1910-11), and the Cannon (1912.) Henry Ford established a Ford assembly plant at
18th and Grand in Des Moines that operated from 1920 to 1932. Fred Maytag and
George Mason teamed up to finance the manufacture of the Maytag automobile line. It
has been estimated that 1,500 of the Maytag automobiles were manufactured by 1911
in Waterloo. An original Mason-Maytag automobile is on display at the Grout Museum of
History and Science in Waterloo.
Gliders
Glider flight had been proven practical by German and American engineers. In
1898, Carl Bates, a 14-year-old from Clear Lake, built and flew the first man-carrying
glider in Iowa.
Carl Sterling Bates of Clear Lake stands in front of the first man-carrying
glider in Iowa.
14
Unique Transit Projects
The Dubuque ‘Incline’
A Dubuque cable car line was built by J.K. Graves, a banker and builder of street
railways. In 1882 Graves built a steam-operated cable car on an incline from Fourth
and Bluff streets to the top of the hill, known after settlement as Fenelon Place.
Destroyed by fire, the system was purchased by his neighbors, refurbished, and
continues to operate today, using electric power.
The Sioux City Elevated
An experimental transit system, Iowa’s first (and so far its last) elevated railway,
attracted national attention. The third elevated system in the nation, the Rapid Transit
Company opened in 1891. The Panic of 1893, however, forced many business
organizations, including the Rapid Transit Company, into bankruptcy. It was later
abandoned, unable to compete with the electrified street railways.
Interurbans (1898-1970)
Evolving from street railways or trolleys, interurbans connected regional cities and
towns to nearby rural communities. Although many were steam powered initially,
interurbans were eventually electrified. Originally providing passenger service, the
interurbans expanded into freight, which was more profitable. Service peaked in 1920,
thereafter succumbing to the same trends which forced abandonment of street railways.
Throughout the 1920s, segments of the interurbans were abandoned, as were routes on
street railway systems. There were eight remaining interurbans operating in Iowa in
1950: Tama and Toledo; Cedar Rapids and Iowa City; Des Moines and Central; Fort
Dodge, Des Moines and Southern; Waterloo Railways; Charles City Western; Mason
City and Clear Lake; and Southern Iowa Railways. These lines were later either
abandoned or acquired by other railroad lines. The last line was acquired in 1970.
The interurban pulls into the station at Harcourt.
15
Kate Shelley Bridge
Known as the longest, highest, double-tracked railroad bridge in the world, the Kate
Shelley Bridge opened in 1901 over the Des Moines River near Boone. It was 184 feet
above the valley floor and 2,685 feet long. The bridge was named for the legendary
teenage heroine of Iowa and American railroad history. Shelley’s fame stemmed from
her 1881 exploits in stopping the eastbound Atlantic train from running over a
damaged trestle during a heavy rainstorm, and assisting in the rescue of a brakeman and
engineer from an engine that had fallen into flooded Honey Creek. She was rewarded
by being named station agent at Moingona by the Chicago and North Western railway.
To experience the early railroad era, visit the Kate Shelley Railroad Museum and Park located
at 1198 232nd Street, Moingona, Iowa. In the restored depot, visitors can learn about the
dramatic story of legendary heroine - Kate Shelley.
Wright Brothers
Bishop Milton Wright and Susan Catharine Wright lived in Cedar Rapids from
1878 to 1881. Bishop Wright was a firm disciplinarian and official in the United
Brethren Church. Together they had four sons and one daughter. Two sons, Orville and
Wilbur, gained worldwide renown for their invention of the “world’s first power-driven,
heavier-than-air machine in which man made free, controlled and sustained flight.”
The invention was flown by the Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on
December 17, 1903. Their “aeroplane” opened the era of aviation.
First Concrete Paved Street
Eagle Street (now named First Avenue Southwest) in Le Mars was paved in July
1904. It was the first concrete street paved in Iowa and the second in the nation. The
half-block section ran from Sixth Street south to the alley (between the Union Hotel
and the Kehrberg Store). Considered an experiment, it was paid for by two private
sponsors, M.A. Moore of the hotel and C.H. Kehrberg, owner of the dry good store
across the street. The street was laid out in six-foot diagonal squares and the riding
surface was scored into four-inch squares to prevent horses from slipping.
Corn Gospel Trains
Railroads were used to further agricultural education and extension activities.
Initiated by P.G. Holden, a corn breeding specialist, the Iowa “Seed Corn Gospel Trains”
covered the state between 1904 and 1906. An estimated 145,700 Iowans heard the
lectures about seed corn, crop rotation, manure handling and hog production.
Motor Vehicle Registration
On April 12, 1904, the 13th Iowa General Assembly first required the registration
of motor vehicles and regulated their use on the highways. The registration fee was $1.
The certificate of registration was a round aluminum tag measuring 3 1/2 inches in
diameter. The numbered plates were to be affixed to the front and rear of the car. In
1904, the number of motor vehicles registered in Iowa was 931.
16
Good Roads Trains
During 1904-1905, the Burlington and the Chicago and North Western railroads
each ran “Good Road” trains over their lines in Iowa. The purpose of these demonstra-
tion train tours was to advocate the use of the split log drag, commonly known as the
King Drag, on dirt roads. Promoter D. Ward King of Missouri traveled on the trains to
instruct local residents on the construction and use of his drag. The drag created a
crowned and hardened surface that provided better drainage and a smoother surface.
The drag consisted of two 10- or 12-foot half logs or planks secured to each other by
iron straps and pulled by a horse.
Rules of the Road
In 1904 the speed limit in the business sections of Iowa towns and villages was “not
to exceed one mile in six minutes.” In the outer limits of towns the rate was “one mile in
four minutes,” and in the country districts, speed was limited to “20 miles per hour.”
Good brakes, a horn and lamp were required on all motor vehicles. Drivers of cars were
required to stop to allow teams of horses to pass and, when necessary, to assist drivers by
leading the horses past the motor vehicles. In 1911 the 34th Iowa General Assembly
changed the speed limit to a guideline of “care and prudence” on the part of the driver,
with a maximum of 25 mph. The minimum age limit of operators was also established
in 1911 at 15 years of age.
The Highway Commission
A legislative act by the 30th Iowa General Assembly, signed by Governor A.B.
Cummins on April 13, 1904, declared that “Iowa State College at Ames, shall act as a
highway commission.” The primary purpose was to provide a bureau of information.
The first principal work was to make a general study of the road problem in Iowa. This
work was assigned to the divisions of Engineering and Agriculture. Thus, Anson
Marston, dean of engineering, and C.F. Curtiss, dean of agriculture, became the first
Iowa highway commissioners. Although handicapped by a lack of funds, the commis-
sioners were charged with devising and adopting highway plans, conducting highway
construction demonstrations, disseminating information to county supervisors, and
keeping a record of all important operations. In July 1911, the entire highway commis-
sion staff consisted of three full-time and two part-time employees who received their
salaries from Iowa State College. This arrangement prevailed until 1913.
Unfortunate Fame
An attorney from Hampton, F. D. Harriman, gained an unfortunate place in Iowa
history on the night of September 29, 1905, when he became the first person in the
state to be killed in an automobile accident. His vehicle was speeding along at 30 mph
when Harriman lost control while coming down a hill. The car hit a bridge and
plunged, with its passengers, into the ditch. Harriman was killed.
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Tourist Road Routes
In 1913 an act of the 35th Iowa General Assembly provided for the registration of
tourist routes. The act permitted volunteer organizations to sponsor certain roads and
register them, thus protecting the routing, the marker design and color, and the
wording of their particular road slogans. The River-to-River Road from Davenport to
Council Bluffs through Des Moines, organized in 1908-09, was the first and perhaps
best known of these routes. Increasing to more than 100 in number before passing out
of existence, these organizations performed a valuable service of bolstering road im-
provement.
Motorcycles
Motorcycles came under the jurisdiction of Iowa law on February 26, 1909. The
required registration fee of $2 was also established.
Iowas First Plane Flight
Arthur J. Hartman piloted Iowa’s first “areoplane” flight which took place on the
fairway of the old Burlington Country Club. The plane rose 10 feet into the air before
coming down so hard that it damaged the undercarriage. According to records, some
46 flights by 23 aviators were made over different cities in Iowa during the years
between 1910 and 1911.
State Highway Use Tax
In 1911 the legislature established Iowa’s first highway use tax. Annual vehicle
registration fees were established. (Electric or steam-powered motor vehicles, $15; motor
bicycles or motorcycles, $3.) Fifteen percent of the funds collected went to the state
treasury; the remainder was apportioned among several counties. The funds were to be
used only for highways.
Passenger Bus
In April 1911 the Red Ball Transportation Company opened the first regular
passenger bus line in Iowa, operating between Charles City and Waverly. Two days
after opening, heavy rains washed out the road and bus service was suspended for the
following five weeks.
The Three-man
Iowa State Highway Commission
On April 9, 1913, in response to an act of the 35th Iowa General Assembly, the
Iowa Highway Commission was separated from the Iowa State College, becoming a
separate entity: a three-member “Iowa State Highway Commission.” The commission
then appointed the chief engineer as the chief executive, responsible for organizational
and technical details. The newly created commission was given control over all county
and township road officials. However, the law continued to allow county supervisors
and township trustees to be in charge of the roads and funds under the supervisory
control of the commission. The Iowa State Highway Commission ended its 62-year
existence in 1975 with the creation of the Iowa Department of Transportation.
18
National Transportation Leaders
Several Iowans made significant contributions to modern highway engineering and
construction. For nearly 50 years, from 1900-1950, Thomas H. MacDonald and Fred
R. White helped set the state and national direction in this field.
Thomas H. MacDonald was born in Leadville, Colo., on July 23, 1881, but was
raised in Montezuma, Iowa. He was employed by the Iowa Highway Commission in
1904 after receiving a civil engineering degree from Iowa State College. His senior
thesis was written on the topic of the “Good Roads” problem in Iowa. MacDonald was
named chief engineer for the Iowa State Highway Commission in 1913, serving until
1919.
When he first joined the Iowa Highway Commission in 1904, MacDonald was its
only full-time employee and oversaw its limited responsibilities. When he left in 1919,
the commission had 156 employees, an annual payroll of more than $100,000, and
provided oversight for the state’s primary road system.
On July 1, 1919, MacDonald was appointed chief engineer of the U.S. Bureau of
Public Roads in Washington, D.C. He headed that agency until 1953, leading the
nation in highway research and planning. He was awarded the Medal of Merit by
President Harry Truman for outstanding service during World War II.
Fred R. White grew up in Iowa and received his degree from Iowa State College in
1907. He served as chief engineer for the Iowa State Highway Commission for 33
years, from 1919 until retirement in 1952. His record of accomplishments in highway
progress is well-documented, both on the state and national levels. White guided the
commission through hard-surfaced paving, the Great Depression and World War II.
Keokuk Dam
One section of the Upper Mississippi River that required more than a wing dam to
facilitate shipping was at the Des Moines River Rapids at Keokuk. In 1913 a lock and
dam was constructed there, which deepened the river channel for 50 miles upstream
and created a pool which covered the rapids and even the canal which had been dug to
bypass them.
American Record Setter
One of the most famous flyers of this early period was William “Billy” C. Robinson
of Grinnell, who was internationally recognized for piloting mail planes in Canada, and
was well-known in central Iowa as well. His most successful exploit, a non-stop mail
flight from Des Moines to Chicago, was sponsored by the Des Moines Capital and
Chicago Tribune in 1914. Weather conditions and a fuel shortage cut the flight short,
but Robinson flew a distance of 300 miles, exceeding the American record by 125
miles. While attempting to break the altitude record, he crashed and was killed. The
engine of the ill-fated plane is preserved in the museum at Grinnell College.
19
An Aviation First
In the early 1920s J. Herman Banning (originally from Oklahoma) went to
Chicago with the dream of becoming a pilot. When he tried to enter aviation school,
no school would admit him because of his race. So he took lessons from Ray Fisher of
Des Moines and moved to Ames to attend Iowa State College. Banning became the first
black citizen to receive a pilot’s license from the government - number 1324.
Martin Bomber
Glen Luther Martin (1886-1955), born Jan. 17, 1886, in Macksburg, Iowa, was
one of America’s pioneer aircraft builders. Becoming a leading military plane manufac-
turer, he developed the “Martin Bomber,” a familiar sight on the battlefront, it played
an important part in the Allied victory in World War II. Before he turned to manufac-
turing planes (1910-14), Martin was also one of the country’s best known “barnstorm-
ers.” Martin was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1966.
Barge Line
Except for the Diamond Joe Line of the past, the only barge line located in Iowa is
owned by the Alter Company. It was organized by Frank R. Alter in Davenport in
1916. Still in existence today, the company has terminals in New Orleans, St. Paul, La
Crosse, and at its main base in Davenport.
Gravel Bees
From 1916-17, it was common practice for communities wanting to improve roads
leading into market centers to sponsor what were known as “gravel bees.” For these
events, a superintendent was selected for the day and citizens either came in person and
worked, or donated funds which were used to employ someone else to do the work for
them. At times, 200-300 people with horse or mule teams and road working equip-
ment gathered to put the more important roads into good condition.
Martin B-26B Marauder Bomber.
20
First Acceptance of Federal Aid for Roadways-
First Mile of Concrete Highway
In 1916 Congress appropriated $75 million in federal aid for road building. The
money was apportioned among the states over a period of five years. Iowa’s allotment
was $146,000 per year. The federal aid had to be matched dollar for dollar by the state.
To meet this requirement, the state treasurer set aside an amount equal to the federal
allotment from the motor vehicle registration fund. In 1917 northern Iowa received
the first benefits of these federal funds - Federal Aid Paving Project No. 1. The money
was used to construct four and one-half miles of a 16-foot wide, portland cement
concrete section of road between Mason City and Clear Lake, near what is now U.S. 18.
Construction began September 12, 1913, and was completed October 9, 1913,
starting west of Mason City at the entrance to the Cerro Gordo County Home, and
running east one mile.
Impact of World War I
In April 1917 the United States declared war on Germany. For the rest of that year
and until the armistice in November 1918, Iowans felt the impact of World War I,
including an effect on roads. For instance, the labor shortage curtailed even basic
maintenance activities. Construction work during this period was greatly hampered
since the engineering force was diminished, steel was commandeered and road building
materials in general were high in price. Because of the difficulty of securing draftsmen,
a Women’s Drafting Department was established in 1918 by the Iowa State Highway
Commission. Twenty young women were trained in mechanical drawing, and within a
few weeks were able to trace plans for actual use. From the initial group of women, ten
were retained permanently, under a female supervisor. Highway commission member
Anson Marston was commissioned as a major in the Iowa Engineers on October 16,
1917. As a lieutenant colonel, Marston returned to Ames following the close of the
World War and resumed his duties as dean of engineering at Iowa State College and as a
Highway Commissioner. When the war ended, the federal government had on hand
vast quantities of equipment suitable for roadwork. Iowa received 228 motor trucks, 29
Ford automobiles, 13 tractors, 2 concrete mixers, 3 road graders and miscellaneous tools
and supplies.
The first mile of
concrete road in
the state, poured in
1913, on the route
of what is now
U.S. 18 between
Clear Lake and
Mason City.
21
First Iowa Road Map
Iowa’s first official road map was completed in 1919. The map showed the 6,000-
mile inter-county federal aid road system which the legislature had authorized the
Highway Commission to select. The map also showed the 10,000-mile county system
and the 88,000-mile township system. An example of the traffic rate at that time, an
average of 300 vehicles per day traveled on county roads. The maps were prepared by
the commission’s Women’s Drafting Department. The data used was from various
government maps, and also from the collection of detailed field information. Prior to
this time motorists relied on travel guides like the “blue book” published by private
concerns which used their own maps and numbering systems.
Iowas Primary Road System
The 38th Iowa General Assembly gave Iowa a big boost toward road improvement
in 1919. The legislature envisioned a state road system of approximately 6,400 miles of
hard-surfaced roads distributed among the 99 counties - officially known as the
“Primary Road System.” It linked nearly every county seat with towns of 1,000 or more
population. The law also established a Primary Road Fund to finance construction and
maintenance, and a comprehensive plan by which the entire system was to be im-
proved.
Bonds for Roads
The passage of the Primary Road Law also authorized any county in the state to vote
on the issuance of bonds to speed up the improvement of the primary roads in that
county. Black Hawk County was the first to hold an election, on June 3, 1919, with a
favorable majority approving $1.5 million in bonds to hard-surface the county’s
primary road system. County after county followed suit, and before they were through
virtually all had voted and issued such bonds. In other words, the counties - not the
state or federal government - were going in debt to pay for these primary road system
costs. The last of the bonds was retired on July 1, 1950.
World Famous Aviators
Three internationally famous pilots are linked to early Iowa aviation history.
Clarence Duncan Chamberlain (1893-1976), born in Denison, Iowa, in 1893,
captured the nonstop, long-distance record by flying from New York to Berlin, and was
the first to fly a paying passenger across the Atlantic Ocean. In April 1927, at age 34,
Chamberlain gained world-wide fame by breaking the world endurance record in his
Bellanca monoplane: he stayed in the air 51 hours and 11 minutes. This was six hours
beyond the world’s nonstop record and 10 hours longer than Charles Lindbergh’s
historic nonstop flight to Paris. In 1976 Chamberlain was inducted into the National
Aviation Hall of Fame.
Charles Augustus Lindbergh (1902-1974) flew in and out of many locations in
Iowa and dedicated several airports. During August 1927 Lindbergh visited several
Iowa cities on a nationwide tour sponsored by the Daniel Guggenheim Fund which
22
was established to promote aeronautics. On a stop at the Moline, Illinois, airport on
August 19, 1927, the citizens of Davenport, Rock Island, Moline and East Moline
presented Lindbergh with a ring symbolizing their admiration for the famous aviator.
Amelia Mary Earhart (1897-1937?), America’s famous aviatrix,
moved to Des Moines in 1908 as a young girl. At age 10 she saw
her first airplane at the Iowa State Fair. She left Des Moines in
1914 and moved to Chicago. In October 1922 Earhart began
participating in record-breaking attempts and set a women’s altitude
record of 14,000 feet. She was the first woman to fly across the
Atlantic (June 1928) and made the first solo flight from the Atlantic
to the Pacific Coast (September 1928). Shortly thereafter she
visited several Iowa towns on a series of lecture tours. In 1929 she
formed the now-famous women pilots’ organization, the Ninety-
Nines. In 1932 she was the first woman to successfully make a solo
flight across the Atlantic. In 1935 she made a trans-Pacific flight
from Hawaii to California. On June 1, 1937, she began her
attempt to become the first woman to fly around the world. On
July 2, 1937, her last voice transmission was heard, “KHAQQ
calling Itasca. (U.S. Coast Guard cutter) We must be on you but
cannot see you... gas is running low...” The fate of Amelia Earhart
has fascinated Americans since she and her navigator, Fred Noonan,
disappeared during that flight. Some believe the two drowned
because their plane ran out of fuel. Others believe they were killed
or captured by the Japanese. But there is no firm evidence to prove
any of the theories.
First Commercial Air Freight Flights to Iowa
The Iowa City airport was the first in the state to be used on the Chicago-to-Omaha
commercial air freight route. On Jan. 8, 1920, the first consignment was transported:
400 pounds of mail for Omaha and meat for a banquet in honor of General John
Pershing. On the return trip, the plane carried a hog for a banquet at the Congress
Hotel in Chicago.
U.S. Airmail
In May 1920 the first regular consignment of U.S. airmail reached Iowa City. The
package contained a motion picture destined for Maquoketa. Iowa City became a stop
on the second leg (Chicago-to-Omaha) of the east-west transcontinental air route.
John Woodward
In 1920 John Percy Woodward, a Mitchellville native, was the first Iowan to fly mail
on a scheduled route. He crashed on November 7, 1920, in a blinding snowstorm near
Cheyenne, Wyoming. Woodward Airport at Salt Lake City was named in his honor.
Amelia
Earhart.
23
Highway Safety
For safety reasons, legislative and Highway Commission directives in 1921 were
issued relative to glaring headlights. Plain lenses were banned. Painting a portion of
plain glass to obstruct offending rays of light was most common. Some motorists used
froth from foaming beer, smearing it over the glass and allowing it to dry. However, the
practice ended when Prohibition was enacted (Jan. 16, 1920), prohibiting the manu-
facture and sale of alcohol.
First Gasoline Tax
A gasoline tax was recommended by the Highway Commission in its 1922 annual
report. This was the first official mention of the gasoline tax in Iowa. A bill to impose
such a tax passed both the Iowa House and Senate, but was vetoed by Governor N.E.
Kendall as unconstitutional. In 1925 the matter came before Iowa’s 41st General
Assembly, where legislators passed the first motor vehicle fuel tax bill which did become
a law in the state of Iowa. The law levied two cents per gallon on gasoline sold for use in
the state. Revenues were split three ways: one-third to the primary road fund, one-third
to the counties for county roads, and one-third for township roads.
Numbering License Plates
In January 1922 every Iowa county was given an individual prefix number for its
license plates. This prefix was followed by a dash and the number assigned to the
individual motor vehicle. These early plates used black numbers on a white back-
ground, a color scheme selected by Iowa and five other states.
License plate, 1940.
24
Iowa State Highway Commission Building
Promptly after the 40th Iowa General Assembly directed the Iowa State Highway
Commission to construct an office building, the citizens of Ames raised $16,500 for the
purchase of five acres of land west of the Des Moines branch of the Chicago and North
Western railroad lying along the Lincoln Highway. The tract was presented to the state
and leased for seven years in 1922 with the option to purchase 18 acres after two years.
The original Highway Commission building was completed in 1923 and occupied
June 1, 1924. On December 1, 1924, the employees on the Commission force
numbered 255. Of those, 103 were engaged in construction work.
Coming Out of the Mud
Before hard-surfaced roads, Iowa was an island of mud. When it rained, Iowa’s rich
soil became a sticky quagmire. Iowa’s roads gained a national reputation that caused
interstate travelers to avoid the state. The 1924 edition of the Official Road Guide to the
Lincoln Highway warned, “It is a folly to try to drive on Iowa dirt roads, during or
immediately after a heavy rain. Time will not be saved by attempting it.”
Early earthen roads were improved by dragging crudely built wooden blades
behind a team of horses. The drag smoothed the surface of the road after it rained,
filling in ruts and creating a center crown to shed water. But this was a never-ending
task.
Before good roads, people living in the country mostly walked or used a horse
and buggy or wagon. Cars didnt always start, were often jacked up, and the
roads were too bad for cars, anyway.
25
By the mid 1920s the automobile was here to stay and getting Iowa “Out of the
Mud” was a necessity. The Highway Commission started a push toward surfacing the
roadways. And this was an opportune time, since grading and hauling granular material
provided jobs for farmers who were hit hard by the Depression. Iowa’s big push lasted
until World War II put a halt to major road construction.
Billboards and Advertising Signs
Billboards and advertising signs were banned from the right-of-way in 1924
because they interfered with safe views of highways and distracted motorists’ attention
from warning signs. County supervisors and attorneys were charged with enforcement.
U.S. Route Numbering System
In 1925 Congress approved a national road numbering plan of U.S. routes to
alleviate confusion created by the increasing number of major routes which bore names
that changed from state to state. Thomas MacDonald and Fred White of the Highway
Commission played a prominent role in formulating the U.S. numbering system. The
work of renumbering and remarking the U.S. routes was completed in 1926. Highways
were numbered with even numbers running east and west, and odd numbers running
north and south. The standard federal marker consists of a U.S. shield bearing the
name of the state and the road number. The familiar black and white shields have
guided American motorists ever since.
Black Center Lines
To reduce head-on
collisions when cars moved
too close to the center of the
road, in 1926 Iowa began
painting a center black line
on every mile of primary
road pavement as a reminder
that vehicles should be on
the right-hand side of the
road. In 1954, the continu-
ous black center line was
replaced with a dashed,
white-reflectorized line and
yellow no-passing lines on all
heavily traveled roads.
Black lines being painted on the roadway.
26
Iowas Primary Highway Route Numbering System
In 1926, after the U.S. route numbering system was established, Iowa went to work
establishing its own numbering system for primary roads. The intent was to establish a
system that did not duplicate the federal route numbers. A standard symbol, a black-
and-white circular sign with the word “Iowa” on the top and road number on the
bottom two-thirds, was adopted. Each main traveled road was given a specific number.
That number was painted on telegraph poles or specially built poles at intersections,
corners and crossroads. This system replaced the numerous registered route markings
and names.
First Primary Road Law
An important step in the highway legislative progress was made by the 41st Iowa
General Assembly when it turned over to the Highway Commission the maintenance of
the primary road system. The Primary Road Law of 1924 removed all authority over
maintenance from the county boards of supervisors who had previously been in full
control of this work. Funds necessary to carry out this maintenance were given to the
Highway Commission.
Primary and Secondary Roads
The Primary Road Act of 1927 divided Iowa roads into two systems, primary and
secondary. The primary roads included those main market roads that connected all
county seat towns, cities, and main market centers. Secondary roads were all public
highways except primary roads, state roads and highways within cities and towns. This
forward-looking act remains on the statutes of Iowa today.
Iowas primary highway route numbering system replaced
markings such as these.
27
Iowas First Commercial Airline Passenger Flight
Iowa’s first commercial airline passenger flight occurred when a single-engine Boeing
mail and passenger biplane carried one passenger - Jane Eads, a 20-year-old reporter for
the Chicago Herald. She flew from Maywood, Illinois, to Iowa City in 1927. The plane
was piloted by Ira A. Biffle of Lincoln, Nebraska, who was Charles Lindbergh’s first
instructor.
Five-Member Highway Commission
The law creating the Iowa State Highway Commission was changed in 1927 by the
42nd Iowa General Assembly to increase to five the number of members of the
Highway Commission. All members were to be appointed by the governor and
confirmed by the Senate, with no more than three members coming from the same
political party.
Good News
In 1928 the Des Moines Register and Tribune purchased a five-person Fairchild cabin
monoplane. This was the first privately owned plane of its class in the country, and the
first airplane owned and operated by any newspaper in the United States with a pilot
on full-time pay. The plane’s name, “Good News,” was selected through a statewide
contest in which thousands of people participated. In addition to serving as a means of
getting photographs and stories to readers as quickly as possible, the plane promoted
better aviation and airports in Iowa.
First Scheduled Airline in Iowa
Midwest Airways Corporation, owned by Cedar Falls native John Livingston,
operated the first scheduled airline in Iowa, flying between Waterloo and Des Moines.
The service began in 1928 and the price for a round trip was $18. Regulation of
commercial airlines began in 1938.
First Asphalt Paving Job
Iowa’s first paving job using asphalt concrete was completed in 1928. The contrac-
tor required that a “royalty” fee be paid on the project. Fred White, chief engineer for
the Highway Commission at that time, said the payment of royalty fees by the highway
department would never happen again. Thus, it wasn’t until the 1950s that asphalt
concrete was again considered for use on primary roads through the regular state
construction lettings.
Traffic Weight and Motor Vehicle Regulation
A special session of the 43rd Iowa General Assembly held in 1929 gave authority to
the Highway Commission to regulate traffic loads on the primary roads and to vary
these in accordance with seasonal changes. The Commission was also authorized to
establish traffic rules governing the use of motor vehicles on the primary roads.
28
First Iowa Woman to Earn a Pilots License
Ila Fox, the first woman born in Iowa to earn a pilot’s license, was one of twin girls
born at Callender in 1904.
On September 1, 1929, Fox
received private pilot’s license
number 7738, the first issued
to an Iowa woman. Soon
thereafter she received a letter
from Amelia Earhart asking
her to join a new organization
for women pilots. She agreed
and became a charter
member of the famous Ninety
Nines.
Iowan Becomes First
Stewardess
Cresco native Ellen
Church became the first airline stewardess in the country. She had approached the
traffic manager of Boeing Air Transport (United Air Lines) with her idea of hiring nurses
to serve passengers. Still somewhat skeptical of the idea, the board of directors did hire
Church as the chief stewardess. Church subsequently hired seven more nurses and
helped design their uniforms. The women began working on May 15, 1930.
Mud Jack
In the late 1920s, Iowa State Highway Commission mechanic John Poulter
invented a device to raise pavements through hydraulic pressure. Initial use of the mud
jack took place in the Burlington area and was included in a commission report dated
December 1930. The machine forced a slurry of earth, water and portland cement
through pre-drilled holes in the pavement. A national report about the invention led to
commercial production of the “mud pump,”or “mud jack,” by National Equipment
Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The process proved effective because it allowed
traffic to continue on an adjacent section of the pavement while the mud jack worked.
Streamlined Passenger Trains
What was probably the most glamorous and profitable period of railroad passenger
service in Iowa began in the 1930s and 1940s with the introduction of the diesel-
powered lightweight streamlined passenger trains. It ended in the 1960s. The sleek
cars offered luxurious amenities such as airconditioning, reclining seats, sleepers, buffets,
and adjustable footrests. Popular streamliners that served Iowa during this period
included the Burlington “Zephyrs,” Rock Island “Rockets,” Chicago & North Western
“Gold Coast,” and the “Land of Corn.”
Ila Fox, the first woman born in Iowa to earn a
pilots license.
29
Locks, Dams and Channels on the Mississippi River
Recognizing the tremendous potential of inland waterways, on July 3, 1930,
Congress authorized the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to make the Upper Mississippi a
commercial waterway. Within 10 years (1930-40) 24 low-level dams were built and
the nine-foot channel was completed, opening a new era in the life of the Upper
Mississippi River.
Driver License Issuance
In 1931 the Secretary of State was given the responsibility of issuing Iowa driver
licenses. In 1938 the Iowa Legislature shifted that duty to the Iowa Highway Patrol. In
1975, the legislature again shifted responsibility, this time to the Iowa Department of
Transportation.
Pipelines
Pipelines moving liquid products began service in the early 1930s. The Great Lakes
Pipeline System (now the Williams Pipeline Company) was the first “products” line
approved for construction in 1931, with terminals at Des Moines, Omaha and later at
Coralville.
Highway Safety Patrol
Convinced something had to be done about highway safety, Ola Babcock Miller, a
popular Iowa Secretary of State, did something for which she had no legislative
authority by creating a highway patrol. In 1934 she converted a group of 15 motor
vehicle inspectors on her payroll into an organization to combat “Road Hogs, Drunken
Drivers, Excessive Speeders and Unsafe Cars.” Since there were no funds available,
officers furnished their own uniforms. John Hattery of Nevada was the first patrol
chief. He was paid $200 per month and was required to work 72 hours per week. In
1939, the legislature transferred the patrol from the Secretary of State’s office to a new
Public Safety Department.
First Paved Transcontinental Highway
The Lincoln Highway became the first paved transcontinental highway in 1935.
The roadway was started in 1913 and spanned the continent from New York City’s
Times Square to Lincoln Park in San Francisco. It passed through 12 states, including
Iowa, and was designated an “official automobile route.” The 3,389-mile route was
originally little more than a one-lane dirt road, and it offered travelers few comforts and
plenty of adventure. The Lincoln Highway was renamed U.S. 30 when the U.S. route
numbering system was adopted.
30
Wartime Conditions
The entry of the United States into the Second World War in the 1940s brought
many obstacles and some bright spots to Iowa’s transportation system. Manufacture of
automobiles was prohibited as plants converted to production of tanks, aircraft engines
and ordnance. Tires were rationed and recapped to conserve the supply. States were
requested to reduce highway speeds to 35 miles per hour to save rubber, fuel and
engine wear. Severe shortages forced gasoline rationing. Highway traffic declined by 35
to 40 percent. On the bright side, railroad revenues tripled between 1940 and 1944.
Reasonable and Proper
In 1942, an Iowa constitutional amendment was adopted and the speed limit was
defined as “reasonable and proper.”
Highway Construction Curtailed
By April 1942 the federal War Production Board stopped all new highway con-
struction in excess of $5,000, unless certified as essential to the war effort. Five
highways leading to Iowa’s war installations qualified: the Iowa Ordnance Plant near
Burlington, the Des Moines Ordnance Plant near Ankeny, the Sioux City Air Base, the
Federal Hospital near Clinton, and the Naval Training Base near Ottumwa.
Alaska-Canadian Military Highway
As World War II escalated, construction contractors throughout America were called
upon to serve the needs of the war. Several Iowa contractors played an important role in
the war effort diverting their efforts away from Iowa to build the Alaska portion of the
Alaska-Canadian Military Highway. At the peak in 1942, a workforce of 1,200 people
endured the bleak and wintry weather some 3,600 miles from home. Working around
the clock from August to December 1941, Iowa contractors (known as The Alaska
Highway Expeditionary Force) built some 250 miles of the highway.
Worlds First Slipform Paver
One of the most important events in Iowa’s highway construction history came in
1947 when engineers experimented with the invention of a revolutionary device: the
slipform paver. Highway
Commission laboratory
chief James Johnson
developed the slipform
paver, which placed
concrete slabs without the
The worlds first slipform
paver, developed by
Highway Commission lab
chief James Johnson in
the late 1940s.
31
use of side forms or supports. This process allowed pavers to place and finish more than
one mile of concrete highway per day. By 1955 commercial firms had built a func-
tional slipform paver and national acceptance for its use was gained.
Highway Research
From 1913 through 1949, highway research was conducted on an informal basis
and was geared to individual projects. In 1950 the Iowa State Highway Commission
organized the Highway Research Board whose members included the deans of engineer-
ing at the State University (University of Iowa), and the Iowa State College (Iowa State
University), six county engineers and three members of the Highway Commission. The
Iowa Highway Research Board continues to direct and recommend transportation research
today.
Korean War Impact
1951 was a difficult year for road building and maintenance. Steel and cement
shortages resulted from the Korean War, and the national rearmament prevented
initiation of paving and bridge projects and completion of others. The situation did not
improve materially until 1953.
Ice Removal
In the winter of 1953-54, salt was first used experimentally on a limited number of
Iowa roadways for removal of ice.
Interstate Highway Construction
On June 29, 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid
Highway Act of 1956 creating a national system of interstate and defense highways.
This set off the biggest highway building boom in the nation’s and Iowa’s history. Iowa’s
first segment of interstate highway, I-35/I-80 at the southwest edge of Des Moines, was
opened in 1958.
Worlds First Aluminum Girder Highway Bridge
In the late 1950s steel became scarce and delivery was limited. This caused a serious
problem for the fast-paced construction of the interstate system. In response, the
Highway Commission looked for a substitute material and sought out aluminum. The
agency worked with the aluminum producers and private contractors to construct a
welded aluminum highway overpass on 86th Street in Urbandale over Interstate 35/80.
Spanning 222 feet, the deck was 30 feet wide. The structure was opened on September
24, 1958. The bridge performed well until it had to be replaced in the early 1990s
when the interchange was reconfigured.
32
Federal Bonus Program for Signs
In 1958, to prevent a proliferation of advertising billboards along the interstates,
federal officials drew up regulations banning certain signs from a 660-foot swath along
the right-of-way. Instead of mandating compliance, they offered states a bonus
payment for enforcing the regulations. Many states, including Iowa, delayed accep-
tance of the offer.
Air Marking
Air marking, which began in 1959, was one of the earliest priorities of the Highway
Commission. An air marker was the name of the town painted on top of the roof of a
local building in 10-foot high letters so the name was clearly legible from an altitude of
3,000 feet.
No Passing Sign
Another first with Iowa
roots was the introduction in
1959 of the “no passing”
pennant sign. The sign was
created at a time when the
Iowa State Highway Com-
mission stressed the impor-
tance of highway safety
through increased signage.
The no passing pennant was
subsequently adopted and
included in the national
Manual on Uniform Traffic
Control Devices for Streets and
Highways.
Speed Limit Change
In 1959 the Iowa Legislature passed laws setting specific speed limits. On primary
roads, the daytime limit was 70 mph and the nighttime limit was 65. On interstates,
the daytime limit was 75, the nighttime limit was 65, and the minimum speed allowed
was 40 mph.
Bridge Deck Overlay
Instead of replacing an entire bridge when the deck began deteriorating, the
Highway Commission experimented with placing a new one-inch portland cement
concrete “overlay” on the bridge. The first test project was conducted in 1964 on a
240-foot bridge in northwest Iowa in Sac County. This combination deck removal and
overlay process came to be called the “Iowa Method.” This method is now universally
accepted and is preferred because the bridge can be reopened to traffic as soon as the
concrete has cured.
Experimental No Passing Zone signs erected in
Dec. 1958 on U.S. 30 from Clinton to the
Missouri River. Photo taken east of Ames.
33
Full-depth, No-subbase Hot-mixed
Asphaltic Concrete for Interstates
A section of Interstate 80 east of Iowa City built in 1964 is believed to be the first
section of interstate highway in the country with hot-mixed asphaltic concrete as the
full depth of the pavement structure, resting on earth with no lower base or subbase.
Highway Beautification Act of 1965
In response to the slow acceptance of the federal bonus program for signs, and
spurred on by Lady Bird Johnson’s mid-1960s “highway beautification” campaign,
federal officials wrote a set of mandatory signage regulations; states were to write
complying legislation. In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed this “Highway
Beautification Act.” In 1972, Iowa passed legislation in compliance with the national
Highway Beautification Act. Iowa’s law, however, fixed a problem with the federal rules
by banning advertising devices visible from the interstate (or primary highways). This
was done to correct the problem of “jumbo” signs being erected just beyond the 660-
foot mark.
Continuous Reinforced Steel
The first use of continuous reinforced steel in paving took place in Iowa in 1966. It
later became a nationally accepted process. The steel was placed by a newly developed
machine and eliminated a substantial amount of hand labor.
Interstate Toll Bridge Act of 1967
In 1967 the Iowa Legislature passed the Interstate Toll Bridge Act. On October 21,
1970, the official groundbreaking ceremony was held for the $5.1 million toll bridge at
Muscatine.
Freeway-Expressway System
In 1968 a freeway-expressway system was approved by the Highway Commission
to serve traffic needs in the years following completion of the interstate program. The
833-mile freeway system consisted of four-lane divided highways with access via
interchange only. The 1,139-mile expressway system was also designed with four-lane
divided highways with access via interchange and selected at-grade public road
connections.
Amtrak
Fearing national rail passenger service
would cease after a steady decline in passenger-
miles, Congress passed an act in 1970 creating
the National Passenger Corporation, originally
known as “Railpax,” but later changed to
“Amtrak.” Amtrak was created to operate rail
passenger service over a basic intercity network
selected by the U.S. Secretary of Transporta-
tion. In 1971 Iowa’s original Amtrak system
Amtrak arrives at Mount Pleasant.
34
included three routes: The San Francisco Zephyr which operated across the southern
counties on the Chicago-San Francisco route; The Southwest Chief, which traveled
through Fort Madison and provided service between Chicago and the West Coast; and
the Black Hawk, which offered service between Chicago and Dubuque until September
1981.
Logo Signing
In 1975 Iowa became one of the first states to put commercial names/logos on
official service signs along the interstate. Iowa’s logo sign policy became a model for
other states.
55 mph Speed Limit
In the midst of an energy crisis touched off by conflict in the Middle East, President
Richard Nixon in 1973 signed the Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act,
reducing the maximum national speed limit to 55 miles per hour.
Iowa Department of Transportation
Replacing individual modal agencies, the Iowa Department of Transportation was
created by the 65th General Assembly on July 1, 1974, to promote more orderly and
effective planning and funding programs for a balanced system unique to the state’s
needs. Victor Preisser was selected as the first director of the department. He began his
duties in January 1975.
Iowa Transportation Commission Created
In 1974 the Iowa Transportation Commission was formed, consisting of seven
members (with no more than four from the same political party) appointed by the
Governor, and subject to Senate confirmation. Serving four-year terms, the members’
responsibility is to periodically review programs of the department and make all major
policy decisions. The Transportation Commission continues to serve the citizens of Iowa
today.
24-hour Truck Permit Center
In 1976 the nation’s first 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week truck permit center was
established by the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Motor Vehicle Division. This
“one stop shopping” concept was an instant hit with the trucking industry.
Recycled Concrete
In 1976 the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Highway Division began research
which lead to the nation’s first recycled portland cement concrete pavement.
Right-Turn-On-Red
In 1977 the Federal Highway Administration issued national standards for
permitting right-on-red turns at traffic signal-controlled intersections on the nation’s
highways and streets.
35
Curb Removal
A three-year program to eliminate the “infamous” curbs remaining on Iowa’s 18- and
20-foot pavements was completed in 1980. More than 1,300 miles of curb was
removed.
Vehicle Laws
To spread out the workload of the county treasurers, a law was passed in Dec. 1983
to “stagger” vehicle registration renewals. Instead of everyone renewing in January, the
owner’s birth month was now used as the registration date.
Interstate Completed
Iowa’s interstate system was completed in 1985 when I-380 between Cedar Rapids
and Waterloo was finished. It took 27 years and over $1 billion to complete Iowa’s
entire interstate system.
Seat Belts
In 1986 Iowa passed a law requiring seat belts to be used by all drivers and front
seat passengers. Seat belt use is still the single most effective way to save lives and reduce
injuries on Iowa roadways.
Fast Track Paving
In 1986 the Iowa Department of Transportation introduced a new paving concept
called “Fast Track.” The process caught worldwide attention because the fast-drying
capability allowed for traffic to be back on a road within 36 hours.
One of Iowas Largest Natural Disasters
In July 1993 Iowa experienced one of the state’s largest natural disasters - a major
flood. In addition to causing loss of life and property, the flood damaged or washed
away many roadways. At one point during the disaster, more than 63 roads were closed
and three bridges totally destroyed.
55 mph Speed Limit Repealed
President Bill Clinton signed the National Highway System Designation Act of
1995 which included provisions to repeal the federal involvement in setting speed
limits. The speed limit on many of Iowa’s four-lane, divided highways was raised by the
Iowa Legislature from 55 mph to 65 mph.
TEA-21
On June 9, 1998, President Clinton signed into law the Transportation Equity Act
for the 21st Century (TEA-21). This landmark bill increased funding for surface
transportation programs in Iowa by nearly 40 percent over the following six-year
period. The record investment levels strengthened Iowa’s commitment to building safe
and efficient highway and transit systems.
36
Iowa museums and
other sites that offer historic
transportation-related items
Although DOT staff members have compiled
an extensive listing of sites offering transportation-
related items for public viewing, this listing is not
intended to be inclusive. The DOT recognizes that
transportation is an intrinsic part of Iowa’s history
and many more artifacts exist.
Many of the facilities listed below are staffed by
volunteers who maintain irregular visiting hours for
the public. Other sites are open only by appoint-
ment. Therefore, it is highly recommended that
visitors call ahead to determine the hours of
operation for each location.
Northwest
Albert City Historical Museum
212 N. Second St.
Albert City, IA 50510
712-843-5684
A five-building museum complex that preserves the
history of Albert City, including a two-story depot.
On display are a baggage cart and other railroad
memorabilia, nine restored early 1900 cars, a 3/4-
scale stagecoach, buggy and sleigh.
Cylinder Heritage Center
101 Iowa St.
Cylinder, IA 50528
712-424-3293
Artifacts from the town’s history and railroad items.
Gowrie Depot Historical Museum
N. Beek St., Laurel Park
Gowrie, IA 50543
515-352-3567
Collection of memorabilia that represents the
evolution of community life in Gowrie. Housed in
original train depot.
L. M. & O. Railroad Museum
508 South Neptune St.
Marathon, IA 50565
712-289-0988
Depot originally from Laurens, Iowa, has been
restored and furnished. Complex features a restored
caboose, business car, 1000 feet of track and rides
for school children.
Clark’s Antique Acres
Museum of Area History
2151 213th Ave.
Milford, IA 51351
712-338-2147
Museum complex includes over 1,000 pictorial and
written histories of the Iowa Great Lakes Region
and its surrounding communities. On display are
over 5,000 old business advertisements, a large
collection of area memorabilia and many items of
historical interest. Large displays include a horse-
drawn school bus, wagons, sleighs and numerous
types of farm equipment, along with railroad items,
and antique automobile items.
Lyon County Historical Society
Museum Complex
110 - ½ N. Story
Rock Rapids, IA 51246
712-472-3101 or
712-472-2029
Museum complex includes former Rock Island depot
museum, caboose, livery stable and historic house.
McCallum Museum and
Brunson Heritage House
Sibley Park, Fifth St. and Eighth Ave.
Sibley, IA 51249
712-754-3882
Museum pieces include a cutter or “one horse open
sleigh” used in the 1900s by the Conrad Hattendorf
family of Ocheyedan, a surrey used by the same
family, a 1908 Sears auto buggy, and a circa 1900s
chainless bicycle.
Sergeant Floyd Riverboat Museum
and Welcome Center
1000 Larsen Park Rd.
(Interstate 29, exit 149)
Sioux City, IA 51100
712-279-0198
This vessel plied the Missouri River for 50 years as
the flagship of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
construction fleet. See the history of Missouri River
transportation and view America’s largest display of
scale model Missouri River steamboat and keelboat
models. Special focus on the 1804 Lewis and Clark
Expedition.
Mid America Air Museum
Sioux Gateway Airport
(Interstate 29, exit 141)
6715 Harbor Drive
P.O. Box 3525
Sioux City, IA 51054-3525
712-252-5300
Noted as one of the very best aviation artifact
museums in the United States. Displays of general,
commercial, sport and military aviation. Eleven
aircraft along with Flight 232 crash exhibit. A true
hands-on aviation science museum with a reference
library and theater.
37
Sergeant Floyd Monument
One-half mile east and one mile north of Exit 143
on I-29
Sioux City
100-foot-tall stone obelisk overlooking Sioux City
and the Missouri River Valley. Marks the burial
place of Sergeant Charles Floyd, the only member of
the 1804 Lewis and Clark Expedition to die en
route.
West Central
Western Historic Trails Center
3434 Richard Downing Ave.
(Interstate 80, exit 1B)
Council Bluffs, IA 51501
712-366-4900
Interpretive center for the Lewis and Clark Trail,
Mormon Pioneer Trail and California Trail. Exhibits
include information on the diminishing use of the
trails, with the rise of railroads and, later,
automobile transportation.
Historic General Dodge House
605 Third St.
Council Bluffs, IA 51503
712-322-2406
Victorian house-museum built by Grenville and Mrs.
Dodge in 1869-70. Dodge was a Civil War general,
railroad builder, banker and politician.
Lewis and Clark Monument
and Scenic Overlook
Rainbow Point, north on Eight St.
Council Bluffs, IA 51501
712-325-1000
Monument honors the expedition of Lewis and
Clark in 1804 and their historic, strategic meeting
with the Oto Indians.
RailsWest Railroad Museum
and HO Model Railroad
1512 S. Main St.
Council Bluffs, IA 51501
712-323-5182
An 1899 Rock Island depot houses an HO scale
operating model railroad, an O scale operate-it-
yourself model, and an extensive collection of
artifacts and memorabilia. Also on display are a
Union Pacific RPO car and a Rock Island caboose.
DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge
1434 316th Lane
Missouri Valley, IA 51555
712-642-2772
DeSoto Visitor Center houses and displays artifacts
from the Bertrand cargo collection. The Bertrand was
a mountain packet sternwheeler built in 1864. It
was specially designed for the shallow, narrow rivers
of the West. Despite her navigational adaptations,
the Bertrand hit a snag and sank on April 1, 1865,
its first journey up the Missouri River.
Kiwanis Museum Complex
N. 12th St.
Onawa, IA 51040
712-423-1801
C & NW railroad depot with more than 800 items
of railroad memorabilia.
Lewis and Clark Keelboat Display
Lewis and Clark State Park
21914 Park Loop
Onawa, IA 51040
712-423-2829
Full-size replicas of Lewis and Clark Expedition
keelboat and two pirogues used to explore up the
Missouri River in 1804.
Guthrie County Historical Village
206 W. South St.
Panora, IA 50216
515-755-2989
Features Milwaukee railroad depot and caboose, two
covered wagons and several vintage automobiles.
Southwest
Taylor County Historical Museum
1001 Pollock Blvd.
Bedford, IA 50833
712-523-2041
Circa 1907 round barn, moved from Lenox and
restored. Housed horses used with horse-drawn
vehicles such as the cutter and high-wheeled wagon.
C.B. & Q. Restored Depot
Union County Tourism
P.O. Box 471
208 W. Taylor
Creston, IA 50801
515-782-4405
Depot located at 116 W. Adams, Creston. View the
restored railroad depot built in 1899. Marbled
floors and tiled columns and walls are focal points of
this magnificent two-story building which houses
railroad artifacts. A restored railroad caboose is
located one block to the west of the restored depot.
38
Mount Pisgah/Mormon Trail
Near Lorimor, Iowa
515-782-4405
Visit the winter camp of the first Mormon Trek
from Nauvoo, Ill., to Salt Lake City, Utah.
Monument erected in memory of the thousands who
did not survive that winter.
Mills County Historical Museum
Glenwood Park, Hwy. 34
Glenwood, IA 51534
712-527-5038
Museum complex includes a caboose, Native
American artifacts, wagons and antique cars and
trucks.
Iowa Aviation Museum
Greenfield Municipal Airport
Greenfield, IA 50849
515-343-7184
One of three airplane museums in the state. Home
of Iowa Aviation Hall of Fame. Eleven early aircraft
and two military aircraft on display.
Kline Museum
Main Street
Prescott, IA 50859
515-335-2352
Collection of antique cars including the fully restored
1911 Carter car.
Greater Shenandoah Historical Museum
405 W. Sheridan
Shenandoah, IA 51601
712-246-1669
Artifacts, displays and videos of early radio, KMA-
Earl May, KFNF-Henry Field and the nurseries.
Life in the 1850s in the nearby Mormon settlement
of Manti. The old Wabash depot and Morning Star
country school house at Sportsman Park. While in
Shenandoah visit the restored Burlington Northern
depot.
North Central
Hobo Museum
51 Main Ave. S.
Britt, IA 50423
515-843-3867
The only hobo museum in existence. Offers a
fascinating look at the interwoven histories of hobos
and the railroads.
Restored Railroad Depot
302 S. Main
Clarion, IA 50525
515-532-2256
Restored depot houses railroad memorabilia.
Iowa Trolley Park
E. Main St.
Clear Lake, IA 50428
515-357-2159
Take a 15-minute ride on restored electric tolleys
including an interurban and an open Brill.
Dows Depot Welcome Center
Train and Depot streets
Dows, IA 50071
515-852-3595
Period railroad items and local history items
displayed in 1896 railroad station.
Quasdorf Blacksmith Wagon Museum
Train and Depot streets
Dows, IA 50071
515-852-3595
Restored 1899 building listed in the National
Register of Historic Places holds displays of antique
tools, equipment, books and methods of the
blacksmith, wagon- and wheel-making, and machine
and welding trades.
Grafton Heritage Depot/Museum
Main St.
Grafton, IA 50440
515-748-2337
Turn-of-the-century depot includes waiting room,
depot agent’s office and freight room.
Kinney Pioneer Museum
Municipal Airport entrance, Hwy. 18 W.
P.O. Box 421
Mason City, IA 50402-0421
515-423-1258
515-357-2980 off-season phone
View antique cars, including the only original
“Colby” (manufactured in Mason City) known to be
left in existence.
Van Horn’s Antique Truck Museum
15271 North St.
Mason City, IA 50401
515-423-0550
Off-season phone 515-423-9066
Large display of commercial vehicles from 1908 to
1931, antique gas pumps and advertising signs.
Museum open daily May 25 through Sept. 22.
Mitchell County Historical Society
Cedar Valley Memories
18791 Hwy. 9
Osage, IA 50461
515-732-1269
Houses Iowa’s first gas-powered car.
Depot/Caboose Riverfront Park
Third St., east of Hwy. 14
Parkersburg, IA 50665
319-346-1365
Visit restored 1935 depot and 1947 caboose with
railroad pictures and items.
39
Country Relics Village
Hwy 17, North - 3290 Briggs Woods Rd
Stanhope, IA 50246
515-826-4FUN (4386)
www.countryrelicsvillage.com
Located on an operating family farm, this 16-
building, early 1900s complex, includes the original
1882 Stanhope Chicago Northwestern depot, a
McCormick Machines Implement dealership, a
restored 1915 International motor truck, and a 1923
Model T Ford housed in the early Standard Oil
service station. The population of 103 “dummies”
and visitor participation brings life to this intriquing
“stroll into the past.”
Central
Iowa Department
of Transportation Library
800 Lincoln Way
Ames, IA 50010
515-239-1200
Houses a collection of transportation-related archival
materials, historic photographs and additional
historical publications.
Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad
225 10th St.
Boone, IA 50036
800-626-0319
An operating educational, non-profit railroad
museum highlighting the history of railroading in
Iowa. Full scale trains using steam, diesel, or electric
power operate daily Memorial Day weekend through
the end of October. The museum’s first-class “City
of San Francisco” car ran through Boone in the
1950s as part of the “City of San Francisco”
passenger train. “The Iowan” was the last
commercially produced steam locomotive in the
world. “The Charles City Western” electric trolley
runs most weekends through the summer months.
Kate Shelley Railroad Museum and Park
1198 232nd St.
Moingona, IA 50036
515-432-1907
Restored depot where visitors learn the dramatic
story of teenager Kate Shelley’s warning of upcoming
danger to a passenger train. Railroad memorabilia
and artifacts relating to Shelley’s life. Rock Island
Rocket passenger car houses theater with video
presentation of the Kate Shelley story.
Trainland U.S.A.
3135 Hwy. 117 N.
Colfax, IA 50054
515-674-3813
Operating toy-train museum depicts the develop-
ment of the railroad across the United States.
Frontier, steam and diesel eras are represented. Full-
size railroad items on display including a 1928 Rock
Island passenger car.
State of Iowa Historical Building
600 E. Locust St.
Des Moines, IA 50319
515-281-5111
Offers a hands-on approach to exploring Iowa’s past.
Features three planes that hover in the airspace above
the first floor lobby (a Curtiss pusher biplane, Bleriot
XI monoplane and a modified Benoist tractor
biplane). The planes serve as a tribute to Iowa’s early
aircraft builders and pilots. See other artifacts related
to transportation history in the exhibits “You Gotta
Know the Territory,” “Hay Days: the Horse in Iowa
History,” and “We’ve Gotcha Covered: the Iowa
Insurance Story.”
Grinnell Historical Museum
1125 Broad St.
Grinnell, IA 50112
515-236-3252
Attraction includes a carriage house with three
buggies and a surrey - all manufactured in Grinnell.
Greene County Historical Society Museum
106 E. State St.
Jefferson, IA 50129
515-386-8544
Available for viewing are wagon tools, models of the
Greene County coal mine, covered wagons, and
WWI model planes. Greene County was the first
county to pave the Lincoln Highway the full length
of the county from east to west. Several historic
bridges found along the highway. A Lincoln
Highway marker graces the Greene County
courthouse. On display at the country school and
pioneer museum at the Greene County fairgrounds
are various Lincoln Highway artifacts, maps and
books.
Lincoln Highway Bridge
Just off Hwy. 30
Tama, IA 52339
Built in 1915 as part of the first U.S. transcontinen-
tal highway, this is the only Lincoln Highway bridge
still in existence.
40
South Central
Historical and Coal Mining Museum
100 W. Maple. Hwy 2
Centerville, IA 52544
515-856-8040
Houses collection beginning with the settlement
period of 1843. Detailed information on the
Mormon Trail of 1846 and artifacts from the trail
are on display. Exhibits include a buggy, sleigh,
firehose wagon, and coal cars that were drawn by
horses and ponies.
Moravia Wabash Depot Museum
800 W. North St.
Moravia, IA 52571
515-724-3777
Depot is an example of a rural combination depot
used in the early 1900s. Railroad artifacts are on
display with an operational model train layout.
Features a restored railroad section car.
Moulton Historical Society Museum
Hwy. 202
Moulton, IA 52572
515-642-3384
Railroad artifacts.
Prairie Trails Museum of Wayne County
515 E. Jefferson (Hwy. 2)
Corydon, IA 50060
515-872-2211
Mormon Pioneer Trail exhibit with authentic oxen-
drawn wagon. An award-winning exhibition traces
the area’s history through the evolution of its
transportation network from prairie trails, to
stagecoach lines, the coming of the railroad, the
Good Roads Movement, and today’s highway system.
Features the first automobile in Wayne County, a
1902 Holsman buggy car, and 16 horse-drawn
vehicles.
National Balloon Museum
1601 N. Jefferson
U.S. 65/69
Indianola, IA 50125
515-961-3714
Houses a collection of ballooning artifacts and
memorabilia depicting the history of hot-air and gas
ballooning, ballooning events and personalities.
Marion County Historical Village
Willetts Dr.
Knoxville, IA 50138
515-842-5526
Visit the historic stagecoach inn. Antiques and
artifacts are on display.
Airpower Museum, Inc.
22001 Bluegrass Rd.
10 miles west of Ottumwa, northeast of Blakesburg
515-938-2773
Museum on a 30 acre airfield. Features various
periods of aviation via models, engines, propellers,
photos and original art. Twenty aircraft are on
display, including WWII models.
Dumonts’ Museum of
Dreamworld Collectibles
Three miles south on Hwy. 149
255th Street
Sigourney, IA 52591
515-622-2592
The museum features a large collection of restored
antique tractors, horse-drawn equipment, buggies,
gas engines, household items, toy trucks, farm toys,
dolls, dishes and many miscellaneous collectibles.
Bridges of Madison County
Winterset Chamber of Commerce
Winterset, IA 50273
515-462-1185
The six historic covered bridges are scattered across
the countryside in Madison County.
Northeast
Ice House Museum
Cedar Falls Historical Society
First and Clay streets
Cedar Falls, IA 50613
319-266-5149
Built in 1921, the Ice House offers exhibits of ice
harvesting equipment, early automobiles, and
artifacts from the late 1800s and early 1900s that
show the settlement and development of the Cedar
River Valley.
Victorian Home and
Carriage House Museum
Cedar Falls Historical Society
308 West Third St.
Cedar Falls, IA 50613
319-266-5149
Features the collection of O scale operating models
of the Chicago Great Western railroad from the
estate of the late William J. Lenoir of Tampa,
Florida. Lenoir was a master model railroad builder
who was internationally known for building highly
detailed O scale steam locomotives. The collection
consists of hand-built, brass steam locomotives, gas-
electric cars, passenger cars, freight cars, railroad
structures, and an operating layout.
41
Behrens-Rapp Tourist Information Station
Cedar Falls Historical Society
First and Clay streets
Cedar Falls, IA 50613
319-266-5149
In 1925, the Behrens brothers built this gas station
which was originally located on the corner of
Waterloo Road and 14th Street. In 1993 the station
was moved to its present location and serves as a
visitor information center. Installed at the station
are several restored gas pumps.
Red Barn Model Railroad Museum
Rte. W. 69, one mile north of Dundee
Dundee, IA 52038
319-924-2482
Operating and fixed displays of Lionel, American
Flyer and Marx toy trains and trolleys dating from
early 1900s. HO scale railroad featuring steam and
diesel locomotives from famous American railroads.
Full-size railroad items also on display.
Lockmaster’s House Heritage Museum
Lock and Dam Lane
Guttenberg, IA 52052
319-252-1531
Visit one of the last remaining lockmaster’s houses
on the Mississippi River. Photos depicting
construction of the lock and dam are on display.
Museum of River History
61 S. Front St.
Lansing, IA 52151
319-538-4231 or
319-538-4641
Displays highlight Lansing’s early development as a
Mississippi River town, including steamboating,
commercial fishing and clamming, the pearl button
industry, and ice harvesting. Also on display are
original handmade commercial and recreational
wooden boats, and an extensive photo collection.
Old Bradford Pioneer Village
2729 Cheyenne Ave.
Nashua, IA 50658
515-435-2567
This pioneer village includes a depot and caboose.
Hub City Heritage Railway Museum
26 Second Avenue
Oelwein, IA 50662
319-283-1176
Old railroad depot with refurbished railroad cars and
memorabilia, including two locomotives and a gift
shop.
Oelwein Area Historical Society Museum
900 block of Second Ave. S.E.
Oelwein, IA 50662
319-283-4203
View railroad memorabilia and other displays.
Grout Museum of History and Science
503 South Street
Waterloo, IA 50701
Area history. Permanent exhibit, “Engine of the
Heartland” with emphasis on transportation,
agriculture and the industrial revolution. An original
Mason-Maytag automobile on display.
Vinton Railroad Depot and Museum
Benton County Historical Society
P.O. Box 22
Vinton, IA 52349
319-472-5939
1999-2000 marks the centennial of the construction
of the depot which today houses a fine collection of
railroad memorabilia. A Rock Island caboose is also
on display.
East Central
Duffy’s Collectible Cars
250 Classic Car Ct. S.W.
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
319-364-7000
One hundred finished collector cars from the 1940s
through the 1960s, gas pumps and automobile
memorabilia.
Granger House -
Marion Historical Museum, Inc.
970 10th St.
Marion, IA 52302
319-377-6672
Don’t miss the 1879 brick carriage house with
original horse-drawn vehicles.
Pioneer Heritage Museum and
Historical Resource Library
675 E. South St.
Marengo, IA 52301
319-642-7018 or
319-642-3054
View 1930 filling station, 1929 handmade race car,
and Rock Island depot in museum complex.
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Depot
100 Railroad St.
Wilton, IA 52778
319-732-2470
Renovated 1898 brick depot still in its original
location. Displays feature the history of the railroad
in Wilton.
42
East
Cable Car Square
Fourth and Bluff streets
Dubuque, IA 52001
319-583-5000
Stroll the square, visit 30 charming shops and
eateries, horse-drawn carriage rides, trolley rides.
Restored 1800 and 1900 Victorian homes and
mansions nestled in the mighty bluffs of the
Mississippi River.
Fenelon Place Elevator Company
512 Fenelon Pl.
Dubuque, IA 52001
319-582-6496 or 319-588-2357
At the base of the bluffs visit the world’s steepest,
shortest scenic railway. Erected in 1882, the lift is
296 feet in length, elevating passengers 189 feet.
Magnificant view of the Mississippi River and three
states.
Mississippi River Museum
and Mathias Ham House
Third St. Ice Harbor
Dubuque, IA 52001
319-557-9545
The Mississippi River Museum offers a fun, hands-
on exploration of America’s best-loved river - the
Mississippi. It is the largest river museum north of
Memphis covering 300 years of river history. The
five-acre campus is located at the historic Ice Harbor
and includes the award-winning film “River of
Dreams” narrated by Garrison Keillor; more than 30
historic boats, including the national landmark
steam dredge William M. Black; and many
interactive exhibits. Open daily, year-round, 10
a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition to the museum,
experience life along the Mississippi during the
golden era of steamboating. Mathias Ham’s stately
country villa stands today as a reflection of its
wealthy builder. The elegant American and European
furnishings inside exemplify the opulent Victorian
lifestyle of a booming river town during the pre-
Civil War period.
Buffalo Bill Museum/The Lone Star Steamer
200 N. River Dr.
Le Claire, IA 52753
319-289-5580
Memorial and tribute to native son William F.
“Buffalo Bill” Cody, as well as a museum of
steamboat and pioneer history. Wooden-hull
sternwheeler on display with a model of the “black
box” used on airplanes, which was invented by an
Iowan, James E. Ryan (1904-1973).
Buffalo Bill Cody Homestead
28050 230th Ave.
Princeton, IA 52768
319-225-2981
One of the homesteads of the Cody family, built of
stone in 1847 by Buffalo Bill’s father. View restored
home, stagecoach and buffalo.
Rock Island Arsenal Museum
Bldg. 60
Rock Island Arsenal
Exhibits depict the history of the arsenal and Arsenal
Island.
Southeast
Snake Alley
Between Washington and Columbia streets on Sixth St.
Burlington, IA 52601
Possibly Burlington’s most famous landmark, Snake
Alley has been called the “Crookedest street in the
world” in Ripley’s Believe it or Not. It consists of five
half-curves and two quarter-curves and drops 58 feet
over a distance of 275 feet.
Santa Fe Depot Museum Complex
North Lee County Historical Society
814 10th Street
P.O. Box 285
Fort Madison, IA 5627
319-372-7661
The Santa Fe Depot Museum Complex, located in
the former A.T.&S.F. Railroad Historic District,
invites tourists of all ages to enjoy railroad history in
a site located next to the main line of the
Burlington-Northern Santa Fe railroad. View
antique fire engines, a restored Santa Fe caboose,
and more than 60 BNSF trains daily on a pedestrian
overpass located next to the museum.
Keokuk River Museum
and Observation Area
Victory Park at Johnson Street
Keokuk, IA 52632
800-383-1219
This museum on the George M. Verity (S.S.
Thorpe) is a retired paddlewheel steamboat built in
1927 and retired in 1960. Photos of 19th century
riverboats and artifacts of steamboat era are also
displayed on this national historic landmark.
Pedestrian access to view of river traffic, lock,
railroad bridge and 1891 depot, as well as seasonal
waterbird activity.
43
Miller House Museum
318 N. Fifth St.
Keokuk, IA 52632
800-383-1219
1857 home of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Miller,
interprets Victorian lifestyle and economic
development of Iowa’s Half Breed Tract from
horsepower to aviation, especially hydroelectric
power. Special exhibits include the building of the
dam and powerhouse.
Keokuk’s Observation Deck
First and Blondeau Streets
Keokuk, IA 52632
800-383-1219
Keokuk has preserved its history by converting the
old vehicular swing span bridge into an observation
deck. Visitors are invited to enjoy the wood
planked lighted deck, offering a bird’s eye view of
the Mississippi.
Lock and Dam 19/Hydroelectric Plant
523 N. Water St.
Keokuk, IA 52632
800-383-1219
The canal that split the treacherous Des Moines
Rapids on the Mississippi at Keokuk was replaced in
1913 by Lock and Dam 19 and the Hydroelectric
Plant - an engineering marvel of its time. The lock
was replaced in 1957 by the 1200-foot structure,
which is still one of the longest on the river.
Keokuk National Cemetery
1701 J St.
Keokuk, IA 52632
800-383-1219
Soldiers wounded on southern battlefields in the
Civil War were transported up the Mississippi River
on hospital boats to Keokuk where there were seven
Civil War hospitals. Often the trip was futile and
many soldiers found their final resting place in
Keokuk National Cemetery. It was one of the
original twelve designated by Congress at the same
time as Arlington, was the first west of the
Mississippi River and is the only one in Iowa.
Midwest Old Threshers Heritage Museums
405 E. Thresher Roads
Mount Pleasant, IA 52641
319-385-8937
Interpretive exhibits, electric trolleys, steam trains,
traction steam engines, and antique tractors on
display.
Bentonsport National Historic District
Scenic Byway J-40 in Van Buren County
Bentonsport, IA 52565
319-592-3579
Visit this 1840s river town with its century-old iron
bridge and walkway.
44
Selected Bibliography
Boone County Historical Society. Trail Tales, The Journal
of Boone County History. Boone, Iowa: Boone County
Historical Society.
Cross, Steven C. Under the Golden Dome. Des Moines, Ia:
Iowa General Assembly, 1970.
Eichringer, J.W. Iowa Roads: Historical Sketch of
Developments in Administration 1838-1929.
Highway Research Board. Proceedings. Washington, D.C.:
National Academy of Sciences, 1921-1974. [available at
the Iowa Department of Transportation library, Ames,
Iowa.]
Iowa State Highway Commission. Annual Reports. Ames,
Iowa: Iowa Highway Commission, 1904-1974. [available
at the Iowa Department of Transportation library, Ames,
Iowa.]
Kimball, Stanley B. Historic Resource Study, Mormon
Pioneer National Historic Trail. Washington, D.C.:
United States Department of the Interior/National Park
Service, 1991.
Klein, Maury. Union Pacific: the Rebirth 1894-1969.
New York, N.Y. Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing
Group, Inc., 1989.
Landis, Leo. Building Better Roads: Iowa’s Contribution to
Highway Engineering 1904-1974. Ames, Iowa: Center for
Transportation Research and Education, Iowa State
University, 1997.
Neville, Brenda. Seasons of Change, Reflections Upon 75
Years of Service to Iowa. Des Moines, Iowa: Associated
General Contractors of Iowa, 1997.
Pellegreno, Ann Holtgren. Iowa Takes to the Air, Volume I.
Story City, Iowa: Aerodrome Press, 1980.
Pellegreno, Ann Holtgren. Iowa Takes to the Air, Volume
II. Story City, Iowa: Aerodrome Press, 1986.
Petersen, Wm. J. Steamboating on the Upper Mississippi.
Iowa City, Iowa: State Historical Society of Iowa, 1968.
Posten, Margaret L. This is the Place - Iowa. Ames, Iowa:
Iowa State University Press, 1965.
Ritchie, Andrew. King of the Road, An Illustrated History of
Cycling. Berkley, Calif.: Ten Speed Press, 1975.
State Historical Society of Iowa. Palimpsest Magazine.
Iowa City, Iowa: State Historical Society of Iowa.
Thompson, William. Transportation in Iowa: A Historical
Summary. Ames, Iowa: Iowa Department of Transporta-
tion, 1989.
Wilson, D. Ray. Iowa Historical Tour Guide.
Carpentersville, Illinois: Crossroads Communications,
1986.
PM 788 2-99
Produced by
Director’s Staff Division
800 Lincoln Way
Ames, IA 50010
515-239-1372
Discovering historic
Iowa transportation
milestones
Approaching the turn of the century
