Iowa has quite the past and tomorrow (December 28th) marks the anniversary of Iowa becoming the 29th state in the Union. Most Iowans don’t know about Iowa’s wild history, what role the French played, honey wars, and why Iowa has always been a “flyover” state. Leo Landis, State Curator, State Historical Society of Iowa shares all the juicy details, both the good and bad.
Landis is also the Museum Curator of the State Historical Museum of Iowa and shares how Iowa was formed, what was in our region before statehood, and why Congress originally rejected Iowa because our borders were far too big.
He also shares a surprising fact from President James K. Polk’s journal. Iowa wasn’t even mentioned. It looks like we’ve been a fly-over state since the beginning.
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Polk, James K. James K. Polk Papers: Series 1, Diaries, -1849; 1846, Sept. 12-1848, Jan. 19. – January 19, 1848, 1846. , Library of Congress
[Note: the image in a daguerreotype is reversed.] Isaac A. Wetherby Collection. Source: State Historical Society of Iowa, Iowa City
Shows counties as of late 1845 as the counties of January 13, 1846 are not shown.
Source: State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines
When did Iowa become a state?
Landis explained the process of Iowa becoming a state, initiated in March 1845, and the contentious nature of its northern border. This border issue led to the delay in Iowa’s statehood, with congressional approval only coming in mid-1846. Iowa officially became a state December 28th, 1846.
President James Polk
President James Polk and Iowa Statehood: Landis touched upon President Polk’s role in Iowa’s statehood and his reputation as a diligent president. Despite some controversy surrounding him, Polk’s diaries provide detailed insights into his presidency.
Humorously, President Polk mentions nothing about Iowa becoming a state on December 28th in his diary. Today, Iowans are often seen as the flyover state, and it appears as though this was always the case!
When did Iowa Counties Form?
The conversation covered the organization of Iowa’s counties, noting that many western counties were unorganized at the time of statehood. This led to various territorial conflicts and changes in county names and boundaries over time.
Native American Relations and Negotiations
The interview highlighted the complex negotiations and alliances with Native American tribes, emphasizing the one-sided nature of these agreements, which often led to the displacement of Native Americans.
The Iowa State Seal
Lastly, the discussion ventured into the significance of state seals, particularly Iowa’s, which includes symbols like a lead furnace and wheat, reflecting the state’s economic focus at the time. The conversation also mentioned the controversial nature of some state seals, including Minnesota’s, and the implications they held for Native American representation.
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Photo courtesy: Austin Goode via Unsplash.