Iowa City, Iowa

The Old Capitol dome is used as a letterhead for the University of Iowa.

John F. Rague is credited with designing the Territorial Capitol Building. He had previously designed the 1837 capitol of Illinois and was supervising its construction when he got the commission to design the new Iowa capitol in 1839. He quit the Iowa project after five months, claiming his design was not followed, but the resemblance to the Illinois capitol suggests he strongly influenced the final Iowa design. One surviving 1839 sketch of the proposed capital shows a radically different layout, with two domes and a central tower. The cornerstone of the Old Capitol Building was laid in Iowa City on July 4, 1840. Iowa City served as the third and last territorial capital of Iowa, and the last four territorial legislatures met at the Old Capitol Building until December 28, 1846, when Iowa was admitted into the United States as the 29th state of the union. Iowa City was declared the state capital of Iowa, and the government convened in the Old Capitol Building.[8]

Oakland Cemetery was deeded to "the people of Iowa City" by the Iowa territorial legislature on February 13, 1843. The original plot was one block square, with the southwest corner at Governor and Church. Over the years the cemetery has been expanded and now encompasses 40 acres (16 ha). Oakland Cemetery is a non-perpetual care city cemetery. This cemetery is supported by city taxes. The staff is strongly committed to the maintenance and preservation of privately owned lots and accessories. Since its establishment, the cemetery has become the final resting place of many men and women important in the history of Iowa, of Iowa City and the University of Iowa. These include Robert E. Lucas, first governor of the territory (1838–41); Samuel J. Kirkwood, governor during the Civil War (1860–64), again in 1876, a U.S. senator in 1877, and subsequently secretary of the interior and U.S. minister to Spain; well-known presidents of the university, Walter A. Jessup (1915–33) and Virgil M. Hancher (1940–64); Cordelia Swan, daughter of one of the three commissioners who selected the site for Iowa City and the new territorial capitol; and Irving B. Weber (1900–1997), noted Iowa City historian. It is also home to the legendary monument called the "Black Angel", which is an 8.5 foot (2.6 m) tall monument for the Feldevert family erected in 1912. The facts behind the Black Angel long ago gave way to myths, superstitions and legend surrounding its mysterious change in color from a golden bronze cast to an eerie black.[9]

Founded in 1847, today's University of Iowa offers more than 100 areas of study to 31,112 students. The university includes a medical school and one of the United States' largest university-owned teaching hospitals, providing patient care within 16 medical specialties. Iowa City is also the location of Mercy Hospital. The University of Iowa College of Law is located there.[10][11]

The spring of 1970 was a tumultuous time on college campuses. On April 30, President Richard Nixon announced that U.S. forces would invade Cambodia because of the recent communist coup. Students around the country protested this escalation of the Vietnam War. On May 4, the National Guard fired on students at Kent State University, killing four and wounding nine people, which ignited protests all over the country.[12]

Anti-war protests were not new to Iowa City or to elsewhere in Iowa; protests had been occurring throughout the 1960s. Spring of 1970 was different.[12]

After the Kent State shootings, students marched on the National Guard Armory, broke windows there as well as in some downtown businesses. The City Council gave the mayor curfew powers. On May 6, there was a student boycott of classes. That night, about 400 people had a "sleep-in" in front of the Old Capitol. That night also, about 50 people broke into the Old Capitol and set off a smoke bomb. The protesters left voluntarily when asked to do so. Around 2 am Friday morning, President Boyd requested arrest of the students on the Pentacrest by highway patrolmen, but the next day he regretted the mass arrests and said he had received faulty information. On May 8, President Boyd cancelled the 89th annual Governor's day ROTC observance for the following day. On Friday and Saturday a National Guard helicopter circled the Pentacrest.[12]

In the early morning hours of Saturday, May 9, the Old Armory Temporary (O.A.T.), also known as "Big Pink", which housed the writing lab, was burned down. This building was located next to the Old Armory, where the Adler Journalism and Mass Communications building currently is located. O.A.T was said to be at the top of a list of buildings for burning, probably due to its poor condition and was considered a firetrap.[12]

The Iowa Alumni Review includes an article about the fire in which the author states: "Only the ends stayed upright. ... On the south, Lou Kelly's Writing lab bearing the sign 'another mother for peace,' escaped." There was a second, smaller fire on Saturday evening in a restroom in the East Hall Annex.[12]

By Sunday morning, President Boyd gave students the option to leave. Classes were not cancelled but students could leave and take the grade they currently had. An account of the May 1970 protests can be read in the June–July issue of the Iowa Alumni Review.[12]

In his autobiography, My Iowa Journey: The Life Story of the University of Iowa's First African American Professor, Philip Hubbard (University Vice-Provost in 1970) gives an administrator's perspective of all the protests of the 1960s. He supported the students' right to protest and in 1966 stated: "Students should not accept everything that is dished out to them. We don't want to dictate what they should or should not do. However, student demonstrations should remain within the law and good taste without interfering with the university's primary purpose of instructing students."[12]

During this time, there was also a strong ROTC presence on campus. Their presence on campus and the academic credit they received for their service was called into question by both students and faculty in the spring of 1970, but Boyd said he could not abolish ROTC. The Alumni Review had an article called "ROTC: Alive and well at Iowa" in the December 1969 issue which helps provide a more complete picture of this period in history.[12]

On the evening of April 13, 2006, a confirmed EF2 tornado struck Iowa City, causing severe property damage and displacing many from their homes, including many University of Iowa students. It was the first tornado ever recorded to hit the city directly. No serious injuries were reported in the Iowa City area.

Several businesses along Riverside Drive and Iowa Highway 1 were destroyed. The 134-year-old Saint Patrick's Catholic Church was heavily damaged only minutes after Holy Thursday Mass, with most of its roof destroyed. The building was ruled a total loss and has since been demolished. The downtown business district as well as the eastern residential area and several parks suffered scattered damage of varying degrees.

Additionally, several houses in the sorority row area were destroyed. The Alpha Chi Omega house was nearly destroyed, though no one was injured. The building was later razed. Cleanup efforts were under way almost immediately as local law enforcement, volunteer workers from all over the state, and Iowa City residents and college students worked together to restore the city. The total cost of damage was estimated at $12 million–$4 million of which was attributed to Iowa City and Johnson County property.[13]

The University of Iowa Museum of Art on North Riverside Drive during the height of the flood

A local newspaper reported on June 11, 2008, that water exceeded the emergency spillway at the Coralville Reservoir outside of Iowa City.[14] As a result, the City of Iowa City and the University of Iowa were seriously affected by unprecedented flooding of the Iowa River, which caused widespread property damage and forced evacuations in large sections of the city.[15] By Friday, June 13, 2008, the Iowa River had risen to a record level of 30.46 feet (9.28 m) (5:00 pm CST) with a crest of approximately 33 feet (10 m) predicted for Wednesday, June 18, 2008. Much of the city's 500-year floodplain saw mild to catastrophic effects of the rapidly flowing, polluted water. Officials at the University of Iowa reported that up to 19 buildings were affected by rising waters. Extensive efforts to move materials from the university's main library were undertaken as large groups of sandbagging volunteers began to construct a massive levee near the building. Approximately $300 million worth of art, including work by Picasso, owned by the university was secretly moved to a holding place in the Chicago area before the fine arts area was heavily hit with flood water.

On Friday, June 13, university employees were encouraged to stay home, and travel was strongly discouraged in Iowa City; one city statement advised, "If you live in east Iowa City, stay in east Iowa City; if you live in west Iowa City, stay in west Iowa City." The Burlington St. bridge was the only bridge that remained open, other than the I-80 bridge on the edge of town, to connect the east and west sides of the Iowa River. On Saturday, June 14, officials at the University of Iowa began to power down the university's primary power generating plant along the Iowa River to prevent structural damage. Backup units continued to provide necessary power and steam services for essential University services, including the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Water began touching the bottom of the Park St. bridge forcing the Army Corps of Engineers to drill several holes in the bridge to allow air trapped underneath to escape. Also on Saturday, Mayor Regenia Bailey issued a curfew restricting anyone except those authorized by law enforcement from being within 100 yards (91 m) of any area affected by the flood between 8:30 pm and 6 am.

On October 4, 2019, a Friday climate school strike with Greta Thunberg was held in Iowa City, where school youths protested against coal power.[16]

As of the census[22] of 2010, there were 67,862 people, 27,657 households, and 11,743 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,713.4 inhabitants per square mile (1,047.6/km²). There were 29,270 housing units at an average density of 1,170.3 per square mile (451.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 82.5% White, 5.8% African American, 0.2% Native American, 6.9% Asian, 2.1% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 5.3% of the population.

There were 27,657 households, of which 19.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.5% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 57.5% were non-families. 34.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.88.

The median age in the city was 25.6 years. 14.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 33.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.7% were from 25 to 44; 17.8% were from 45 to 64; and 8.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.7% male and 50.3% female.

As of the census[23] of 2000, there were 62,220 people, 25,202 households, and 11,189 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,575.0 inhabitants per square mile (994.2/km²). There were 26,083 housing units at an average density of 1,079.4 per square mile (416.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 87.33% White, 3.75% African American, 0.31% American Indian, 5.64% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.25% from other races, and 1.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.95% of the population.

There were 25,202 households, out of which 21.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.2% were married couples living together, 2% were households with same-sex couples (2000 U.S. Census), 3.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 55.6% were non-families. 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.90.

Age spread: 16.2% under the age of 18, 32.8% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 15.9% from 45 to 64, and 7.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,977, and the median income for a family was $57,568. Males had a median income of $35,435 versus $28,981 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,269. About 2.7% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.2% of those under age 18 and 3.0% of those age 65 or over.

The football team of the University of Iowa (the Hawkeyes) play their rival, the University of Wisconsin–Madison Badgers, at Kinnick Stadium in November 2013.

The Iowa City Metropolitan Statistical Area consists of Johnson and Washington counties in Iowa; Washington County was added to the MSA after the 2000 census. It had a 2000 census population of 131,676, and a 2010 population of 152,586.

Iowa City is contiguous with Coralville to the northwest. University Heights is completely contained within the boundaries of Iowa City, near Kinnick Stadium. Tiffin, North Liberty, Solon, and Hills are other towns within a few miles.

The Iowa City MSA and the nearby Cedar Rapids MSA are collectively a Combined Statistical Area (CSA). This CSA along with two additional counties are known as the Iowa City-Cedar Rapids (ICR) Corridor and collectively have a population of over 450,000.[24]

According to Iowa City's 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[28] the top employers in the city are:

Iowa City has a variety of cultural events. It has a strong literary history and is the home of the Iowa Writers' Workshop, whose graduates include John Irving, Flannery O'Connor, T.C. Boyle, and many other prominent U.S. authors; the nation's leading Non-Fiction Writing Program; the Iowa Playwrights' Workshop; the Iowa Summer Writing Festival; and the International Writing Program, a unique residency program that has hosted writers from more than 120 countries.

Iowa City also sponsors a variety of events in the Summer of the Arts program. These include a nationally renowned Iowa City Jazz Festival, Iowa Arts Festival, open-air summer movies series called Saturday Night Free Movie Series and free concerts every Friday night in the pedestrian mall called the Friday Night Concert Series (Ped Mall).[30]

The Iowa City Book Festival began as an annual summer event in 2009 sponsored by the University of Iowa Libraries and in 2013 it was moved to October when management was handed off to the Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature.[31] It features readings from prominent authors and literature themed events.

The Iowa Biennial Exhibition [TIBE] began in 2004 as an international survey of contemporary miniature printmaking held its initial exhibition at the University of Iowa. The 2006 exhibition, received a 2007 "ICKY" award nomination in Visual Arts Programming from the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance for its exhibition at the University of Iowa's Project Art Gallery.[32]

Downtown Iowa City arts venues include the historic Englert Theatre, a live music and performing arts center; Riverside Theatre, a professional theatre company with an annual season that includes an outdoor Shakespeare festival; and FilmScene, a non-profit film organization and art house movie theater with two locations and five screens plus a seasonal outdoor cinema.

The Englert Theatre produces Mission Creek Festival each spring, focusing on community events, performance and literary programming featuring over 100 writers each year. Witching Hour takes place each fall and focuses on exploring the unknown, discussing the creative process and presenting new work.

Black Angel, Oakland Cemetery

The Johnson County Courthouse

• Hancher Auditorium often hosts nationally touring theater, dance and musical shows, and has commissioned more than 100 works of music, theater and dance during the last 20 years. This facility was badly damaged during the Iowa flood of 2008 and the facility has been rebuilt farther uphill, away from the Iowa River and reopened in Fall of 2016.
• Hamburg Inn No. 2 is a favorite campaign stop for political candidates. It was featured in a 2005 episode of the political drama The West Wing. It has also been a favored campaign stop for many U.S. Presidents, including Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan.[33] It was featured in The New York Times for its widely renowned "pie shakes".[34]
• Oakland Cemetery contains graves of notable locals as well as the "Black Angel" statue.
• Plum Grove Historic House was the residence of Robert Lucas, the first territorial governor of Iowa, and the novelist Eleanor Hoyt Brainerd.
• Moffitt cottages, built in a unique vernacular architectural style, are scattered around eastern Iowa City. "These mystical dwellings look as if Germanic elves constructed houses for Irish pixies," is how one writer described them.[35]
• Prospect Hill
• Ned Ashton House, built as a private residence by Iowa bridge engineer Ned Ashton in 1947, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. Today, it is a popular venue that can accommodate up to 100 people for meetings, reunions, parties, weddings and receptions along the banks of the Iowa River.

City Plaza (commonly called the Pedestrian Mall or simply Ped Mall) serves as a gathering place for students and locals and draws large crowds for its summertime events such as the Friday Night Concert Series and the annual Iowa City Jazz Festival and Iowa City Arts Festival. The Ped Mall area contains restaurants, bars, retail, hotels, and the Iowa City Public Library. It is known for its appeal to various local artists and musicians, and its wild bar scene. The Coldren Opera House was located on the street which has now become the mall.

An Iowa City Transit bus in the snow

Iowa City Transit, Coralville Transit, and the University of Iowa's Cambus system provide public transportation.[53]

Commuter bus service to Cedar Rapids is provided by the 380 Express.

Intercity bus transit is served at either the Court Street Transportation Center in Iowa City or the Coralville Transit Intermodal Facility in Coralville.

There is a system of paved bicycle paths, especially along the Iowa River.

Some of the main roads also have designated bike lanes or sharrows, such as Jefferson street, Market street, First avenue, Mccollister Blvd and Dodge street. As of 2017, both Iowa City and the University of Iowa have been awarded 'silver' status as a bicycle friendly community and university, respectively, by the League of American Bicyclists.[54][55]