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History’s Mysteries LLC is a firm striving to preserve history throughout Northeast Iowa. Our expertise includes cemetery repair and research of real estate and cemeteries.

We are a Certified Land Title Professional through the Iowa Land Title Association and currently working on our certification through the Board for Certification of Genealogists. Applicants for BCG must demonstrate The Genealogical Proof Standard which can be seen here.

We are currently accepting new clients.

Iowa Chronology

Iowa Chronology

1673 – Iowa, first seen, Mississippi explored, taken by France.
1762 – Louisiana, including Iowa, ceded by France to Spain.
1788 – Julian Du Buque mined lead with Indians.
1799 – Jean Faribault traded with Indians near present state capital.
1800 – Louisiana ceded to France from Spain by secret treaty.
1803 – U. S. bought Louisiana from Napoleon, 15,000,000.

1804 – Indiana territory included what is now Iowa.
1805 – Pike explored the Mississippi; Lewis and Clark, the Missouri.
1805 – Louisiana territory organized, St. Louis, the capital.
1808 – Army post, Indian factory established at Fort Madison.
1812 – Iowa became part of Missouri territory, newly formed.
1816 – Fort Armstrong established on Rock Island.
1821 – Iowa left out when Missouri was admitted as state.
1830 – School opened in Lee County, the first Iowa settlement.
1834 – First Fort Des Moines established, Montrose, Lee county.
1834 – Iowa attached to Michigan territory; 2 counties formed.
1836 – Wisconsin territory formed; Burlington, the capital.
1836 – 1st newspaper, the Du Buque Visitor.
1838 – Iowa became a territory July 4; population 22,859.
1843 – Fort Des Moines II established at Raccoon forks.
1846 – Iowa the 49th state, Dec. 28; population 102,388.
1846 – Town of Fort Des Moines platted; 1856 became a city.
1854 – First locomotive into Iowa Davenport; railroad across Iowa, 1867.
1857 – Adopted new constitution – progress, freedom, home rule.
1866 – Railroad into Des Moines; stages, steamboats out.
1898 – Grand monument erected to Iowa’s soldiers, sailors.
1915 – Capitol grounds enlarged to 93 acres under Governor Clarke.
1950 – Iowa, population 2,621,073.
1960 – Iowa, population 2,757,537, a 5.2 percent increase; land area, 55,586 square miles; railroads, 8,697 miles; primary highways and primary highway extensions, 9,847 miles; interstate highways open to traffic, 247 miles; colleges, 51; schools, 4,059; daily and weekly newspapers, 450; radio stations, 74; television stations, 13; state parks and preserves, 91; natural lakes, 72; artificial lakes, 24; inland streams, 900 miles; boundary streams, 600 miles; industries in manufacturing plants, more than 3700.

“State of Iowa” visitors brochure, Published 1966 by THE STATE OF IOWA, Des Moines