Times-Republican • America’s 250th • July 3rd, 2026
Table of Contents:
Publication of Page 4.................. Introduction Pages 6-7.............. Declaration of Independence THE Pages 8-9.............. Fort Dodge Military Post Page 11................ The Bill of Rights Pages 12-13.......... Presidents The Page 14................ Lincoln: Gettysburg address Page 15................ FDR: A date which will live in infamy Page 16................ JFK: Inaugural address Page 17................ MLK: I Have a Dream Pages 18-29.......... America: Year by year Pages 32-35.......... An A to Z of American History Pages 36-37.......... 50 Fast Facts Pages 38-41.......... 100 places that tell America’s story Page 42-43........... Important people in the history of America Pages 44-45.......... Coal, gypsum were key to growth in Fort Dodge Page 46-47........... Railroads brought commerce and connected people Page 48................ Marshalltown’s founder Henry Anson Page 49................ Marshall County soldiers fought for the Union Page 54-55........... 1869: The year that put Webster City on the map Page 56................ Dragoon Trail Page 57................ Early Leadership in Hamilton County Page 58................ School bells rang early in Fort Dodge
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Introduction On July 4, 2026, the United States will mark a monumental milestone: 250 years of American Independence. Two and a half centuries ago, the signing of the Declaration of Independence set in motion the greatest and most unique political journey in human history. America’s founding was unlike any other in history; our nation was established not on shared ancestry or geography, but on shared principles. As we commemorate this 250th anniversary, we celebrate the enduring ideas that all people are created equal and that government exists to protect fundamental liberties. Though our journey has included trials and imperfections, these ideals have remained a steady guide, calling each generation to rise higher and live out the promise of liberty. This publication, compiled by local Iowa journalists, details our national journey and also looks at the unique contributions of our local communities. From our earliest origins to our modern towns and villages, local governance and civic pride remain the true cornerstone of the American promise.
Happy birthday America!
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Declaration of Independence JULY 4, 1776
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Forms of our Governments: For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to SIGNERS OF THE DECLARATION legislate for us in all cases whatsoever. He has abdicated Government here, by declaring OF INDEPENDENCE us out of his Protection and waging War against us. He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, John Adams Thomas Lynch Jr. burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our Samuel Adams Thomas McKean people. He is at this time transporting large Armies Josiah Bartlett Arthur Middleton of foreign Mercenaries to complete the works Carter Braxton Lewis Morris of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun Charles Carroll Robert Morris with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally Samuel Chase John Morton unworthy the Head of a civilized nation. Abraham Clark Thomas Nelson Jr. He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken George Clymer William Paca Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends William Ellery Robert Treat Paine and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands. William Floyd John Penn He has excited domestic insurrections amongst Benjamin Franklin George Read us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, Elbridge Gerry Caesar Rodney whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished Button Gwinnett George Ross destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions. Lyman Hall Benjamin Rush In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: John Hancock Edward Rutledge Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by Benjamin Harrison Roger Sherman repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is John Hart James Smith unfit to be the ruler of a free people. Joseph Hewes Richard Stockton Nor have We been wanting in attentions to Thomas Heyward Jr. Thomas Stone our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to William Hooper George Taylor extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. Stephen Hopkins Matthew Thornton We have reminded them of the circumstances Francis Hopkinson George Walton This imageand provided by the National Archives of our emigration settlement here. We have shows the justice 19th century engraving appealed to their native and magnanimity, Samuel Huntington William Whipple "Drafting Declaration and we havethe conjured them of byIndependence the ties of ourin 1776, 1859" Thomas Jefferson William Williams by Alonzo Chappel which depicts the the committee chosen common kindred to disavow theseofusurpations, Francis Lightfoot Lee James Wilson to draft a declaration of independence. Theconnections five members are, from left, which, would inevitably interrupt our Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and correspondence. They too haveJohn beenAdams, deaf Philip Livingston Richard Henry Lee John Witherspoon of consanguinity. the nation’s founding fathers -toand the Roger voice Sherman. of justice One and of We Francis Lewis Oliver Wolcott but never president -Franklin was born to a soapmaker must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which Philip Livingston George Wythe and earned wealth as and printer, denounces ourhis Separation, holdpublisher them, as and we inventor. (Alonzo Chappel/National AP) hold the rest of mankind, Enemies inArchives War, in via Peace Friends. He has made Judges dependent on his Will We, therefore, the Representatives of the alone,America's for the250th tenure of their offices, and the amount Anniversary 1776-2026 4, 2026 7 united States of America, in GeneralJuly Congress, and payment of their salaries. He has erected a Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of
Fort Dodge Military Post When the American Revolution began, Fort Dodge did not exist. In fact, Iowa did not exist. All of the land that is the state today was occupied by Native Americans and was owned by Spain in 1776. France acquired all the Spanish -owned lands in 1800.
-Submitted image William Williams was the sutler, a civilian merchant who sold various items to the troops at the original Fort Dodge. When the troops left, he and his son James stayed behind. Williams made this drawing of the original fort.
In early 1803, President Thomas Jefferson had two American representatives approach the government of France about acquiring the port of New Orleans. French leader Napoleon Bonaparte, dealing with more pressing problems all around the world, decided he did not want to be burdened with a lot of real estate in North America. His representatives offered the Americans much more than New Orleans. The result of those negotiations was the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, which effectively doubled the size of the United
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States. The United States paid France $15 million and received 828,000 square miles, including the land that is now Iowa. Iowa was officially opened for settlement in 1833, and became a state in 1846. Settlers moved into the general region of today’s Fort Dodge in the 1840s. There were multiple conflicts with Native Americans, and the settlers appealed to the federal government for protection. The Army responded to those complaints by establishing a fort on the east bank of
the Des Moines River, about a quarter of a mile south of where Lizard Creek empties into the river. Today, that location is the northwestern end of downtown Fort Dodge. A document provided by the late Al Nelson, a Fort Dodge historian, provides an early account of how and why the fort was established.
The document’s author wrote: “Situated on the Des Moines River near the junction of the Lizard Forks in what is now Webster County, Iowa.
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“Established Aug. 2, 1850, by Co. E, 6th U.S. Infantry, Capt. Samuel Woods commanding two officers, 66 enlisted men and named Fort Clark in honor of Brevet Brig. Gen. Newman S. Clark, colonel, 6th Infantry then commanding 6th Military Department. Its establishment was in accordance with a petition of the citizens of Boone County, Iowa, to Congress for military protection against incursions of the Sioux and pursuant to Orders 22, 6th Military Department, 14 July 1850.” The post’s name was changed to Fort Dodge in 1851 in honor of the Dodge family, which was a pioneering family in Wisconsin and Iowa. The fort was located in what is now the 300 and 400 blocks of First Avenue North, and extended south from there to the current City Square. And it was never an enclosed stockade. It was a couple rows of wooden buildings, many of which stood on the property of what is now the Human Services Building at 330 First Ave. N. While the buildings were clustered near today’s downtown, the fort included a military reservation that extended four miles to the north and south and two miles on
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either side of the Des Moines River. Settlers were barred from that area.
Of that time after the troops departed, Williams wrote:
A steam-powered saw mill was set up to cut the wood needed for the fort buildings.
“After the garrison left, I and my son lived at Fort Dodge, excluded, it may be said, from the world, never having at any time more than two or three discharged soldiers with us. We lived on boiled rice, slap jacks and molasses, fish and wild fowl.”
The soldiers went out on regular patrols, but there were no battles. Because the area was quiet and soldiers were needed elsewhere, the fort was shut down on June 1, 1853. The document explaining the early history of the fort provides this account: “The post was abandoned 1 June 1853 pursuant to Orders No. 9 6th Military Department when the garrison marched to the establishment of the new position in Minnesota, Ridgeley. All movable property taken to the neighboring posts and the remainder was sold.” Among the soldiers from the beginning was William Williams, a native of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, who had been a banker there. His role at the fort was as the sutler, a civilian merchant who sold various items to the troops. He and his son remained in Fort Dodge after the troops left.
With the fort deactivated, many land speculators were waiting for the federal government to put the property on the market. But Williams knew that the property belonged to the state of Iowa because of a federal action taken in 1846. He bought the property from the state of Iowa. “I obtained judgement for possession and was placed in possession by an officer of the law and commenced to lay out the original plat of Fort Dodge in March 1854,” Williams wrote. Thus, Williams was the founder and, later, first mayor of Fort Dodge.
He wrote about his experiences, and his manuscript was finally published in 1950.
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Bill Shea bshea@messengernews.net
July 4, 2026
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The Bill of Rights AMENDMENT I Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. AMENDMENT II A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. AMENDMENT III No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law. AMENDMENT IV The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. AMENDMENT V No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation. America's 250th Anniversary
AMENDMENT VI In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence. AMENDMENT VII In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law. AMENDMENT VIII Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. AMENDMENT IX The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. AMENDMENT X The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. 1776-2026
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OF PRESIDENTS STATES PRESIDENTSTHE of theUNITED UNITED STATES
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GEORGE WASHINGTON
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JOHN ADAMS
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THOMAS JEFFERSON
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JAMES MADISON
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JAMES MONROE
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JOHN Q. ADAMS
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ANDREW JACKSON
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MARTIN VAN BUREN
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WILLIAM H. HARRISON
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JOHN TYLER
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JAMES K. POLK
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ZACHARY TAYLOR
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MILLARD FILLMORE
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RUTHERFORD HAYES
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FRANKLIN PIERCE
JAMES GARFIELD
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JAMES BUCHANAN
CHESTER ARTHUR
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ABRAHAM LINCOLN
GROVER CLEVELAND
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ANDREW JOHNSON
BENJAMIN HARRISON
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ULYSSES S. GRANT
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PRESIDENTS of the UNITED STATES
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RUTHERFORD HAYES
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WILLIAM McKINLEY
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HERBERT HOOVER
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RICHARD NIXON
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JAMES GARFIELD
THEODORE ROOSEVELT
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT
GERALD FORD
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CHESTER ARTHUR
WILLIAM H. TAFT
HARRY S. TRUMAN
JIMMY CARTER
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GROVER CLEVELAND
WOODROW WILSON
DWIGHT EISENHOWER
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RONALD REAGAN
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BENJAMIN HARRISON
WARREN HARDING
JOHN F. KENNEDY
GEORGE H.W. BUSH
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GROVER CLEVELAND
CALVIN COOLIDGE
LYNDON JOHNSON
BILL CLINTON
AMERICA
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GEORGE W. BUSH
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BARACK OBAMA
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DONALD TRUMP
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JOE BIDEN
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DONALD TRUMP
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Famous Speeches
Gettysburg Address
Gettysburg Address Gettysburg Address AMERICA
President Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Nov. 19, 1862
PRESIDENT Four score and ABRAHAM seven yearsLINCOLN ago our fathers brought forth, on this at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to Nov. 19, 1862 the proposition that allago men created equal. Four score and seven years ourare fathers
PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN brought forth, this continent, new nation, aton Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Now we are engaged in aa great civil war, testing whether that conceived in Liberty, and19, dedicated Nov. 1862 to the nation, or nation soago conceived and so dedicated, can long proposition thatany all seven men are created equal. Four score and years our fathers Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have brought forth, on this continent, a new nation, whether that nation, or any nation so conceived conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place and so dedicated, canmen long endure. We are met on proposition that all are created equal. those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It a for great battle-field of that war. We have to Now we are engaged in a great civil come war, testing dedicate athat portion of that field, as aso final resting is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. whether nation, or any nation conceived place fordedicated, those whocan here gave their lives that that and so long endure. We are met on nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper a great battle-field of that war. We have come to that we should do this. dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting But, in those a larger sense, cantheir not lives dedicate— 14for place who herewe gave that1776-2026 that we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate— we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never ground. living and dead, who to be forget what they did here.The It isbrave for men, us the living, rather, struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought poor power to add or detract. The world will little here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is living rather us who tobut beit here note, nor longbrave remember what we say here, ground. The men, andfor dead, can never forget what they did here. It is for us the dedicated to the great task remaining before us— that from these struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished poor power to add or detract. The world will little honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which work they who fought here thus far note, which nor long remember what wehave say here, but it they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here can never forget what they did here. It is for us the to the task in remaining us— resolve that these deaddedicated shall rather, not have vain—that this living, togreat be died dedicated here to before the unfinished that from these honored dead we increased work which they who fought heretake have thus farthat nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and devotion to that cause for which they gave the last so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here government of the people, by theofpeople, for the shall full measure wepeople, herebefore highly dedicated to thedevotion—that great task remaining us— resolve thatthese thesehonored dead shall in not perish from the earth. that from deadnot wehave takedied increased
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vain—that God,they shallgave havethe a last devotion tothis thatnation, cause under for which new birth of freedom—and that government of full measure of devotion—that we here highly the people, the people, for not the have people, shall America's 250th Anniversary July 4, 2026 resolve thatbythese dead shall died in not perish from the earth. vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a
Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States December 8, 1941
A date which A date which will live in infamy will live inAMERICA infamy PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT Dec. 8, 1941
Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, Members of the Senate, and of the House of Representatives: Yesterday, Dec. 7, 1941 – a date which will live in infamy – the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government and its emperor America's 250th looking toward theAnniversary maintenance of peace in the Pacific.
The day after a surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered the speech in front of a joint session of Congress that would lead to the launch of America’s entry into the second world war and which Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending the Pacific area. would end with the United States beingthroughout the preeminent The factsin of the yesterday and today speak for industrial and military power world. The speech themselves. The people of the United States have began with one of the most lines in U.S. history: alreadyfamous formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and “Yesterday, December 7, 1941, a date which will livesafety in of our nation. infamy, the United States As was suddenly and deliberately Commander in Chief of the Army and attacked by naval and air forces ofdirected the Empire of Japan”. Navy, I have that all measures be taken 1776-2026
for our defense. But always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome July 4,invasion, 2026 this premeditated the American people in 15 their righteous might will win through to absolute
Ask not Ask not ...
John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States January 20, 1961
what your country AMERICA can do for you, but what you can do for your country ...
PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY Washington, D.C. Jan. 20, 1961 Vice President Johnson, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chief Justice, President Eisenhower, Vice President Nixon, President Truman, Reverend Clergy, fellow citizens: We observe today not a victory of party but a celebration of freedom – symbolizing an end as well as a beginning – signifying renewal as well as change. For I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forebears prescribed nearly a century and three-quarters ago. The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe – the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God. We 16 dare not forget today that we are the heirs 1776-2026 of that first revolution. Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that
In his Inaugural address, President Kennedy, the youngest man ever elected President, marked the dawn of a new all nations. generation of leadership, Let urging citizens prioritize publicof both sides seek to to invoke the wonders instead of its“Ask terrors. Together service culminating in science the iconic line: not what let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, your country can do for you – ask what you can do for tap the ocean depths and encourage the arts and your country.” Kennedy established the Peace Corps by commerce. Let both sides unite to heed all corners of the signing an executive order on March 1, 1961. Itsinmission earth the command of Isaiah – to “undo was to train volunteers to assist with health, education,the heavy burdens . . . (and) let the oppressed go free.” and agricultural projects, And while promoting if asimultaneously beachhead of cooperation may push back the jungle of suspicion, let both sides join global peace and mutual understanding.
in creating a new endeavor, not a new balance of power, but a new world of law, where the strong are just and the weak secure and the peace preserved. All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days, nor in the life of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on progress – to assist free men and free governments this planet. But let us begin. in casting off the chains of poverty. But this In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than peaceful revolution of hope cannot become the mine, will rest the final success July or failure America's 250th Anniversary 4, 2026of our prey of hostile powers. Let all our neighbors know course. Since this country was founded, each that we shall join with them to oppose aggression generation of Americans has been summoned to
I Have a Dream ...
Martin Luther King Jr., Baptist minister and civil rights leader - August 28, 1963 King’s speech at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. was a defining call for racial equality. It urged America to fulfill its foundational promises of justice and freedom for all Black citizens. King, a mesmerizing speaker improvised one of the most iconic lines in American history; “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” King’s speeches and actions pressured the federal government to pass three landmark pieces of legislation; the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968. America's 250th Anniversary
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial is a national memorial located in West Potomac Park next to the National Mall in Washington, D.C., United States. 1776-2026
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AMERICA — Year-by-Year
1791
This is the scene as about 6,000 persons gathered before the Sub-Treasury building in New York City, Sept. 25, 1941, for the opening of the threemonth celebration marking the 150th anniversary of the ratification of the Bill of Rights. (AP Photo/Carl Nesensohn) 1777 The Continental Army endured Valley Forge and American forces won at Saratoga, a turning point that helped persuade France to back the Revolution. 1778 The Treaty of Alliance with France brought the United States its most important foreign partner in the Revolutionary War. 1779 John Paul Jones won fame aboard the Bonhomme Richard, answering surrender demands with defiance during a dramatic naval battle. 1780 The treason of Benedict Arnold shocked the Patriot cause and made his name a lasting synonym for betrayal. 1781 British General Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown, effectively ending major fighting in the American Revolution. 1782 Preliminary peace articles between the United States and Great Britain recognized American independence in principle. 1783 The Treaty of Paris formally ended the Revolutionary War and recognized the United States as an independent nation. 1784 The Confederation Congress ratified the Treaty of Paris, completing the legal end of the war for independence. 1785 Congress adopted the Land Ordinance of 1785, establishing a system for surveying and selling western lands. 1786 Shays’ Rebellion exposed weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation and helped build momentum for a stronger national government.
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1787 Delegates met in Philadelphia and wrote the United States Constitution, creating the framework still used today. 1788 New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, putting the new federal government into effect. 1789 George Washington took the oath of office as the first president of the United States in New York City. 1790 The first federal census counted nearly 4 million people in the young United States. 1791 The Bill of Rights was ratified, adding the first 10 amendments to the Constitution. 1792 The Coinage Act created the U.S. Mint and established the dollar as the nation’s standard unit of money. 1793 Eli Whitney’s cotton gin was introduced, transforming agriculture and deepening the nation’s dependence on enslaved labor. 1794 The Whiskey Rebellion tested federal authority under President Washington and ended when militia forces marched into western Pennsylvania. 1795 The Treaty of Greenville opened much of present-day Ohio to American settlement after conflict in the Northwest Territory. 1796 George Washington’s Farewell Address warned against permanent foreign alliances and bitter partisan division. 1797 John Adams became the second president, marking the first peaceful transfer of executive power under the Constitution.
1798 The Alien and Sedition Acts ignited a national debate over civil liberties, immigration and federal power. 1799 George Washington died at Mount Vernon, prompting nationwide mourning for the Revolutionary War leader and first president. 1800 The election of 1800 produced the first peaceful transfer of power between rival political parties in American history. 1801 Thomas Jefferson was inaugurated and called for unity after one of the nation’s most divisive early elections. 1802 Congress passed the Enabling Act of 1802, beginning the process that led to Ohio becoming the first state formed from the Northwest Territory. 1803 The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United States and opened vast western lands to American expansion. 1804 The Lewis and Clark Expedition set out to explore the newly acquired Louisiana Territory and the route to the Pacific. 1805 Lewis and Clark reached the Pacific Ocean, completing one of the most famous exploratory journeys in U.S. history.
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1805 This message from the National Archives from President Thomas Jefferson describes Lewis and Clark’s discoveries during their expedition. July 4, 2026
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1815 Andrew Jackson’s victory at the Battle of New Orleans became a legendary American triumph, though the peace treaty had already been signed. 1816 Indiana entered the Union as the 19th state. 1817 Construction began on the Erie Canal, a project that would transform transportation and commerce in the young republic. 1818 Illinois became the 21st state, expanding the Union deeper into the Old Northwest.
1812
Ships battle during the War of 1812 (AP)
1819 The Supreme Court’s McCulloch v. Maryland decision strengthened federal power and protected the national bank from state interference. 1806 Zebulon Pike began an expedition that helped map parts of the West and later gave his name to Pikes Peak. 1807 Congress passed a law ending the legal importation of enslaved people into the United States effective in 1808.
1821 Missouri entered the Union as the 24th state.
1808 The federal ban on importing enslaved people took effect, though slavery itself continued in much of the country.
1822 Authorities in Charleston claimed to uncover a slave revolt plot allegedly led by Denmark Vesey, intensifying Southern fears of rebellion.
1809 James Madison became president as tensions with Great Britain continued to rise.
1823 President James Monroe announced the Monroe Doctrine, warning European powers against new colonization in the Americas.
1810 The United States continued expanding into the Mississippi Valley as tensions grew over Spanish control of nearby territories. 1811 William Henry Harrison’s forces fought Tecumseh’s confederacy at the Battle of Tippecanoe in Indiana Territory. 1812 The United States declared war on Great Britain, beginning the War of 1812. 1813 Oliver Hazard Perry won the Battle of Lake Erie, giving the United States control of the lake during the War of 1812. 1814 British troops burned public buildings in Washington, D.C., while defenders at Fort McHenry inspired the future national anthem.
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1820 The Missouri Compromise admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, temporarily balancing sectional tensions.
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1824 The presidential election ended without an Electoral College majority and was decided by the House of Representatives. 1825 The Erie Canal opened, linking the Great Lakes with the Hudson River and helping make New York a commercial powerhouse. 1826 John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on July 4, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. 1827 New York abolished slavery within the state, a major step in Northern emancipation before the Civil War. 1828 Andrew Jackson won the presidency in an election that signaled the rise of mass democracy and modern campaigning.
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1847 This print from the Library of Congress shows a scene from the Battle of Monterrey, led by General Zachary Taylor and General William J. Worth, during the Mexican-American War.
1829 David Walker published his Appeal, one of the era’s most forceful antislavery writings.
1836 Texas won independence from Mexico after the battles of the Alamo and San Jacinto.
1843 The Oregon Trail carried thousands of settlers westward in what became known as the Great Migration of 1843.
1830 Congress passed the Indian Removal Act, leading to forced removals of Native peoples from their homelands.
1837 Michigan became the 26th state, and the Panic of 1837 triggered a severe economic depression.
1844 Samuel Morse sent the famous telegraph message ‘What hath God wrought’ from Washington to Baltimore.
1831 Nat Turner’s rebellion in Virginia became one of the most significant uprisings by enslaved people in American history.
1838 The forced removal of the Cherokee on the Trail of Tears became one of the darkest episodes in American history.
1845 Texas was annexed by the United States, intensifying tensions with Mexico and the debate over slavery.
1832 South Carolina’s nullification crisis challenged federal authority over tariffs and foreshadowed later sectional conflict.
1839 The Amistad case began after Africans aboard a Spanish schooner seized control of the ship, leading to a landmark freedom case.
1846 The United States went to war with Mexico, and Iowa entered the Union as the 29th state.
1833 The Compromise Tariff of 1833 helped defuse the nullification crisis between South Carolina and the federal government.
1840 William Henry Harrison’s log-cabin campaign helped usher in a new age of popular presidential politics.
1834 The Whig Party began to emerge as a national opposition movement to Andrew Jackson’s Democrats.
1841 William Henry Harrison died after only a month in office, making John Tyler the first vice president to become president by succession.
1835 The Second Seminole War began in Florida, becoming one of the longest and costliest Indian wars in U.S. history.
1842 The Webster-Ashburton Treaty settled boundary disputes between the United States and British North America.
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1847 American forces captured Mexico City during the Mexican-American War. 1848 The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the Mexican-American War and added vast western territories to the United States. 1849 The California Gold Rush drew thousands of fortune seekers west and accelerated California’s path to statehood.
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In this March 4, 1861 file photo made from a painting, Abraham Lincoln takes the oath of office as the 16th president of the United States administered by Chief Justice Roger B. Taney in front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. (AP Photo)
1850 The Compromise of 1850 admitted California as a free state and toughened the fugitive slave law. 1851 Abolitionist Sojourner Truth delivered her famous “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech in Ohio, becoming one of the most influential voices for both racial equality and women’s rights. 1852 Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin became a publishing sensation and sharpened national debate over slavery. 1853 The Gadsden Purchase added land in present-day Arizona and New Mexico for a southern railroad route.
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1854 The Kansas-Nebraska Act reopened the slavery question in the territories and helped lead to the creation of the Republican Party. 1855 Bleeding Kansas violence escalated as proslavery and antislavery settlers fought over the territory’s future. 1856 Preston Brooks caned Senator Charles Sumner on the Senate floor, symbolizing the collapse of civility over slavery. 1857 The Supreme Court’s Dred Scott decision denied citizenship to Black Americans and inflamed sectional tensions. 1858 The Lincoln-Douglas debates made Abraham Lincoln a national figure in the struggle over slavery’s expansion.
America's 250th Anniversary
1859 John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry intensified fears and hopes surrounding the coming conflict over slavery. 1860 Abraham Lincoln was elected president, prompting the first Southern states to move toward secession. 1861 The Civil War began with the firing on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor. 1862 The Homestead Act opened western land to settlers, while the Battle of Antietam led to the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. 1863 Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, West Virginia became a state, and the Battle of Gettysburg marked a turning point.
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1864 Lincoln won re-election as Union armies pressed toward victory in the Civil War. 1865 The Civil War ended, the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery, and Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. 1866 Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1866, asserting citizenship rights for formerly enslaved people. 1867 The United States purchased Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million.
1868 The Fourteenth Amendment guaranteed birthright citizenship and equal protection under the law. 1869 The first transcontinental railroad was completed at Promontory Summit, Utah. 1870 The Fifteenth Amendment prohibited denying voting rights based on race, color or previous condition of servitude. 1871 The Ku Klux Klan Act strengthened federal efforts to combat racial violence during Reconstruction. 1872 Yellowstone National Park was established, beginning America’s national park idea. 1873 The Panic of 1873 triggered a long economic depression and deepened political unrest during Reconstruction. 1874 The Woman’s Christian Temperance Union was founded, becoming a powerful force in social reform and Prohibition politics.
1875 The Civil Rights Act of 1875 sought to protect equal access to public accommodations, though it was later struck down. 1876 The United States celebrated its Centennial while the disputed HayesTilden election exposed deep postwar divisions. 1877 Federal troops withdrew from the South, effectively ending Reconstruction. 1878 The Bland-Allison Act revived limited silver coinage amid national debate over money and debt. 1879 Thomas Edison demonstrated a practical incandescent electric light, helping launch the electric age. 1880 James A. Garfield won the presidency in an election that reflected the power of post-Civil War party loyalties. 1881 President Garfield was assassinated, and Chester A. Arthur became president. 1882 The Chinese Exclusion Act became the first major federal law to bar immigration based on nationality.
1877 This photo shows Main Street in Richmond, Va. in 1865. The city is undergoing reconstruction from the fires set in April 1865 during the city's evacuation just before the Confederate surrender at the end of the American Civil War. The spire of Second Baptist Church can be seen in the background. (AP Photo) America's 250th Anniversary
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1904 A steam shovel used for excavating and loading French dirt cars is shown in Culebra Cut, Culebra, in the Panama Canal Zone in 1904. (AP Photo) 1893 The World’s Columbian Exposition opened in Chicago, showcasing American industry, architecture and ambition. 1894 The Pullman Strike became a national labor crisis and brought federal troops into a conflict between workers and railroads. 1895 Booker T. Washington delivered the Atlanta Exposition address, shaping debate over Black advancement after Reconstruction.
1883 The Pendleton Civil Service Act began replacing patronage with merit-based federal employment.
1888 Benjamin Harrison won the presidency despite losing the popular vote to Grover Cleveland.
1884 Grover Cleveland was elected president, becoming the first Democrat to win the White House after the Civil War.
1889 North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Washington all entered the Union.
1885 The Statue of Liberty arrived in New York Harbor in pieces from France. 1886 The Statue of Liberty was dedicated, and the Haymarket affair shook the American labor movement. 1887 The Dawes Act divided Native American tribal lands into individual allotments, with devastating effects on tribal sovereignty.
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1890 The Sherman Antitrust Act gave the federal government a tool to challenge monopolies and restrain corporate power. 1891 Congress created the forest reserve system, an early milestone in federal conservation policy. 1892 Ellis Island opened as the nation’s main immigration station in New York Harbor.
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1896 The Supreme Court’s Plessy v. Ferguson decision upheld racial segregation under the doctrine of ‘separate but equal.’ 1897 The Klondike Gold Rush drew thousands of Americans and Canadians toward Alaska and the Yukon. 1898 The Spanish-American War made the United States a global power with new overseas possessions. 1899 The Philippine-American War began, raising fierce debate over empire and self-determination. 1900 The Galveston hurricane became the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history. 1901 Theodore Roosevelt became president after William McKinley was assassinated in Buffalo. July 4, 2026
1902 The Newlands Reclamation Act promoted irrigation projects that transformed parts of the American West. 1903 The Wright brothers achieved powered flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. 1904 The United States began work on the Panama Canal after backing Panama’s separation from Colombia. 1905 The Industrial Workers of the World was founded in Chicago as a radical labor union. 1906 The Pure Food and Drug Act and Meat Inspection Act marked major victories for Progressive Era reform. 1907 Oklahoma entered the Union as the 46th state. 1908 Ford introduced the Model T, putting automobile ownership within reach of millions of Americans. 1909 The NAACP was founded to fight racial discrimination and defend civil rights. 1910 Angel Island immigration station opened in San Francisco Bay, processing many immigrants from Asia. 1911 The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York killed 146 workers and spurred workplace safety reforms. 1912 Arizona and New Mexico entered the Union, completing the 48 contiguous states. 1913 The Sixteenth Amendment authorized a federal income tax, and the Seventeenth Amendment provided for direct election of senators. 1914 The Panama Canal opened, dramatically shortening ocean travel between the Atlantic and Pacific. 1915 The first long-distance telephone call connected New York and San Francisco. 1916 Congress created the National Park Service to manage and protect the nation’s growing park system.
America's 250th Anniversary
1917 The United States entered World War I after years of neutrality.
1928 Herbert Hoover was elected president just before the nation entered the Great Depression.
1918 American troops helped turn the tide on the Western Front, and the war ended with the armistice of November 11.
1929 The stock market crash of 1929 marked the beginning of the Great Depression.
1919 The Eighteenth Amendment was ratified, paving the way for national Prohibition, and the Nineteenth Amendment was sent to the states for ratification.
1930 The Smoot-Hawley Tariff raised import duties and worsened international trade tensions during the Depression.
1920 The Nineteenth Amendment was ratified, guaranteeing women the right to vote nationwide. 1921 The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was dedicated at Arlington National Cemetery. 1922 The Lincoln Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C. 1923 President Warren G. Harding died in office, and Calvin Coolidge was sworn in by his father in Vermont. 1924 The Indian Citizenship Act granted U.S. citizenship to Native Americans born in the United States. 1925 The Scopes Trial in Tennessee put evolution, religion and public education at the center of national debate. 1926 Route 66 was established, eventually becoming one of America’s most famous highways. 1927 Charles Lindbergh completed the first solo nonstop flight from New York to Paris.
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1929 People gather on the sub-treasury building steps across from the New York Stock Exchange in New York on "Black Thursday," Oct. 24, 1929. Thousands of investors lost their savings in the worst stock market crash in Wall Street history on Oct. 29, 1929, after a five-day frenzy of heavy trading. Too much speculation with borrowed money had inflated market values unrealistically. Huge buying orders, hastily erected by powerful financial interest, finally checked the most frantic sell-off experienced by the securities markets. The Great Depression followed thereafter. (AP Photo) July 4, 2026
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1931 The Star-Spangled Banner officially became the national anthem of the United States.
1942 Japanese Americans were forced into internment camps under Executive Order 9066.
1950 The Korean War began, drawing U.S. forces into a major Cold War conflict.
1932 Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected president after promising a New Deal for the American people.
1943 Allied victories in North Africa and Italy marked a turning point in World War II.
1951 The Twenty-second Amendment limited presidents to two elected terms.
1933 The New Deal began, and the Twenty-first Amendment repealed Prohibition.
1944 Allied forces landed at Normandy on D-Day, beginning the liberation of Western Europe.
1952 Dwight D. Eisenhower was elected president after commanding Allied forces in World War II.
1934 The Securities and Exchange Commission was created to regulate Wall Street after the market crash. 1935 Social Security was enacted, creating a lasting federal safety net for older Americans. 1936 Jesse Owens won four gold medals at the Berlin Olympics, challenging Nazi racial ideology before the world. 1937 The Golden Gate Bridge opened, becoming an engineering landmark and an American icon. 1938 The Fair Labor Standards Act established a federal minimum wage and restrictions on child labor. 1939 The New York World’s Fair opened as war began in Europe, showcasing visions of America’s future. 1940 Franklin Roosevelt won an unprecedented third term as the world crisis deepened.
1945 World War II ended, and the United Nations was founded with the United States as a central member. 1946 Winston Churchill delivered his ‘Iron Curtain’ speech in Missouri, helping define the emerging Cold War. 1947 The Truman Doctrine signaled a new American policy of containing communism as the Cold War emerged. 1948 President Truman ordered the desegregation of the U.S. armed forces.
1953 The Korean War armistice ended active fighting on the peninsula, though no formal peace treaty followed. 1954 The Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision declared public school segregation unconstitutional. 1955 The Montgomery Bus Boycott began after Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat. 1956 The Federal-Aid Highway Act launched the Interstate Highway System.
1949 NATO was founded, binding the United States to a peacetime military alliance with Western Europe.
1941 Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, bringing the United States into World War II.
1955 Rosa Parks, left, who was fined $10 and court costs for violating Montgomery's segregation ordinance for city buses, makes bond for appeal to Circuit Court, Dec. 5, 1955. Signing the bond were E.D. Nixon, center, former state president of the NAACP, and attorney Fred Gray. Gray hinted that the ordinance requiring segregation will be attacked as unconstitutional. (AP Photo)
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1981 President Ronald Reagan waves and then looks up before being shoved into the President's limousine by secret service agents after being shot outside a Washington hotel, March 30, 1981.
1973 The Paris Peace Accords ended direct U.S. military involvement in the Vietnam War. 1974 Richard Nixon resigned the presidency, and Gerald Ford became president. 1957 Federal troops escorted the Little Rock Nine into Central High School, enforcing school desegregation.
1965 The Voting Rights Act became law after the Selma campaign exposed violent resistance to Black voting rights.
1958 NASA was created in response to the space race with the Soviet Union.
1966 The National Historic Preservation Act strengthened protection for historic places across the United States.
1959 Alaska and Hawaii became the 49th and 50th states. 1960 John F. Kennedy won the presidency after the first televised presidential debates helped reshape modern campaigns. 1961 Alan Shepard became the first American in space, and the Freedom Rides challenged segregation in interstate travel. 1962 John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth during the Mercury-Atlas 6 mission. 1963 Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, and President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. 1964 The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed segregation in public accommodations and banned employment discrimination. America's 250th Anniversary
1967 Thurgood Marshall became the first Black justice on the U.S. Supreme Court. 1968 Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy were assassinated during one of the nation’s most turbulent years. 1969 Apollo 11 landed on the Moon, and Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on its surface. 1970 The first Earth Day was held, and the Environmental Protection Agency was created later that year.
1975 The Vietnam War ended with the fall of Saigon. 1976 The United States celebrated its Bicentennial with national commemorations of 200 years of independence. 1977 Jimmy Carter became president and emphasized human rights as a theme of American foreign policy. 1978 The Camp David Accords were negotiated with U.S. mediation, leading to peace between Egypt and Israel. 1979 The Iran hostage crisis began when Americans were seized at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. 1980 The U.S. Olympic hockey team defeated the Soviet Union in the ‘Miracle on Ice.’ 1981 Ronald Reagan became president and survived an assassination attempt in Washington, D.C.
1971 The Twenty-sixth Amendment lowered the voting age to 18.
1982 The Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C.
1972 The Watergate break-in began the scandal that would bring down a president.
1983 Sally Ride became the first American woman in space.
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1991 A residential area lies in ruins after an Iraqi Scud missile attack in Tel Aviv, Israel on Friday, Jan. 18, 1991. The Iraqi missile attack came one day after U.S. forces launched Operation Desert Storm - the Gulf War - against Iraq. (AP Photo/Martin Cleaver)
1984 Geraldine Ferraro became the first woman nominated for vice president by a major U.S. political party.
1993 The North American Free Trade Agreement was signed into law, reshaping trade among the United States, Canada and Mexico.
2001 The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks killed nearly 3,000 people and reshaped American security and foreign policy.
1985 The first version of Microsoft Windows was released, foreshadowing a transformation in personal computing.
1994 The Violence Against Women Act became law as part of a major federal crime bill.
2002 The Department of Homeland Security was created in response to the Sept. 11 attacks.
1986 The space shuttle Challenger exploded after launch, killing all seven crew members.
1995 The Oklahoma City bombing killed 168 people and became the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history.
2003 The United States invaded Iraq, beginning a long and controversial war.
1987 President Reagan challenged Mikhail Gorbachev to ‘tear down this wall’ during a speech in Berlin.
1996 Atlanta hosted the Summer Olympics, bringing the Games back to the United States.
1988 George H. W. Bush was elected president after serving eight years as vice president.
1997 Madeleine Albright became the first woman to serve as U.S. secretary of state.
1989 The Berlin Wall fell, symbolizing the approaching end of the Cold War.
1998 John Glenn returned to space aboard the shuttle Discovery at age 77.
1990 The Americans with Disabilities Act became law, expanding civil rights protections for people with disabilities.
1999 The Senate acquitted President Bill Clinton after his impeachment trial.
1991 A U.S.-led coalition liberated Kuwait in the Gulf War. 1992 The Twenty-seventh Amendment, first proposed in 1789, was finally ratified. 28
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2000 The disputed presidential election was ultimately resolved by Bush v. Gore, leading to George W. Bush’s election as the 43rd president of the United States.
America's 250th Anniversary
2004 The National World War II Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C. 2005 Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, exposing major failures in disaster preparedness. 2006 Twitter was launched, becoming part of a new era of social media and public communication. 2007 The iPhone was introduced, accelerating the smartphone revolution in American life. 2008 Barack Obama was elected the first Black president of the United States. 2009 Sonia Sotomayor became the first Latina justice on the U.S. Supreme Court. July 4, 2026
2010 The Affordable Care Act was signed into law, reshaping health insurance and health policy. 2011 U.S. forces killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan nearly 10 years after the September 11 attacks. 2012 Hurricane Sandy struck the East Coast, causing severe damage from the Caribbean to New York and New Jersey. 2013 The Boston Marathon bombing killed three people and injured hundreds at one of America’s most famous races. 2014 The National Sept. 11 Memorial Museum opened in New York City. 2015 The Supreme Court’s Obergefell v. Hodges decision recognized same-sex marriage nationwide. 2016 Donald J. Trump was elected the 45th president of the United States.
2017 A total solar eclipse crossed the United States from Oregon to South Carolina, drawing millions of viewers.
2023 The United States marked 247 years of independence while preparing for the coming semiquincentennial.
2018 The First Step Act became law, marking one of the most significant federal criminal justice reforms in decades.
2024 A total solar eclipse crossed parts of the United States, drawing national attention to science and skywatching.
2019 The U.S. women’s national soccer team won its fourth World Cup title.
2025 President Donald J. Trump began his second term in office.
2020 The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted American life, and a presidential election produced record turnout.
2026 The United States celebrates its semiquincentennial, marking 250 years since the Declaration of Independence.
2021 Juneteenth became a federal holiday, recognizing the end of slavery in the United States. 2022 Ketanji Brown Jackson became the first Black woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.
2011
Construction continues on the National September 11 Memorial at the World Trade Center site, Tuesday, May 10, 2011 in New York. On the left is 1 World Trade Center, also known as the Freedom Tower. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
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America at 250: An A-to-Z of American History
Apollo 11
A — Apollo 11 In 1969, Apollo 11 carried Americans to the Moon, fulfilling President John F. Kennedy’s challenge and marking one of humanity’s greatest achievements.
B — Bald Eagle Adopted as the national emblem in 1782, the bald eagle symbolizes strength, freedom and the independence of the United States.
C — Constitution The United States Constitution established the framework of American government and remains the oldest written national constitution still in use.
D — Declaration of Independence Adopted on July 4, 1776, the Declaration announced America's separation from Britain and proclaimed that all men are created equal.
E — Ellis Island
FILE - In this July 1969 file photo, Astronaut Edwin Aldrin walks by the footpad of the Apollo 11 Lunar Module. (AP/Photo, NASA, file)
More than 12 million immigrants entered the United States through Ellis Island between 1892 and 1954.
F — Ford's Assembly Line In 1913, Henry Ford revolutionized manufacturing with the moving assembly line, making automobiles affordable for millions.
G — Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg in 1863 marked a turning point in the Civil War and inspired the Gettysburg Address.
H — Homestead Act Signed in 1862, the Homestead Act encouraged westward expansion by granting settlers land in the American frontier.
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I — Interstate Highway System Authorized in 1956, the Interstate Highway System became the largest public works project in American history.
Ford Assembly
J — Jazz Born in New Orleans, jazz became America's original art form and influenced music around the world.
In this April 27, 1937, file photo, men work at the Ford Motor Company's River Rouge Plant in Dearborn, Mich.
K — Kitty Hawk At Kitty Hawk in 1903, Orville Wright and Wilbur Wright achieved the first powered flight.
L — Liberty Bell The Liberty Bell became an enduring symbol of American independence and freedom.
M — Mount Rushmore This iconic monument honors Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.
N — National Parks America created the world's first national park, Yellowstone National Park, in 1872.
O — Oregon Trail Hundreds of thousands of pioneers traveled the Oregon Trail during the 19th century in search of opportunity in the West.
P — Plymouth Colony Established in 1620, Plymouth Colony became one of the earliest permanent English settlements in New England.
Q — Quakers Members of the Religious Society of Friends helped shape the American character through their commitment to religious freedom, equality, abolition of slavery and social justice. Their influence can be seen from colonial Pennsylvania to the reform movements that helped define the nation. America's 250th Anniversary
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Kitty Hawk
R — Revolutionary War The American Revolution secured independence from Great Britain and created the United States.
S — Statue of Liberty Gifted by France in 1886, the Statue of Liberty welcomed generations of immigrants to America.
T — Transcontinental Railroad Completed in 1869, the railroad connected the East and West coasts and transformed commerce and travel.
U — Uncle Sam Uncle Sam emerged during the War of 1812 and became the personification of the United States.
Orville Wright, lying at the controls on the lower wing, pilots the Wright Flyer on the first powered flight by a heavier-than-air aircraft, Dec. 17, 1903, at Kitty Hawk, N.C. In the moments before going airborne, his brother, Wilbur Wright, watching right, guided and steadied the plane as it accelerated along the starting rail at left. (AP Photo/Library of Congress, John T. Daniels)
Valley Forge American troops at Valley Forge during bleak times in Dec. 1776 are depicted in this illustration reproduced from the Library of Congress collection (AP Photo)
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V — Valley Forge At Valley Forge, George Washington and the Continental Army endured a difficult winter that strengthened the Revolutionary cause.
W — Washington, D.C. The nation's capital serves as the seat of the federal government and a symbol of American democracy.
X — X-15 The North American X-15 helped pave the way for the American space program by setting speed and altitude records.
Y — Yosemite Yosemite National Park showcases some of the most spectacular landscapes in the United States and helped inspire the conservation movement.
Z — Zimmerman Telegram The Zimmerman Telegram helped draw the United States into World War I after Germany sought an alliance with Mexico against America.
X-15
X-15 pilot Neil A. Armstrong is pictured in front of his experimental high-speed rocket-powered research aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., July 1962. (AP Photo)
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America at 250: 50 FAST Facts 1.
The United States declared independence from Great Britain on July 4, 1776. 2. George Washington was the nation’s first president. 3. The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the country. 4. The American Civil War remains the deadliest war in U.S. history. 5. Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. 6. The Transcontinental Railroad linked the East and West coasts. 7. The Wright brothers’ first flight launched the aviation age. 8. Henry Ford popularized the assembly line. 9. The Great Depression was the worst economic downturn in U.S. history. 10. Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected to four terms. 11. The Attack on Pearl Harbor brought the U.S. into World War II.
Babe Ruth
Youngsters lending an ear to Babe Ruth as he tells them stories of his life from orphanage to baseball fame, November 29, 1924. (AP Photo) 36
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12. The United States helped lead the Allied victory in World War II. 13. The Apollo 11 Moon Landing put Americans on the Moon. 14. Neil Armstrong took the first lunar step. 15. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered the “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963. 16. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed segregation in public accommodations. 17. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 strengthened ballot access. 18. Jonas Salk created the first effective polio vaccine. 19. Thomas Edison held more than 1,000 patents. 20. Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. 21. Walt Disney built one of the world’s most influential entertainment companies. 22. Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier. 23. Babe Ruth became America’s first great sports superstar. 24. Muhammad Ali became a global symbol of courage and conviction. 25. Michael Jordan helped globalize basketball. 26. The Gold Rush accelerated westward migration. 27. Sacagawea aided the Lewis and Clark Expedition. 28. Susan B. Anthony fought for women’s voting rights. 29. The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution granted women the right to vote. 30. Thurgood Marshall helped end school segregation. 31. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg advanced gender equality. 32. Benjamin Franklin was an inventor, diplomat and writer. 33. Alexander Hamilton built the nation’s financial system. 34. John Marshall established judicial review. 35. The Monroe Doctrine warned Europe against colonizing the Americas.
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Walt Disney
This general view shows Walt Disney World under construction near Orlando in Central Florida, on July 7, 1971. At center is the amusement park's Cinderella Palace in the Magic Kingdom. (AP Photo)
s
Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan of the USA goes up for a shot between Uruguay's Hebert Nunez Gonzalez, left, and Alvaro Tito Moreno during the first half of their preliminary round game at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Long Beach, Calif., Aug 1, 1984. (AP Photo/Lennox McLendon)
America's 250th Anniversary
36. Theodore Roosevelt created a lasting conservation legacy. 37. Yellowstone National Park was the world’s first national park. 38. The Interstate Highway System transformed travel and commerce. 39. Grace Hopper helped pioneer computer programming. 40. Bill Gates helped bring personal computers to millions. 41. Steve Jobs reshaped consumer electronics. 42. Oprah Winfrey became one of the most influential figures in modern media. 43. The Marshall Plan helped rebuild Europe and strengthened America’s global leadership. 44. Clara Barton established one of the nation’s most important humanitarian organizations. 45. Mark Twain helped define American literature. 46. Elvis Presley popularized rock and roll worldwide. 47. Jonas Salk created a vaccine that virtually eliminated one of the most feared diseases of the 20th century. 48. The Manhattan Project brought together American scientists and engineers to create the first atomic weapons. 49. Katherine Johnson performed calculations that helped send American astronauts into orbit and to the Moon. 50. In 2026, the United States celebrates its 250th birthday—its semiquincentennial.
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100 Places that tell America's story 1. Independence Hall — Inside this red-brick building, delegates approved the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and later drafted the U.S. Constitution, laying the foundation of American selfgovernment. 2. Liberty Bell — Once used to summon lawmakers, the cracked bell became an enduring symbol of liberty, abolition and civil rights in America. 3. Jamestown Settlement — Founded in 1607, Jamestown marked the beginning of permanent English settlement in North America and the roots of colonial America.
The Mayflower II approaches her mooring basin at Plymouth Rock in Plymouth, Mass., June 13, 1957 and is greeted by a crowd of well-wishers. The ship, 4. Plymouth Rock — Though symbolic more than certain, a replica of the vessel which carried pilgrims to the the site represents the new world in 1620, made the voyage in 54 days and Pilgrims’ arrival and the story traveled some 5,000 miles. (AP Photo/Peter J. Carroll) of religious freedom in early America.
5. Mayflower II — The carefully crafted replica helps tell the story of the perilous Atlantic voyage that brought the Pilgrims to New England. 6. Colonial Williamsburg — Restored streets, homes and shops immerse visitors in the political debates and daily life of colonial America. 7. Mount Vernon — The plantation home of George Washington reveals the life, leadership and contradictions of America’s first president.
U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, wearing top hat, is shown with Union Army Gen. George B. McClellan, facing Lincoln, and McClellan's staff at Antietam, Maryland, 1862 during the American Civil War. (AP Photo/Alexander Gardner)
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8. Monticello — Thomas Jefferson designed this mountaintop estate while shaping many of the ideals that defined the new nation.
9. Valley Forge National Historical Park — The harsh winter encampment tested the endurance and resolve of Washington’s Continental Army during the Revolution.
18. Gettysburg National Military Park — The Union victory here halted Confederate momentum and inspired Lincoln’s most famous speech.
10. Bunker Hill Monument — Though technically a British victory, the battle proved colonial forces could stand against the world’s most powerful army.
19. Antietam National Battlefield — The staggering casualties of America’s bloodiest day gave Lincoln the opportunity to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.
11. Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum — The protest against British taxation without representation helped push the colonies toward revolution.
20. Fort Sumter National Monument — Confederate cannon fire against the federal fort in 1861 officially began the Civil War.
12. Old North Church — Lanterns hung in the church steeple warned patriots of approaching British troops before the Revolution’s opening battles. 13. Paul Revere House — The preserved home tells the story of one of America’s best-known Revolutionary War patriots. 14. Minute Man National Historical Park — The “shot heard ’round the world” was fired along these roads and fields in April 1775. 15. Federal Hall — George Washington took the first presidential oath here as the new republic began to govern itself. 16. Ellis Island — More than 12 million immigrants passed through the island in search of opportunity and a new American life. 17. Statue of Liberty — France’s gift to the United States became America’s greatest symbol of hope, democracy and immigration.
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21. Appomattox Court House National Historical Park — Robert E. Lee’s surrender to Ulysses S. Grant here effectively ended the Civil War. 22. Ford's Theatre — Abraham Lincoln was assassinated here just days after the Civil War ended. 23. Lincoln Memorial — The towering memorial honors Lincoln’s role in preserving the Union and ending slavery. 24. United States Capitol — The Capitol has served as the center of American democracy and debate for more than two centuries. 25. White House — Home and workplace of U.S. presidents, the White House symbolizes executive leadership and national power. 26. National Museum of American History — From the Star-Spangled Banner to presidential artifacts, the museum preserves the objects that shaped the American story.
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Statue of Liberty
27. National Museum of African American History and Culture — The museum chronicles centuries of struggle, resilience, achievement and cultural influence. 28. National Archives Building — America’s founding documents are safeguarded here under heavy protection and public trust. 29. Arlington National Cemetery — Rolling hills filled with white headstones honor generations of military sacrifice. 30. Vietnam Veterans Memorial — The black granite wall quietly lists the names of more than 58,000 Americans lost in Vietnam. 31. Korean War Veterans Memorial — Lifelike statues and memorial walls honor those who fought in the often-forgotten Korean War. 32. World War II Memorial — The memorial pays tribute to the Americans who fought and worked to secure victory in World War II. 33. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial — Quotes and towering stone honor the pastor whose leadership transformed the civil rights movement.
In this handout photograph provided by VisitSanAntonio.com via AP Images, historical reenactors, dressed as Mexican soldados, observe the 175th anniversary of the Battle of the Alamo by marching past the Alamo Cenotaph monument that commemorates the heroes of the battle, Saturday, March 5, 2011, at Alamo Plaza in San Antonio.
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34. Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail — The route traces the courageous marches that helped secure voting rights protections for Black Americans. 35. Edmund Pettus Bridge — Images of peaceful marchers beaten here on Bloody Sunday shocked the nation and accelerated civil rights reforms.
36. Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site — Federal troops escorted nine Black students into the school during a pivotal desegregation battle.
45. Pearl Harbor National Memorial — The devastating Japanese attack here in 1941 thrust the United States into World War II.
37. Lorraine Motel — Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated outside Room 306, forever linking the site to the struggle for equality.
46. Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park — Factories and shipyards here honor the millions of civilians, especially women, who powered America’s wartime industry.
38. Stonewall National Monument — Protests following a 1969 police raid here launched the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. 39. Alcatraz Island — Beyond its prison history, Alcatraz became a symbol of Native American activism during a 19-month occupation. 40. Golden Gate Bridge — The massive suspension bridge became an icon of American engineering, ambition and the Pacific Coast. 41. Gateway Arch — Rising above the Mississippi River, the arch commemorates America’s westward expansion and the pioneers who pushed toward the frontier. 42. Oregon Trail Interpretive Center — Through wagons, diaries and exhibits, the center tells the story of settlers risking everything to move west. 43. Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site — The reconstructed adobe fort illustrates trade, travel and cultural exchange along the Santa Fe Trail. 44. The Alamo — The former mission became legendary after Texan defenders died fighting Mexican forces in 1836.
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47. Cape Canaveral Space Force Station — America’s earliest space launches lifted off here as the nation raced to explore space during the Cold War. 48. Kennedy Space Center — From Apollo moon missions to modern launches, the center remains at the heart of America’s space program. 49. Johnson Space Center — Mission Control guided astronauts through triumph and tragedy, including the Apollo moon landings. 50. Wounded Knee Massacre Site — The killing of hundreds of Lakota men, women and children here symbolized the violent close of the Indian Wars. 51. Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument — Lakota, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho warriors defeated Lt. Col. George Custer here in one of the West’s most famous battles. 52. Mesa Verde National Park — Ancient cliff dwellings carved into canyon walls preserve the history of the Ancestral Pueblo people.
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53. Cahokia Mounds — The sprawling earthworks reveal the remains of a sophisticated Native American city that thrived centuries before Columbus. 54. Taos Pueblo — The multistory adobe community has been continuously inhabited for more than 1,000 years. 55. Trail of Tears National Historic Trail — The trail remembers the forced relocation and suffering endured by Native American tribes removed from their homelands.
Workers continue work carving the Crazy Horse 56. Fort Laramie National Historic Site — Once a frontier memorial in the Black Hills of South Dakota on April outpost, the fort served fur 15, 1998. The project, begun 50 years ago, would be traders, pioneers, soldiers and the largest sculpture on Earth when finished. The settlers heading west. stone carving of Crazy Horse sitting atop his stallion 57. Homestead National will be 563 feet high and 641 feet long. (AP Photo/ Historical Park — The park Charles Bennett) tells how millions sought opportunity through the Homestead Act and transformed the Great Plains.
64. Sun Studio — Music legends including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis recorded here during rock music’s formative years. 65. Woodstock Museum at Bethel Woods — The museum preserves the story of the 1969 festival that became a defining symbol of the counterculture era. 66. Hollywood Walk of Fame — The stars embedded in the sidewalks celebrate entertainers who shaped global popular culture. 67. Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum — Historic aircraft and spacecraft chronicle America’s achievements in flight, exploration and innovation. 68. Kitty Hawk — The Wright brothers achieved the world’s first powered airplane flight on these windswept dunes in 1903.
58. Mount Rushmore — The giant stone faces of four presidents symbolize America’s founding, expansion and preservation.
69. Transcontinental Railroad Golden Spike Site — The ceremonial driving of the golden spike united the country coast to coast by rail in 1869.
59. Crazy Horse Memorial — Still under construction, the monument honors Native American culture and resistance.
70. Hoover Dam — Built during the Great Depression, the massive dam showcased American engineering and economic recovery efforts.
60. Harpers Ferry National Historical Park — Abolitionist John Brown’s raid here intensified tensions that pushed the nation toward civil war.
71. Grand Coulee Dam — The New Deal-era megaproject brought electricity, irrigation and industrial growth to the Pacific Northwest.
Elvis Presley with his girlfriend Yvonne Lime at his home Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee around 61. New Orleans French Quarter — The historic district 1957. (AP Photo)
reflects the blending of French, Spanish, African and American influences that shaped the Gulf South.
72. Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum — Exhibits celebrate the famous highway that embodied road trips, migration and roadside Americana.
62. Preservation Hall — The intimate venue helped preserve traditional New Orleans jazz for future generations.
73. Times Square — Bright lights, giant billboards and crowds turned the intersection into a symbol of American entertainment and commerce.
63. Graceland — Elvis Presley’s mansion reflects the rise of rock ’n’ roll and the global influence of American music.
74. Wall Street — America’s financial markets grew here into a driving force of global capitalism.
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75. Chicago Board of Trade Building — The towering exchange became synonymous with American agriculture, commodities trading and economic power. 76. Empire State Building — Completed during the Great Depression, the skyscraper symbolized optimism and modern American ambition. 77. Brooklyn Bridge — The groundbreaking suspension bridge transformed transportation and engineering in the modern city. 78. Faneuil Hall — Fiery speeches and protests here earned the marketplace its nickname as the “Cradle of Liberty.” 79. Salem Maritime National Historic Site — The waterfront preserves the story of America’s early shipping trade and global commerce. 80. Fort McHenry — Watching the fort withstand British bombardment inspired Francis Scott Key to write “The Star-Spangled Banner.” 81. Chesapeake and Ohio Canal — The canal reflects the era when waterways powered commerce and westward development. 82. Erie Canal — Linking the Great Lakes to the Atlantic transformed trade and fueled New York’s rise as an economic giant. 83. Sutter's Mill — Gold discovered here in 1848 triggered a rush that rapidly transformed California and the American West. 84. Deadwood — The rough mining town became legendary for gamblers, gunslingers and Wild West lore. 85. Dodge City — Cowboys, cattle drives and frontier justice made Dodge City a lasting symbol of the Old West. 86. Tombstone — The infamous gunfight at the O.K. Corral cemented the town’s place in Western legend.
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87. Pullman National Historical Park — The company town and labor strikes here became defining chapters in the history of unions and workers’ rights.
95. Flight 93 National Memorial — The site remembers passengers who fought hijackers and prevented further destruction on Sept. 11, 2001.
88. Yellowstone National Park — Established in 1872, Yellowstone became the world’s first national park and a model for conservation.
96. Oklahoma City National Memorial — The memorial honors the victims of the 1995 bombing that shocked the nation.
89. Yosemite National Park — Yosemite’s granite cliffs and giant sequoias inspired generations of environmental preservation efforts.
This mid-1880's photo is the only known period photograph of the site of the start of the O.K. Corral gunfight in an alley between Allen and Fremont streets in Tombstone, Ariz. At right is photographer C.S. Fly's home and boarding house. While popular culture has tended to lionize the badge-wearing Earps, two new books on the West's most famous gunfight suggest there were no clear-cut "good guys" and "bad guys" on Oct. 26, 1881. (AP Photo/C.S. Fly) Chrissy Bortz of Latrobe, Pa., pays her respects at the Wall of Names at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pa. after a Service of Remembrance Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2018, as the nation marks the 17th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. The Wall of Names honor the 40 people killed in the crash of Flight 93. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
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97. Manzanar National Historic Site — Barracks and exhibits preserve the story of Japanese Americans imprisoned during World War II.
90. Grand Canyon National Park — Carved by the Colorado River, the canyon became one of America’s most aweinspiring natural landmarks.
98. Angel Island Immigration Station — Often called the “Ellis Island of the West,” the station processed immigrants arriving from Asia and the Pacific.
91. Great Smoky Mountains National Park — America’s most-visited national park preserves Appalachian traditions, forests and wildlife.
99. Seneca Falls Convention Site — America’s first women’s rights convention convened here in 1848, launching the organized suffrage movement.
92. Denali National Park — Vast wilderness surrounding North America’s tallest peak reflects the scale and ruggedness of the American frontier.
100. Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site — The site honors the pioneering Black military aviators whose success challenged segregation in the armed forces.
93. Muir Woods National Monument — Towering coastal redwoods helped inspire America’s conservation and national monument movements. 94. 9/11 Memorial & Museum — The memorial and museum honor the victims and recount the events of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
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Important People in the history of America
George Washington Thomas Jefferson Theodore Roosevelt Abraham Lincoln In this Dec. 9, 2016, file photo, the faces of the presidents that make up the Mount Rushmore monument are shown near Keystone, S.D.
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George Washington Thomas Jefferson Benjamin Franklin James Madison Thomas Paine Abraham Lincoln Ulysses S. Grant Theodore Roosevelt Franklin D. Roosevelt Martin Luther King Jr. Thomas Edison Alexander Graham Bell Henry Ford Orville Wright Wilbur Wright Bill Gates Steve Jobs Jeff Bezos Elon Musk Larry Page Sergey Brin Mark Zuckerberg J. Robert Oppenheimer Sam Walton Daniel Boone
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Alexander Graham Bell Alexander Graham Bell's single-pole magneto telephone is displayed at the American Enterprise exhibit at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History on the National Mall in Washington.
Martin Luther King, Jr. This April 3, 1968 file photo shows Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. walking across the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis. The civil rights leader was standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel when he was killed by a rifle bullet on April 4, 1968.
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Jeff Bezos Mark Bezos, left, and Jeff Bezos, right, founder of Amazon and space tourism company Blue Origin, watch a video playback of their flight experience from the spaceport near Van Horn, Texas, Tuesday, July 20, 2021. 1776-2026 (AP Photo/Tony July 4,Gutierrez) 2026 43
Coal, gypsum were key to growth of Fort Dodge The former Plymouth Gypsum Mill in Fort Dodge is shown on what appears to be a postcard.
Gypsum plaster developed here changed American construction business Fort Dodge, there is a restaurant called In Mineral City Mill and Grill. South of town, there is an off-highway vehicle park called Gypsum City. Also south of Fort Dodge is an unincorporated village called Coalville. All of those mineral-inspired names are a tribute to the long heritage of mining in Webster County. Surrounded by fertile farm fields that were key to the economy, the growth and development of the city also rested on the ability to mine coal, gypsum, limestone and clay. Coal was the first mineral mined in the area. But gypsum emerged as the main focus of mining. Gypsum mining and wallboard production remain major industries today, about 177 years after the mineral was first discovered in what is now Webster County.
Gypsum The gypsum deposits beneath the ground of Webster County make up what geologists call the Fort Dodge Formation. It was formed millions of years ago, during the Jurassic Period. The first reported discovery of gypsum in Webster County was in 1849, a year before the Army established the Fort Dodge military post. The discovery was documented by explorer David Dale Owen, who had made a trip up the Des Moines River and spotted gypsum outcroppings. Gypsum had been known as a building 44
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material since colonial times. In some cases. blocks of it were used to construct buildings. In 1872, the first facility to refine gypsum into something other than a building block was constructed southeast of Fort Dodge along Two Mile Creek. It was established by Geroge Ringland, Webb Vincent and S.T. Meservey. Named Central Mill, it first made stucco, an exterior coating for buildings. The mill struggled to make money for the first decade or so. Ringland opened his own gypsum mill in 1882, and it struggled at first also. Then in 1884, Ringland did something that changed the Fort Dodge industry and the construction business across the country. He perfected gypsum plaster. This gypsumbased plaster was easier to work with than the plaster made of lime and sand that had been in use for years. Once the construction trades adopted it, business took off for Fort Dodge gypsum mines and mills. In 1885, a third mill opened in Webster County. Owners of the three mills came together to form the Iowa Plaster Association.
A new national gypsum company with Fort Dodgers in key roles was established on Dec. 24, 1901. It was called the United States Gypsum Co. and was headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Ringland was the second president of the company while Meservey was its secretary and a member of the board of directors. The company, now usually called USG, still exists and has a mill and mine in Webster County. Over the last century and a half there have been 30 different gypsum companies and 13 gypsum mills in and around Fort Dodge. In addition to United States Gypsum, the list includes Plymouth Gypsum Co., Iowa Hard Plaster Co., American Independent Gypsum Co., Wasem Plaster Co., Celotex Corp., and Cardiff Gypsum Co. Today there are four gypsum companies in Fort Dodge and Webster County – CertainTeed, Georgia Pacific, National Gypsum Co, and USG. Together they employ about 370 people.
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Coal While gypsum is the dominant mineral in Fort Dodge history, coal was actually the first one mined in the area. The soldiers who manned Fort Dodge from 1850 to 1853 were the first to dig coal, which they burned for cooking and warmth. But they didn’t truly mine it. There was a visible outcropping of coal about a mile and half north of the post, and the soldiers just chiseled out whatever they needed. The first true mine was the Wahkonsa Mine across the Des Moines River from the city. It opened in the mid-1850s.
All photos courtesy of the Webster County Historical Society.
The Wasem Gypsum Mill is shown.
There was also a mine southeast of Fort Dodge near Holaday Creek. A town called Carbon, sometimes called Carbon Junction, grew up there. The town’s name was changed to Gypsum when that mineral became the dominant one in the area.
Tracks serving an unidentified gypsum mill are shown.
The town of Coalville sprouted up where railroad lines serving the mines came together. Most of the coal mining took place near Kalo and farther south near Lehigh. In the 1800s, the coal deposits in Webster County were the farthest northwest in the country. These made them valuable, especially to the railroads that needed coal to fuel their steam locomotives. The peak year for coal production was 1883. In that year, 248,560 tons came out of Webster County mines. Those mines employed about 710 people.
Three workers in a welding shop at a National Gypsum quarry pose for a photo in 1949.
Eventually, coal mining tapered off and the last mine closed in 1946.
This is a Fort Dodge area gypsum quarry in 1946. By BILL SHEA bshea@messengernews.net America's 250th Anniversary
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Railroads brought commerce and connected people City once saw 35 passenger trains When the first locomotive rumbled into Fort Dodge spewing smoke and steam on a summer day in 1869, the community was finally connected to the rest of the country in a reliable way. The arrival of the railroads helped launch a long growth spurt in Fort Dodge. The city was served by four railroads at one time. In 1915, 35 passenger trains stopped in Fort Dodge every day. A homegrown railroad, the Fort Dodge, Des Moines and Southern, became the largest interurban line in the state.
First to arrive The first railroad to reach Fort Dodge was the Iowa Falls and Sioux City. It began serving the city in August 1869. That railroad was a subsidiary of the much larger Illinois Central Railroad. After about a year, the Iowa Falls and Sioux City name was dropped in favor of Illinois Central. In 1911, the Illinois Central built a passenger station near Fourth Street and Fourth Avenue South. A big freight shed was built nearby. Also nearby was a kind of garage for locomotives called a roundhouse. Passenger traffic steadily dwindled after World War II as highways and airlines became the public’s preferred ways of travel. The last passenger train stopped in Fort Dodge in 1968. In 1986, the roundhouse was demolished. The passenger station and the freight shed followed in the late 1990s. In 1998, the Illinois Central was purchased by the Canadian National Railway, which still 46
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Messenger file photo
The High Bridge in Fort Dodge was built by the Chicago Great Western Railroad in 1902. It towers 138 feet above the Des Moines River and the Pleasant Valley neighborhood. It is used daily by the Union Pacific Railroad. operates the railyard that can be easily seen from the Kenyon Road Bridge..
Chicago Great Western The intersection of Central Avenue and 12th Street may seem a little off kilter in a downtown full of intersections that are perfect 90 degree angles. And there’s the Veterans Triangle Park nearby which lives up to its name as a triangle that honors former servicemembers. These features are the lingering results of the fact that the city’s other railroad station, belonging to the Chicago Great Western Railroad, once sat there. That depot was built in 1905 and was demolished in 1964. The railroad also left another lasting impact on the Fort Dodge landscape — the High Bridge. It was built in 1902 and is still used by the Union
Pacific Railroad. The Chicago Great Western began serving Fort Dodge in 1886.
Minneapolis and St. Louis This railroad had its facilities just south of the Illinois Central yard in Pleasant Valley. Often known as the M & St. L, it acquired the much smaller Fort Dodge and Fort Ridgely Railroad in 1879. The smaller railroad was just starting to build north of Fort Dodge at the time. The M and St. L quickly finished the construction and began serving Fort Dodge in 1880. In the 1960, the railroad was merged into the Chicago Great Western and later Chicago Northwestern.
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Fort Dodge, Des Moines and Southern The Fort Dodge, Des Moines and Southern connected its two namesake cities, plus a lot of other places in between. At its peak, it was the largest interurban railroad in the state. Its origins can be traced to the much smaller Crooked Creek Railroad in Webster County. Chartered in 1875, it ran from the small village of Judd to Lehigh. The Crooked Creek was a narrow gage line. In railroad parlance, gage refers to the distance between the two rails that trains travel on. The standard gage is four feet, eight and a half inches. But the Crooked Creek had a three-foot gage. In 1892, the Crooked Creek bought the Webster City and Southwestern. The Boone Valley Coal and Railroad Co. was added later. For awhile, the railroad was known as the Newton and Northwestern. In 1905, new owners named it Fort Dodge, Des Moines and Southern. In 1968, the line was acquired by the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad. The line was abandoned in 1983, but the section between Wolf and Boone became today’s Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad, which operates a music and offers rides to visitors.
Messenger photos by Bill Shea This former Fort Dodge, Des Moines and Southern Railroad center cab locomotive is in the collection of the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad in Boone. A Canadian National Railway locomotive is seen through the columns of the former Illinois Central Railroad station in Fort Dodge. Canadian National took over the property in 1998 when it bought the Illinois Central. The station, which was built in 1911, was demolished.
Chicago Northwestern and Union Pacific The Chicago Northwestern Railroad started serving Fort Dodge after acquiring the Chicago Great Western, Minneapolis and St. Louis and the Fort Dodge, Des Moines and Southern in the 1960s. The Union Pacific Railroad The Illinois Central Railroad station was created in 1862, when near Fourth Street and Fourth President Abraham Lincoln Avenue South is shown shortly signed the Pacific Railroad Act. before its demolition in the late launching the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad. The 1990s. The station was built in 1911. Union Pacific was to build west from Omaha, Nebraska, while the Central Pacific was to build east from California. Despite its long history in the Midwest, the Union Pacific did not come into Fort Dodge until 1995, when it bought the Chicago Northwestern. It continues to serve Fort Dodge and the surrounding area today.
The Chicago Great Western Railroad station sat at the intersection of Central Avenue and 12th Street. The tracks extended east from the station. This building was constructed in 1905 and was demolished in 1964. By BILL SHEA bshea@messengernews.net
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Marshalltown's founder Henry Anson TIMES-REPUBLICAN Henry Anson was mayor of the town he founded but not until nearly 40 years after Marshalltown was platted. Marshalltown was officially surveyed in 1853 by S. Risden of Iowa City under the direction of Anson and John Childs of Bureau County, Illinois. Incorporation papers were filed in the winter of 1863.
Henry Anson
Anson was Marshalltown’s 13th mayor, taking office for two terms 1891-1893. He was not one of the youngest men to hold the post.
The following is a complete list of mayors in Marshalltown’s early years: James L. Williams, 1863-4 E.J.B. Stalter, 1864-5 R.W. Johnson, 1865-6, 1867-8 John Fisher, 1866 Obed Caswell, 1867 J.M. Parker, 1868-71 L.W. Griswold, 1871-4 O.B. Barrows, 1874-7 R. Howe Taylor, 1877-81
Frank G. Pierce was 26 when first elected in 1895. He was reelected five times.
C.M. Norton, 1881
One of the most active mayors was Dr. A.C. Conaway, who served three terms.
Nelson Ames, 1886-91
He was primarily responsible for many civic improvements and created considerable controversy by using “military” methods in the police department, according to the June 30, 1953 Times-Republican. He re-organized the police department as a result of bootlegging scandals in the late 1920s. Before serving as mayor, Conaway also gained prominence by reporting a typhoid epidemic in Marshalltown in the 1880s was caused from typhus bacteria found in the Iowa River – then the only source of Marshalltown’s drinking water. The Bunce Spring was identified as the source. Conaway formed Marshalltown's first Board of Water Works Trustees in 1890 to address severe city-wide contamination issues. Consequently, numerous wells were drilled. That led to the creation of the Marshalltown Water Works (MWW) in 1876.
J.H.H. Frisbee, 1882-6 Henry Anson, 1891-3 W.B. Kibbey, 1893-5 Frank G. Pierce, 1895-1901 L.B. Jones, 1901-5 O.L, Ingledue, 1905-11 W.H. Jones, 1911-13 L.S. Millard, 1913-17 S.H. Reilly, 1917-19 J.J. Wilson, 1919-21 W.H. Gelvin, 1921-23 A.C. Conaway, 1923-25, 1927-31 William Jennings, 1925-27
MWW continues to serve thousands of customers ranging from agri-business to commercial to industrial to residential in Marshalltown. MWW also sells water to the Iowa Rural Utility Association.
G.W. Darling, 1933-41
Conaway later applied his medical expertise during World War I, serving as a Major and physician in the Medical Corps.
John L. Mowry 1951-55
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Contributed Photo O.L. Ingledue was Marshalltown's mayor from 1905-11. Marshalltown promoted itself as a progressive city during his tenure with professional police and fire-fighters, a city-owned water works and street lighting system among other amenities.
Willard B. Hull, 1941-47 Donald E. Taylor, 1947-51
T-R photo by Mike Donahey Shown is a portrait of the late John Mowry displayed in the Mowry-Irvine Mansion in Marshalltown. He served as Marshalltown's mayor from 1951-55. He also served with the NYPD Municipal Vice Squad - and is renowned for arresting actress and singer Mae West on a morals charge resulting from her role in a theater production.
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Marshall County soldiers fought for the Union Thomas Goodfellow of the Iowa 4th Iowa Infantry regiment was not as famous as Ulysses S. Grant and William Tecumsah Sherman, but he and thousands of other regular soldiers were critical in the Union victory over the Confederacy nonetheless. O.J. Fargo of Creston made Goodfellow come vividly alive recently in a recent portrayal at the Marshalltown public library. Fargo is a Civil War historian and a member of the Army of the Southwest Reenactors. He was dressed in a Union military uniform and had “Goodfellow” written on his canteen. He spoke in the first person during the presentation and afterwards during a question-and-answer session. “I was drawn to the name Goodfellow,” Fargo said. Goodfellow was born in Rock Island, Ill. and later moved to Afton, Iowa in search of employment and prosperity. It was there Goodfellow enlisted after Confederate forces attacked the Union-held garrison at Fort Sumter, S.C. April 12, 1861. The fort was captured by Confederate forces after a fierce bombardment. The Battle of Fort Sumter marked the beginning of the Civil War – a seminal event in American history. “Actually, Goodfellow served as chaplain,” Fargo said. “During the war, chaplains and officers could resign at any time. But I gave him the persona of a soldier in my presentations to make the audience understand what four years of combat infantry service was like.” In detail, Fargo described a soldier’s life from boot camp drills to food to military strategy to weapons. And indeed, he did. The Iowa 4th Infantry – 1861-1865 — engaged in combat through its travels Arkansas, Georgia Mississippi, Missoui and Tennessee and during the war said Fargo. “We participated in significant battles such as Pea Ridge in Arkansas and the Battle of Lookout Mountain in Tennessee,” said Fargo. “We marched with Gen. Sherman through Georgia.” The regiment was initially organized by Grenville Dodge of Council Bluffs. Soldiers were paid $16 per month. “We marched on foot extensively – sometimes walking many miles in one day,” he said. “The America's 250th Anniversary
Army provided shoes – but only one size and no left or right.” The shoes came equipped with heel plates to reduce wear and to prolong shoe life. Soldiers had to wear several pairs of socks to prevent blisters and other foot maladies. They slept in tents and carried bedrolls and mess kits. Beans and “hardtack” – a combination of water flour and salt - were staples. Union and Confederate troops used Pattern 1853 Enfield rifle muskets made in England. Later, Union troops used Springfield rifles made in Springfield, Mass., Fargo said. Both were reliable weapons — which in addition to artillery and disease — caused an estimated 620,000 to more than 750,000 Union and Confederate casualties. Some historians believe the 750,000 is the most accurate. Diseases such as diarrhea, dysentery and typhoid fever caused a significant number of deaths due to poor sanitation in camps. Deaths received from wounds in battle also dramatically increased the death toll. Fargo does numerous presentations annually. A Marshalltown soldier played a major role in the war, according to numerous archives found at the Historical Society of Marshall County. Nicholas Messenger of Marshalltown, serving in the 22nd Iowa Volunteer Infantry, distinguished himself at the Battle of Vicksburg – a pivotal event because the Union victory there split the Confederacy in half. Messenger was wounded in the battle and would suffer from the wounds the rest of his life. He would later become the Marshall County Recorder. Marshall County men were also well-represented. Ingram, Jessup and Sanford avenues in rural Marshall County were named for men who had served in the war among other achievements. Jessup was killed in the war, and Sanford was an officer. The History of Marshall County 1878 has extensive listings of Marshall County servicemen by regiment. Iowa had the highest number of residents per capita join the Union Army and fight in the war per historical archives. On display before and after Fargo’s presentation were battle flags, belt buckles, cartridges, period publications and more 1776-2026
which were organized by Fargo’s wife Elaine Fargo. The re-enactor also had numerous attendees hold a vintage Enfield rifle. “I was pleased with Faro’s detailed and firstperson presentation as Goodfellow, ” said Michelle Roseburrough, Historical Society of Marshall County (HSMC) president. “His knowledge of the Civil War and Iowa’s regiments are impressive.” The event was co-sponsored by Humanities Iowa and HSMC. For more information, contact Fargo at 641-782-8625 or ojfargo@iowatelecom.net or the HSMC – 647-752-6664 or info@hsmcia.org.
T-R FILE PHOTO O.J. Fargo of Creston, is shown with a replica of a bayonet used by Union forces in the Civil War during a presentation at the Marshalltown Public Library earlier this year.
By Mike Donahey Times-Republican July 4, 2026
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1869: The year that put Webster City on the map Came Snorting into Webster City.” It was the day that put Webster City on the map. The instrument of destiny was the Dubuque & Pacific RR—D&P which was incorporated in 1853 in its namesake city to build to the Pacific Ocean. Using Pacific in a railroad’s name signaled ambition and promise. Most, including the D&P, got nowhere near blue water. The railroad made steady progress. In 1857, track reached Dyersville, 29 miles west of Dubuque. Dubuque steamboat owner and D&P President, Jesse Farley, took the opportunity to name a hamlet six miles east of Dyersville for himself; thus Farley, Iowa was born. By 1861, the railroad steamed into Cedar Falls. The Civil War suspended railroad building nationwide, but by 1866, D&P rails had been laid further west to Iowa Falls. Here, Walter C. Willson enters the picture. Arriving in 1855, five years after founder Wilson Brewer, he bought Brewer’s entire plat for $22,000. Wilson’s first enterprise was a water-powered sawmill on the Boone River. Later, it was set up to mill corn into flour. 1869: Upon construction, Illinois Central's first permanent station in Webster City became one of the busiest places in town. Whether shipping an express parcel or a carload of corn, going on a trip or ending a telegram, it happened at the depot. In the foreground, a livery appears to be delivering some sacks of mail from the post office. Even if American history wasn’t your favorite class, there are some dates you may remember. Here’s an easy one. July 4, 1776. That’s when the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. December 7, 1940? The attack on Pearl Harbor that brought the U.S. into WW2. Then there’s May 10, 1869? That was when a railroad spike of 14 Troy ounces of California gold was driven into a railroad tie of laurel wood, marking completion of the first
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transcontinental railroad. The first? Five more would be built, but to most Americans, only the first is remembered. That day, two railroads met on a barren, windswept mountain pass at Promontory Point, Utah: Union Pacific, building west from Omaha, and Central Pacific, building east from Sacramento. How about April 6, 1869? Here’s the headline of that day’s Hamilton Freeman: “The Iron Horse Crossed the Classic Boone (River), and
Impatient with the slow progress of the D&P, in 1866, Willson met D&P’s chief engineer, John I. Blair, asking when the line might reach Webster City. He came away with a contract to build the railroad himself, and did so, from Alden to Webster City. In 1867, the D&P was absorbed by the Illinois Central— I.C. Webster City, now connected to America’s 47,000 miles of track, began seeing immediate benefits of its railroad. Settlers, previously facing weeks in a covered wagon struggling over dusty or muddy ruts that passed for roads, could now reach Webster City in comparative safety and comfort only two days after leaving Chicago.
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Daily deliveries of the U.S. Mail now arrived weeks faster than before. Everything needed to set up a farm or home in town could be readily and inexpensively shipped in boxcars.
Tunnel Mill: The earliest industries in the midwest were destined to be tools of survival, handling agricultural products and materials to build homes, barns and other supportive structures. The mills to handle the grains grown on the farms were by far the earliest forms of industry in the early settlers days. Tunnel Mill, which was located south of Webster City would have been a turbine mill, a water powered mill, located on the Boone River.
Three more railroad-related businesses began serving Webster City in the next few years. American Express Company ran its own express cars on I.C. passenger trains, hauling parcels from Webster City to its 23,000 offices across the U.S., Canada and Mexico, the forerunner of today’s United Parcel Service and Federal Express. Western Union established telegraph service at the I.C. depot, providing the miracle of nearly-instantaneous communication decades before long-distance telephone service. Its uniformed “telegraph boys” delivered telegrams all over town on bicycles into the 1960s. Finally, the Pullman Company’s comfortable sleeping cars provided luxurious travel throughout North America. Illinois Central’s fine overnight train, “The Hawkeye” took Webster Citians to Chicago where sleeping car services ran to every state in the Union and every Province of Canada. By the 1920s, over 100,000 people traveled in Pullman sleeping cars every night, making it the nation’s largest “hotelier.” Few inventions, entities or businesses survive 220 years, but we can easily conclude railroads remain vital to America, Iowa and Webster City in 2026. Consider Iowa’s two main commercial crops: corn and soybeans. According to industry trade journal Freight Waves, 24% of domestic grain movements and 39% of grain shipments for export, moved by rail in 2025. The Soy Transportation Coalition says “class one railroads move approximately 67% of soybean oil in
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the United States.” Every day soybean oil made in Eagle Grove passes through Webster City in trains. Each year Iowa produces 4.6 billion gallons of ethanol, but only 4% is consumed locally. About 60% of the rest goes to market nationwide by rail. Finally, Webster City’s new Gateway Industrial Park is competitive with other sites, in part because of access to Union Pacific Railroad service.
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Dragoon Trail By KOLLEEN TAYLOR Webster City did not exist in 1834 when the 1st U.S. Dragoon Regiment passed through the area. Two markers, one erected by the Iowa Daughters of the American Revolution, exist today reminding us that they came through Webster City. The DAR marker is at the northeast corner of the Kendall Young Library. The second marker is a brown and tan highway sign that marks the end of the trail near the East Twin Park. The Dragoons were men recruited by Capt. Nathan Boone, son of Daniel Boone, who sought individuals to shift from frontiersmen to soldiers. But he didn’t lead those he recruited. This task was assigned to Stephen Kearney. Lt. Col Stephen Watts Kearney had served in the war of 1812, but after the war, in 1819, he became a member of the Yellowshone Expedition and was assigned to the frontier. A career U.S. Army officer, he was part of the team exploring the west, subsequently reporting of the great prairie between the two rivers, and the populations of wildlife living in the habitat. In 1820, Lt. Kearney estimated a herd of nearly 5,000 bison lived near the Little Sioux River, in addition to dense populations of elk and deer. So by the time Boone had recruited men to serve, Kearney had an idea where they were heading. 78 men reported for service on the bank of the Mississippi River, and were taken to the newly founded Fort Des Moines in the fall of 1834. The outpost was made up of tents and scattered supplies. Their initial tasks were to create log quarters for the men, to create shelter for the midwest winter. It wasn’t until June of 1835 that they were led into the 1,100 miles reporting on rivers , plants, wildlife and people. According to the Iowa History Journal, the regiment scouted the territory of Iowa in the summer of 1835, following the Black Hawk Purchase of 1832. Col. Kearney led the infantry unit’s explorations and they were able to create several outposts from Fort Dodge and Webster City through Des Moines, Pella and
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Knoxville. The trail markers follow along the Des Moines, Boone and Raccoon rivers. Amongst the regiment was Lt. Albert Miller Lea, who was a topographer. At the time of their travels, the land was an unbroken territory, and their task was to map, measure and make contact with Indigenous peoples who made their home in the area. It is estimated that as many as 28 to 30 million acres of prairie covered the Iowa heartland. Inhabitants included the Dakota, Sauk, Meskwaki, Ioway, Otoe, Missouria, Potawatomi, Ho-Chunk and others. They had shaped and stewarded Iowa’s lands, and they tended the land with fire, ceremony and communal care. The seat of tall-grass prairie and forest of oak, hickory, maple and cottonwood shaded the river valleys. As the dragoons prepared to take the first American military expedition across the state, they did not anticipate the abundance, and careful balance that had kept wetlands, rivers, prairies and wildlife healthy. Their work mapping the area would change the landscape and the habitat as settlers would follow the Dragoon Trail and create settlements which would alter the balance so carefully preserved. The dragoon’s march and mapping opened new routes for wagons and cleared acres for plows. By 1860 nearly 750,000 settlers arrived to find their own fields of opportunity. As for the dragoons, many left the ranks to become farmers, and all that remains of their work are the scattered signs marking the Dragoon Trail.
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Early Leadership in Hamilton County Bell first settler in county, Brewer first in Newcastle Willson credited with building and leading Webster City Preston Bell was credited as the earliest settler in Hamilton County. Born and raised in Indiana, he was seeking a home on the frontier, and had been stopping for some time near Des Moines. Traveling in a covered wagon with an ox team, he traveled north, following the Boone River north. What he found was from 40 to 60 acres of what was called “weed bottom”, making it possible to plant a crop immediately. That first crop was corn. The soil was rich, and mellow and he reported that he raised the finest corn and was in a position to supply the U.S. surveying party with corn when they arrived to survey the lands. He lived most of his life in Hamilton county, until 1892 when he sold and moved to Kansas. When Bell settled in the county, no survey had been made. The Boone river had not been named and was referred to as “The East Fork” for many years. At that time, the river was narrow and deep, without sand bars. It was assumed that the river was named when the first survey was made near it’s mouth in 1850. The Wilson Brewer family and a nephew of William Brewer, the William Stanley family all traveled to the Hamilton County area in the fall of 1850. They settled near Bone’s mill, about six miles south of Webster City. Traveling with ox teams in covered wagons, they would set up a tent and found a good supply of venison, finding a plentiful number of deer. Wilson Brewer and William Frakes laid out the America's 250th Anniversary
town of New Castle in the fall of 1854 Brewer staked out a claim just south of the mill site and built a cabin. Shortly after doing that, he sold his cabin to his nephew, staking out a new claim within the present boundaries of Webster City. Mr. Brewer was the first settler within the present limits of Webster City. Today the Wilson Brewer Park located at 220 Ohio St. honors the family who took such major risks to settle in Iowa. One of the cabins that have been restored was where they lived. W.C. Willson arrived in Webster City in the spring of 1855, when the town we know as Webster City was still named Newcastle. Willson was quite impressed with the community, but family In members deemed it to be too far west. After viewing other properties he returned to Newcastle, arriving in March 1855, and staying at Wilson Brewer’s log cabin for two weeks, while his home was being readied for them. Brewer’s first nights in his log cabin home were the last quiet days, as within days, they had twenty individuals staying the night. From then until October they fed no less than 40, up to 100 people at a meal. While accommodating travelers, Mr. and Mrs. Willson slept in one corner of the room on the main floor with curtains around it. The first town election was held at the Brewer home. The polls were their dining room table, and the ballot box was J.M. Funk’s hat. Willson had erected log cabins and a saw mill on the site of Webster City water mills owned later by Judge Chase. Their log “hotel” was sold, and they moved into a slab barn for 3 weeks, until W.C. Willson completed a framed building known as the Webster City hotel. On July 5, 1855, W.C. Willson, Henry Kellogg and Charles Wilder filed for recording the original plat of Webster City. In 1856, W.C. Willson was elected as a state senator for Webster County. At that time, the counties of Webster and Hamilton County 1776-2026
were together. Willson traveled to the capital in Iowa City to present an act to divide the large county into two separate counties. The western county was to retain the name Webster and have its county seat in Fort Dodge. The east half was to be named Sharon County and have its county seat Webster City. To get this enacted, Willson contacted the president of the Senate, William W. Hamilton. To honor his assistance, the county name was changed from Sharon to Hamilton County. The act passed the legislature and became law on January 1, 1857. Willson was credited with working to get the railroads to Webster City, building the first Depot at Des Moines Street, and laying track to continue the train to Fort Dodge. He also built a new two story hotel at the corner of Des Moines and Second St., then built the Willson Opera House on the northeast corner where it housed on it’s first floor the Webster City Savings Bank and Crary’s Hardware. The second floor housed the opera house. This building today still stands, with its longest tenant, “Leon’s Pizza” on the main floor. Willson and Jacob M. Funk constructed many of the business buildings on Second Street, and was considered responsible for shifting the main business district from Seneca to Second street. But Willson wasn’t finished with his vision. He was looking for a better supply of coal, and needed good clay for a new tile factory. He opened the Crooked Creek Coal Company near Lehigh and began mining coal. To transport, he built another line, referred to as the Crooked Creek railroad.
Willson died on August 19, 1900 while supervising the unloading of slag to fill in a hole. His funeral was the largest crowd for any funeral even held in Webster City; credited for building and preparing Webster City for the next centuries. (This history was compiled by Kolleen Taylor using the History of Hamilton County, written by J.W. Lee and the History of Hamilton County compiled by Martin Nass) July 4, 2026
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School bells rang early in Fort Dodge Fort Dodge schools
Educational institutions started soon after town was founded
Lincoln School — Lincoln School stood near 10th Street and Fourth Avenue North, where the St. Edmond Arena and practice field are now. The first Lincoln School was built in 1868 and was destroyed by fire in 1870.
By BILL SHEA bshea@messengernews.net
The replacement school was built in 1872. It was a three-story building with a cupola on its roof.
Iowa has long been known for its commitment to an outstanding education for its youth.
The school was named for D.K. Lincoln, who was the president of the school board.
In Fort Dodge that commitment emerged early.
This building was more than just a school. For several years it was the entire school system. Students went to class there from first grade through their senior year of high school.
The town was founded in 1854 and the first school opened a year later. Here is a summary of Fort Dodge schools through the years, based largely on materials found in the archives of the Webster County Historical Society.
Early schools
The Fort Dodge Army post, which closed in 1853, was located on and around the spot where the old Wahknosa School sits today at 330 First Ave. N. The town’s very first school opened in 1855 in one of the remaining fort buildings just west of the current Wahkonsa School. It was open for only two months: January and February of 1855. There were 20 students. Cyrus Carpenter was the teacher. Carpenter later served as governor of Iowa from 1872 to 1876. In 1856, the community’s first true school building was constructed at Second Avenue South and Seventh Street. It was a two-story building often called Old Brick. In the spring of 1857 following the attack by Native Americans known as the Spirit Lake Massacre, the school year was ended early and the building was used to house the refugees who streamed into Fort Dodge seeking safety. In 1868, another school was built a block away at Second Avenue South and Eighth Street. It was only used for about two years until the Lincoln School was built. 58
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The first class graduated from Lincoln School in 1875. It consisted of three students.
This was the first purpose built public high school in Fort Dodge, Located at First Avenue North and 10th Street, it was in use from 1897 to 1922.
Arey School — The original Arey School was built in 1890 near First Avenue South and 17th Street. It was named after Melvin Arey, who was superintendent of schools. Wahkonsa School — The first Wahkonsa School was built in 1891. It burned down on Feb. 2, 1912. The current building was constructed in 1913. It is now an office building for government human services agencies.
is now 16th Street and Sixth Avenue North, it was on the far east side of town. There were two houses to the north of it and none to the east. It is named for C.F. Duncombe, who was president of the Board of Education. His father, John Duncombe, was an attorney, editor and businessman who was one of the most prominent figures in early Fort Dodge. John Duncombe served as a state legislator and member of the state Board of Regents.
Senior High — A new high school building was constructed in 1897 at First Avenue North and 10th Street. At that time high school classes were moved out of Lincoln School. It was damaged by fire in June 1907, but was restored and remained in use until 1922.
Carpenter School — Opened in 1917, it was named after Gov. Cyrus Carpenter.
In 1922, a new high school was constructed at 1015 Fifth Ave. N. It was replaced in 1958 by the current high school at 825 N. 25th St.
First junior high school — Junior high students attended Lincoln School and then occupied part of the 1922 high school building. In 1931, a purpose-built junior high school was constructed near what is today 12th Street and Kenyon Road. It later became South Junior High and later Fair Oaks Middle School. It closed when the current middle school at 800 N. 32nd St. opened in about 2014, but was put back into use as a temporary Duncombe Elementary School while a new building was constructed.
The 1922 building became North Junior High, then Phillips Middle School. Today, it is Phillips Luxury Apartments. Butler School — The first Butler School was built in 1910 near Oleson Park. It was named after J.B. Butler, a member of the Board of Education. Duncombe School — When the original Duncombe School was built in 1912 near what
Hawley School — This school also opened in 1917 on the northwest side of town on a ridge called Round Prairie. Hawley-Lions Park now occupies the space where the school once stood.
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Catholic schools
St. Paul Lutheran School
The first Catholic school in Fort Dodge opened in 1859, according to the book “150 Years of Faith: Catholic Team Parishes of Webster County.” It was a two-story frame structure with a cupola that stood on the north side of the Corpus Christi Church campus on what is now North Eighth Street.
St. Paul Lutheran School was established in 1863. The current school building at 1217 Fourth Ave. S. was constructed in 1950. It was expanded in 1959 and remodeled in 1999.
Tobin Business College
In 1862, the Sisters of Charity began operating the school.
This institution was started in September 1892 by Thomas Tobin, an immigrant from Ireland.
The school was destroyed by fire in December 1900. In 1902, it was replaced with the Corpus Christi Academy on the same site.That building would stand until 1975. But after World War II, it was gradually emptied of students. A new Corpus Christi Elementary School was built nearby in 1949. It still stands and is used a s parish center. Then in 1955, St. Edmond High School opened at North 22nd Street and Sixth Avenue North. Holy Rosary School on 9 1/2 Avenue South opened in 1952. In 1962, a new Sacred Heart Elementary School was built on South 13th Street across from Sacred Heart Church. In 1981, that building became the Catholic middle school. In 2002, all elementary and junior high classes were moved to the St. Edmond site, creating today’s St. Edmond Catholic School.
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It was located at the corner of First Avenue North and Seventh Street. True to its name, the college taught bookkeeping, shorthand and other business skills to its students. But it also had a program of study that prepared people to be teachers. In 1898, a music program was added to the college’s offerings.
Corpus Christi Academy was built in 1902 and stood until 1975. It was on the north side of the Corpus Christi Catholic Church property on North Eighth Street.
The college was a co-ed institution from the day it opened. The college’s building burned down on Nov. 25, 1929. The fire prompted a 1931 merger with Fort Dodge Business College.
Iowa Central Community College
There was a Fort Dodge Junior College operated by the school district for several years. The modern community college system came about in 1966 as a result of legislation authored
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by then state Rep. Jack Kibbie, D-Emmetsburg. Kibbie later became a state senator and president of the senate. Iowa Central Community College started that same year under the leadership of Ed Barbour, the superintendent of schools at Eagle Grove who became the first college president. Classes were held in various places around Fort Dodge until the first buildings on the current campus were ready.
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