Full History Of Iowa In Timeline From 1900

1900: Iowa Population Growth Slower than U.S. Average

Since the 1900 census, the population of Iowa has increased at a slower rate than the U.S. as a whole.

January 12, 1912: Record Low Temperature Recorded in Washta

On January 12, 1912, Iowa's all-time lowest temperature of −47 °F (−44 °C) was recorded in Washta.

1914: Beginning of World War I Leads to Economic Prosperity for Iowa Farmers

In 1914, the beginning of World War I led to economic prosperity for Iowa farmers, which lasted until the end of the war.

1917: Establishment of Colored Officers Training Camp at Fort Des Moines

In 1917, the African-American population in Des Moines experienced a significant increase with the establishment of the Colored Officers Training Camp at Fort Des Moines.

1917: United States Enters World War I

In 1917, the United States entered World War I, leading to a wartime economy for farmers and all Iowans.

1918: African-American Families Remain in Des Moines After World War I

Following the conclusion of World War I in 1918, numerous African-American families made the decision to remain in Des Moines.

1918: Babel Proclamation Banned Speaking German

The Babel Proclamation of 1918 banned the speaking of German in public.

1919: Defeated Attempts to Grant Voting Rights

Several attempts to grant full voting rights to Iowa women were defeated between 1870 and 1919.

1920: Women's Right to Vote

In 1920, women were granted the right to vote in Iowa following the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

July 20, 1934: Record High Temperature Recorded in Keokuk

On July 20, 1934, Iowa's all-time hottest temperature of 118 °F (48 °C) was recorded at Keokuk during a nationwide heat wave.

1942: State Fair Cancelled Due to World War II

In 1942, the Iowa State Fair was cancelled due to World War II, as the fairgrounds were used as an army supply depot.

1945: State Fair Cancelled Due to World War II

In 1945, the Iowa State Fair was cancelled due to World War II, as the fairgrounds were used as an army supply depot.

1949: Racial Discrimination Deemed Illegal

In 1949, the Iowa court ruled in State of Iowa v. Katz that businesses had to serve customers regardless of race.

1961: Start of Precipitation Measurement Period

From 1961 to 1990, areas in the southeast of Iowa received an average of over 38 inches of rain annually.

1965: Full Racial Civil Rights Codified

Full racial civil rights were codified under the Iowa Civil Rights Act of 1965.

1968: Deadliest Year for Tornadoes in Iowa Until 2008

Until 2008, 1968 was the deadliest year for tornadoes in Iowa.

1971: John Deere Classic PGA Tour Event

Since 1971, the John Deere Classic has been a PGA Tour golf event held in the Quad Cities.

1973: Inaugural RAGBRAI

In 1973, the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) occurred for the first time.

1975: Iowa Resettles Tai Dam Refugees

In 1975, Governor Robert D. Ray petitioned President Ford to allow Iowa to accept and resettle Tai Dam refugees fleeing the Indochina War, resettling 1200 in Iowa.

June 1976: Repeal of Criminalizing Same-Sex Sexual Activity

In June 1976, the state's law criminalizing same-sex sexual activity was repealed.

1980: Iowa Voters Reject Equal Rights Amendment

In 1980 and 1992 Iowa voters rejected an Equal Rights Amendment to the state constitution.

1983: Terry Branstad Governor

Terry Branstad served as governor from 1983 to 1999

1990: Iowa Begins Gaining Population

Around 1990, Iowa began gaining population after a period of rural flight.

1990: End of Precipitation Measurement Period

From 1961 to 1990, areas in the southeast of Iowa received an average of over 38 inches of rain annually.

1990: Increased Wind Turbine Electrical Generation

Since 1990, wind turbine electrical generation has been increasing exponentially.

1992: Iowa Voters Reject Equal Rights Amendment

In 1980 and 1992 Iowa voters rejected an Equal Rights Amendment to the state constitution.

1998: Iowa Constitution Amended

In 1998, Iowa added the word "women" to the Iowa Constitution, affirming the equality of men and women.

1999: U.S. Senior Open

In 1999, the Des Moines Golf and Country Club hosted the U.S. Senior Open.

1999: Terry Branstad Governor

Terry Branstad served as governor from 1983 to 1999

2000: Iowa Population More Urban Than Rural

In 2000, 61 percent of Iowa's population lived in urban areas.

2000: Religious Congregations & Membership

The study Religious Congregations & Membership: 2000 found in the southernmost two tiers of Iowa counties and in other counties in the center of the state, the largest religious group was the United Methodist Church.

2001: High Number of Tornadoes in Iowa

In 2001, there were 105 tornadoes in Iowa, matching the total in 2008.

2001: Principal Charity Classic Champions Tour Event

Since 2001, the Principal Charity Classic has been a Champions Tour event.

2002: Indirect Impact of Agriculture on Iowa's Economy

In 2002, the impact of the indirect role of agriculture in Iowa's economy was calculated at 16.4% in terms of value added and 24.3% in terms of total output.

2003: Manufacturing Sector of Iowa's Economy

In 2003, manufacturing was the largest sector of Iowa's economy, contributing $20.8 billion (21%) to the state's Gross State Product.

2004: Third Party Candidates on Ballot

Since 2004, four third parties have had candidates on the ballot in Iowa for various positions: the Constitution Party, the Green Party, the Pirate Party, and the Socialist Workers Party.

2005: Iowa Ranked 49th in Public Land Holdings

As of 2005, Iowa ranked 49th of U.S. states in public land holdings.

2005: Iowa GDP

In 2005, Iowa's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was about $124 billion.

2006: Iowa Per Capita Income

In 2006, Iowa's per capita income was $23,340.

2006: Iowa Speedway Hosted Auto Racing Championships

Since 2006, the Iowa Speedway oval track in Newton has hosted auto racing championships such as the IndyCar Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Truck Series.

2007: Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Market Share

According to the AMA annual report from 2007 Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield had provided 71% of the state's health insurance.

2007: Contribution of Conventional Agriculture

As of 2007, direct production and sale of conventional agricultural commodities contributed about 3.5% of Iowa's gross state product.

2007: Presidential Campaign Spending

In 2007, Iowa presidential campaign spending was the seventh highest in the country.

2007: Addition of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

In 2007, the Iowa Legislature added "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" to the protected classes listed in the Iowa Civil Rights Act.

2008: Urban Counties Grow, Rural Counties Decline

From 2000 to 2008, urban counties in Iowa grew 8.5%, while rural counties declined by 4.2%.

2008: Iowa Agricultural Production

In 2008, Iowa produced 19% of the nation's corn, 17% of the soybeans, 30% of the hogs, and 14% of the eggs.

2008: Deadly Tornadoes in Iowa

In 2008, twelve people were killed by tornadoes in Iowa, making it the deadliest year since 1968. There were 105 tornadoes, matching the total from 2001.

April 3, 2009: Iowa Supreme Court Decided Varnum v. Brien

On April 3, 2009, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled in Varnum v. Brien that the state's ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional, making Iowa the third state in the U.S. and the first in the Midwest to legalize same-sex marriage.

July 2, 2009: Iowa Credit Rated AAA

On July 2, 2009, Standard & Poor's rated Iowa's credit as AAA, the highest credit rating.

2009: Major Iowa Agricultural Product Processors

As of 2009, major Iowa agricultural product processors included Archer Daniels Midland, Cargill, Inc., Diamond V Mills, and Quaker Oats.

2009: Ethanol Production

In 2009, Iowa's 39 ethanol plants produced 3.1 billion US gallons of fuel.

2010: Largest Protestant Denominations

A survey from the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) in 2010 found that the largest Protestant denominations were the United Methodist Church with 235,190 adherents and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America with 229,557.

2010: Loss of Congressional Seat

After the 2010 United States census and the resulting redistricting, Iowa lost one seat in Congress, falling to four seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

2010: Population Demographics in Iowa

As of the 2010 census, the center of population of Iowa is in Marshall County, near Melbourne.

2010: Iowa Population

As of the 2010 census, the population of Iowa was 3,046,355.

2010: Iowa Recognized as Sixth Best State for Business

In 2010, CNBC recognized Iowa as the sixth best state for business in the nation, ranking first in "Cost of Doing Business" which includes taxes and utility costs.

2010: Culver Defeated; Party Control Split

In 2010, incumbent Democratic governor Chet Culver was defeated by Republican Terry Branstad, and the Republican Party gained a majority in the House while the Senate had a Democratic majority.

2010: Drop in Health Insurance Competition

Iowa was fourth out of ten states with the biggest drop in competition levels of health insurance between 2010 and 2011.

2010: Previous US Census Bureau Count

The population of Iowa increased 4.73% since the 2010 United States census.

2011: Drop in Health Insurance Competition

Between 2010 and 2011, Iowa was fourth out of ten states with the biggest drop in competition levels of health insurance

2011: Iowa Economic Development Authority Created

In 2011, the Iowa Economic Development Authority was created, replacing the Iowa Department of Economic Development.

2012: Congressional Election

In 2012, incumbent U.S. representatives Leonard Boswell (D) and Tom Latham (R) ran against each other in the third congressional district.

2013: Annual Report on Health Insurance Competition

Per the 2013 annual report, Iowa experienced a significant drop in health insurance competition between 2010 and 2011.

November 2014: Health Insurers in Iowa

In November 2014, an Iowa Insurance Division report examined 95% of health insurers by premium, finding Wellmark Inc. to dominate the individual, small group, and large group health insurance markets at 52–67%.

2014: Religious Affiliation in Iowa

A 2014 survey by Pew Research Center found 60% of Iowans are Protestant, while 18% are Catholic, and 1% are of non-Christian religions, with 21% non-religious.

2014: Reference to Coldest Temperature

As of 2014, Iowa's all-time lowest temperature of −47 °F (−44 °C) was recorded in Washta on January 12, 1912.

2014: Health Insurance Organizations

As of 2014, there were 16 organizations offering health insurance products in Iowa, per the State of Iowa Insurance Division.

2014: Tom Latham Retirement

Tom Latham retired after the 2014 elections.

December 14, 2015: Branstad Becomes Longest Serving Governor

On December 14, 2015, Branstad became the longest serving governor in U.S. history.

2015: Average Number of Tornadoes in Iowa

As of 2015, the 30-year annual average of tornadoes in Iowa was 47.

2015: Transportation Spending

As of 2015, transportation spending is a significant part of the budgets of rural school districts.

2016: Hispanic or Latino Population in Iowa

According to the 2016 American Community Survey, 5.6% of Iowa's population were of Hispanic or Latino origin.

2016: Gary Johnson Vote Percentage

As a result of presidential candidate Gary Johnson receiving 3.8% of the Iowa vote in the 2016 general election, the Libertarian party gained official status.

2016: Republicans Gain Control of Senate

As a result of the 2016 elections, Republicans gained control of the Senate.

2016: Jewish Population in Iowa

As of 2016 about 6,000 Jews live in Iowa, with about 3,000 of them in Des Moines.

2016: Organic Farms in Iowa

In 2016, Iowa had about 732 organic farms, and 103,136 organic acres.

2016: Iowa Headquarters for Top Companies

In 2016, Iowa was the headquarters for three of the top 2,000 companies for revenue.

May 24, 2017: Reynolds Becomes Governor

On May 24, 2017, Kim Reynolds succeeded Terry Branstad as governor of Iowa.

2017: Sign Language Usage

About 2.5% of the general population use sign language as of 2017.

2017: Solheim Cup

In 2017, the Des Moines Golf and Country Club hosted the Solheim Cup.

2017: High School Graduation Rate

In 2017, the four-year graduation rate for high schoolers was 91.3%.

2017: Libertarian Party Status

The Libertarian Party obtained official political party status in Iowa in 2017.

March 2018: Hog Population in Iowa

In March 2018, Iowa had about 22.6 million hogs in 8,000 facilities.

May 2018: Iowa Abortion Ban Signed Into Law

In May 2018, Iowa signed into law a restrictive abortion ban requiring detection of a fetal heartbeat before an abortion could be performed.

2018: Reference to Hottest Temperature

As of 2018, Iowa's all-time hottest temperature of 118 °F (48 °C) was recorded at Keokuk on July 20, 1934.

2018: Top Countries of Origin for Iowa Immigrants

In 2018, the top countries of origin for Iowa's immigrants were Mexico, India, Vietnam, China and Thailand.

January 2019: Abortion Ban Ruled Unconstitutional

In January 2019, an Iowa state judge ruled the "fetal heartbeat" abortion law unconstitutional.

2019: Wind Power in Iowa

In 2019, wind power in Iowa accounted for 42% of electrical energy produced.

2019: Highest Graduation Rate

Iowa's schools are credited with the highest graduation rate in the nation as of 2019.

April 1, 2020: Iowa Population Determined by US Census Bureau

On April 1, 2020, the United States Census Bureau determined the population of Iowa was 3,190,369.

2020: Irreligious Population

According to the 2020 Public Religion Research Institute's study, 26% of the population were irreligious.

2020: Native American Population Count

In 2020, 14,486 people in Iowa identified as being Native American alone, and 41,472 did in combination with one or more other races.

2020: State Fair Cancelled Due to COVID-19 Pandemic

In 2020, the Iowa State Fair was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

2020: North American Drought Affects Iowa

In 2020, the ongoing North American drought began to significantly affect Iowa.

2020: Ease of Voting Ranking

In a 2020 study, Iowa was ranked as the 24th easiest state for citizens to vote in.

September 2021: Iowa Unemployment Rate

As of September 2021, the state's unemployment rate is 4.0%.

2021: Iowa Heartlanders Started Playing

In 2021, the Iowa Heartlanders, an ECHL team and affiliate of the Minnesota Wild, began playing in Coralville for the 2021-22 season.

2022: Homeless Population in Iowa

According to HUD's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, there were an estimated 2,419 homeless people in Iowa.

2022: Current Governor

As of 2022, the current governor of Iowa is Kim Reynolds (R).

2022: Religious Self-Identification

Religious self-identification, per Public Religion Research Institute's 2022 American Values Survey.

2023: North American Drought Affects Iowa

In 2023, the ongoing North American drought continued to significantly affect Iowa.

January 2024: Iowa Drought Persists

As of January 2024, Iowa was in its 187th consecutive week of at least moderate drought, the longest stretch since the 1950s, with 96% of areas affected.