History of Iowa in Timeline

Iowa is a state in the U.S. Midwest, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east, and the Missouri and Big Sioux Rivers to the west. Neighboring states include Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Minnesota.

1900: Iowa population slower growth than US

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

January 12, 1912: Iowa's all-time lowest temperature recorded

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

In 1914, with the beginning of World War I, Iowa farmers began to experience economic prosperity.

1917: United States entered World War I

In 1917, the United States entered World War I, and Iowa farmers experienced a wartime economy.

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

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

1918: Many African-American families made the decision to remain in Des Moines.

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 of German

In 1918, the Babel Proclamation banned the speaking of German in public in Iowa.

1919: Defeat of voting rights for women

Between 1870 and 1919, several attempts to grant full voting rights to Iowa women were defeated.

1920: Women gain the right to vote

In 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, granting women the right to vote, with the Iowa legislature being one of the ratifying votes.

July 20, 1934: Iowa's hottest temperature recorded

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 canceled due to World War II

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

1945: State Fair canceled due to World War II

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

1949: Court rules against racial discrimination

In 1949, the Iowa court ruled in State of Iowa v. Katz that businesses had to serve customers regardless of race, effectively making racial discrimination at public businesses illegal. The case stemmed from Edna Griffin being denied service at a Des Moines drugstore.

1961: Rain average over 38 inches

From 1961 to 1990, areas in the southeast of Iowa received an average of over 38 inches (97 cm) of rain annually.

1965: Full racial civil rights codified

In 1965, full racial civil rights were codified under the Iowa Civil Rights Act.

1968: Deadliest year since 1968

2008 was the deadliest year since 1968 for tornadoes in Iowa.

1971: John Deere Classic Began

In 1971, the John Deere Classic, a PGA Tour golf event, began in the Quad Cities.

1973: RAGBRAI Began

In 1973, Iowa began hosting RAGBRAI, the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa. The event is a bike ride across the state from river-to-river that attracts thousands of bicyclists and support personnel, following various routes each year.

1975: Iowa to accept 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, with 1200 being resettled in Iowa.

June 1976: Repeal of law criminalizing same-sex sexual activity

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

1980: Rejection of Equal Rights Amendment

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

1983: Terry Branstad Elected Governor

Terry Branstad was first elected as governor in 1983.

1990: Rain average less than 28 inches

From 1961 to 1990, the northwest of Iowa received less than 28 inches (71 cm) of rain annually.

1990: Wind Turbine Electrical Generation Increase

Since 1990, wind turbine electrical generation has increased exponentially in northern and western Iowa.

1990: Iowa population increasing

The population of Iowa has been increasing since approximately 1990.

1992: Rejection of Equal Rights Amendment

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

1998: Addition of "women" to Iowa Constitution

In 1998, the word "women" was added to the Iowa Constitution, stating that "All men and women are, by nature, free and equal..."

1999: Germans are the largest ethnic group in Iowa

According to a version of Encyclopædia Britannica published in 1999, Germans are the largest ethnic group in Iowa.

1999: U.S. Senior Open Hosted

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

1999: Terry Branstad's Term as Governor Ends

Terry Branstad's initial term as governor ended in 1999.

2000: Iowa's urban population exceeded rural

In 2000, 61 percent of Iowa's population lived in urban areas, a trend that began in the early 20th century.

2000: Study Religious Congregations & Membership: 2000

The study Religious Congregations & Membership: 2000 found that 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: The Principal Charity Classic Began

In 2001, the Principal Charity Classic, a Champions Tour event, began.

2001: 105 tornadoes in Iowa

In 2001, there was 105 tornadoes in Iowa.

2002: Indirect Role of Agriculture

In 2002, the impact of the indirect role of agriculture in Iowa's economy, including agriculture-affiliated business, 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, or 21%, to the gross state product.

2004: Third Parties on the 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's GDP

In 2005, Iowa's GDP was about $124 billion when measured by gross domestic product, or $113.5 billion when measured by gross state product.

2006: Iowa's Per Capita Income

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

2006: Iowa Speedway Hosted Auto Racing Championships

In 2006, the Iowa Speedway oval track in Newton began hosting auto racing championships, including the IndyCar Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, and NASCAR Truck Series.

2007: Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Insurance Share

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

2007: Agricultural Contribution to Iowa's GSP

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

2007: Presidential Campaign Spending

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

2007: Iowa Legislature adds "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" to the protected classes

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 grew by 8.5%

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

2008: Iowa's Agricultural Production

In 2008, the 92,600 farms in Iowa produced 19% of the nation's corn, 17% of the soybeans, 30% of the hogs, and 14% of the eggs.

2008: Deadliest tornado year since 1968

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

April 3, 2009: Iowa Supreme Court legalizes same-sex marriage

On April 3, 2009, the Iowa Supreme Court decided Varnum v. Brien, holding in a unanimous decision, the state's law forbidding same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. This made Iowa the third state in the U.S. and first in the Midwest to permit same-sex marriage.

July 2, 2009: Iowa's Credit Rated AAA by Standard & Poor's

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

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 and Renewable Fuels Production

In 2009, ethanol production consumed about a third of Iowa's corn production, and renewable fuels accounted for eight percent of the state's gross domestic product. A total of 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: Iowa Lost One Seat in Congress

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: Republicans Gained Control of the House

As a result of the 2010 elections, the House had a Republican majority, while the Senate had a Democratic majority. Incumbent Democratic governor Chet Culver was defeated by Republican Terry Branstad.

2010: Center of population

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

2010: Population of Iowa

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

2010: Iowa Ranked Sixth Best State for Business

In 2010, CNBC recognized Iowa as the sixth best state for business, ranking it first in "Cost of Doing Business".

2010: Drop in Health Insurance Competition Levels

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

2010: United States census

The population of Iowa saw a 4.73% increase since the 2010 United States census.

2011: Iowa Economic Development Authority Created

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

2011: Drop in Health Insurance Competition Levels

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

2012: U.S. Representatives Ran Against Each Other

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

2013: Health Insurance Competition Levels Report

According to the 2013 annual report on the level of competition in the health insurance industry by the American Medical Association, Iowa faced a significant drop in competition levels.

November 2014: Health Insurers Dominance

In November 2014, the Iowa Insurance Division reported that Wellmark Inc. dominated Iowa's health insurance markets (individual, small group, and large group) with 52–67% market share.

2014: Pew Research Center survey about Iowans

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

2014: Tom Latham Retired

After winning the 2012 election, Tom Latham retired after the 2014 elections.

2014: All-time lowest temperature recorded

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

2014: Number of Health Insurance Organizations

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

December 14, 2015: Branstad Longest Serving Governor

On December 14, 2015, Terry Branstad became the longest serving governor in U.S. history, serving 20 years, 11 months, and 3 days.

2015: Impact of Transportation Spending

As of 2015 transportation spending is a significant part of the budgets of rural school districts as many are geographically large and must transport students across vast distances.

2015: Average of tornadoes in Iowa

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

2016: Population of Hispanic origin

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

2016: Republicans Gained Control of the 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 lived in Iowa, with about 3,000 in Des Moines alone.

2016: Top Companies Headquartered in Iowa

In 2016, Iowa was the headquarters for three of the top 2,000 companies for revenue, including Principal Financial, Rockwell Collins, and American Equity Investment.

2016: Libertarian Party Presidential Candidate

In 2016, Libertarian Party presidential candidate Gary Johnson received 3.8% of the Iowa vote in the general election.

2016: State Employment Statistics

In 2016, the total employment of the state's population was 1,354,487, and the total number of employer establishments was 81,563.

2016: Organic Farming Growth

In 2016, there were approximately 732 organic farms in Iowa, a 5% increase from the previous year, with 103,136 organic acres, a 9,429-acre increase.

May 24, 2017: Kim Reynolds Succeeded Branstad

On May 24, 2017, Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds succeeded Terry Branstad as governor, following Branstad's appointment as U.S. Ambassador to China.

2017: Sign language usage

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

2017: Solheim Cup Hosted

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

2017: Libertarian Party Obtained Status

In 2017, the Libertarian Party obtained official political party status in Iowa.

2017: High School Graduation Rate

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

March 2018: Hog Population in Iowa

In March 2018, Iowa had about 22.6 million hogs in 8,000 facilities large enough to require manure management plans, outnumbering Iowans by more than 7 to 1.

May 2018: Iowa Signs Restrictive Abortion Ban Into Law

In May 2018, Iowa signed into law one of the country's most restrictive abortion bans: the requirement that a doctor cannot perform an abortion if they can detect a fetal heartbeat, which in many cases would restrict abortions pregnancies less than six weeks old.

2018: All-time hottest temperature recorded

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

2018: Top Countries of Origin for Immigrants

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

January 2019: "Fetal Heartbeat" Law Struck Down

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

2019: Wind Power Statistics

In 2019, wind power in Iowa accounted for 42% of electrical energy produced, and 10,201 megawatts of generating capacity had been installed by the end of the year.

2019: Nation's Highest Graduation Rate

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

April 1, 2020: Iowa Population

On April 1, 2020, the population of Iowa was 3,190,369.

2020: Irreligious population in Iowa

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

2020: Native American population in Iowa

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

2020: State Fair canceled due to the COVID pandemic

In 2020, the Iowa State Fair was canceled due to the COVID pandemic.

2020: State Ranked for Ease of Voting

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

2020: Start of 2020-2023 North American drought

The 2020-2023 North American drought started to affect Iowa particularly in 2020.

September 2021: State's Unemployment Rate

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

2021: Iowa Heartlanders Started Playing

In 2021, Coralville welcomed the Iowa Heartlanders, an ECHL team affiliated with the Minnesota Wild, marking the start of their inaugural 2021–22 season.

2021: Life Expectancy in Iowa

The life expectancy of Iowa is 77.7 years in 2021.

2022: Estimated number of homeless people in Iowa

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

2022: Kim Reynolds Governor of Iowa

As of 2022, the 43rd and current governor of Iowa is Kim Reynolds (R).

2023: End of 2020-2023 North American drought

The 2020-2023 North American drought ended, affecting Iowa.

2024: Republican Party Dominated

By 2024, the state became dominated by the Republican Party.

2025: Iowa Data Centers

As of 2025, Iowa had 64 data centers; Google in Council Bluffs and Cedar Rapids, Apple in Waukee, Meta in Altoona, Iowa and Microsoft has six data centers in West Des Moines.

2025: Iowa Legislature removes "gender identity" from protected classes

The Iowa Legislature later struck "gender identity" from these protections in 2025, making Iowa the first U.S. state to remove a protected group from a state anti-discrimination law.