May 8, 1975 – The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that an electronic security system will be installed in the Public Library. Just one of the many improvements initiated by the new director, Lolly Eggers.

In 1969, Lolly Parker Eggers came on staff at the Iowa City Public Library. Over the next twenty-five years, this lion-hearted librarian transitioned the organization from being a simple small-town library to becoming one of the most widely-respected media centers around the country. A true mover-n-shaker, Lolly Parker Eggers led the way for women across Johnson County.

READ MORE HERE…

This Day In History is an Our Iowa Heritage blog series that offers you a little bit of Iowa trivia from a large selection of stories on our website. Subscribe to this FREE blog and you’ll get a new email from us daily. Click to learn more.

May 7, 1973 – Plum Grove – the home of Governor Robert Lucas, located at 1030 Carroll Street in Iowa City, is designated on the National Register of Historic Places.

After leaving the governor’s office in 1841, Robert Lucas returned briefly to Ohio (1843), so he might run for the U.S. Congress. Defeated in that election, the Lucas’ sold all their land in Ohio, and moved to Iowa City, settling here with his wife, Friendly, and several of his children and grandchildren. In 1844, he built this beautiful home for his family on a plot of land (461 acres) south and east of the city that he had acquired in 1839. That homestead would later come to be known as Plum Grove – located at 1030 Carroll Street. The property was bought by the State of Iowa in 1943, refurbished as a monument to Governor Lucas and his family, and opened to the public during Iowa’s Centennial celebration (1946).

READ MORE HERE…

This Day In History is an Our Iowa Heritage blog series that offers you a little bit of Iowa trivia from a large selection of stories on our website. Subscribe to this FREE blog and you’ll get a new email from us daily. Click to learn more.

Click here to go on to the next date…

May 6, 1897 – The Iowa General Assembly designates the “Wild Rose” as the state flower of Iowa.

There are, actually, three varieties of Wild Roses – Rosa blanda, Rosa arkansana, and Rosa carolina – and they all grow throughout the state, typically blooming – in varying shades of pink – starting in June. Since the General Assembly did not specify which of the three ‘Wild Roses’ would actually serve as the state flower, Iowans have three varieties to choose from!

READ MORE HERE…

This Day In History is an Our Iowa Heritage blog series that offers you a little bit of Iowa trivia from a large selection of stories on our website. Subscribe to this FREE blog and you’ll get a new email from us daily. Click to learn more.

Click here to go on to the next date…