March 16, 1997 – Famed Iowa City historian Irving B. Weber dies.

From The Iowa City Press Citizen – Irving Burge Weber, 96, of 421 Melrose Court, died Sunday, March 16, 1997 at Lantern Park Care Center in Coralville, after a short illness. He married Martha Thoren Whiteside on Feb. 19, 1926 in Ackley. Survivors include his wife, one son and his wife, Willis and Dee Weber of Colorado Springs, Colo.; three granddaughters and one great granddaughter.

There is a magnificent bronze statue depicting Irving Weber, located on Iowa Avenue in downtown Iowa City, appropriately very near where the University of Iowa’s first classroom (1855), the Mechanics Academy, first stood. The statue was donated by Steve Maxon and Doris Park in 2003, along with sponsors; Iowa City Host Noon Lions Club, Iowa City Public Art Program, Quality Chekd Dairies, and Friends of Irving Weber.

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From 1847 to 1855, the Board of Trustees was kept full by regular elections by the Legislature, and the Trustees held frequent meetings, but there was no effectual organization of the University in Iowa City. Finally, on March 15, 1855, the University was partially opened for a term of sixteen weeks with a handful of classes held in Mechanics Academy – which was located three blocks east of the Iowa Statehouse.

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March 15, 1855 – The State University of Iowa offers its first “official” classes – a 16-week course of study held in Mechanics Academy.

From 1847 to 1855, the Board of Trustees was kept full by regular elections by the Legislature, and the Trustees held frequent meetings, but there was no effectual organization of the University in Iowa City. Finally, on March 15, 1855, the University was partially opened for a term of sixteen weeks with a handful of classes held in Mechanics Academy – which was located three blocks east of the Iowa Statehouse (see map above).

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.

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