April 15, 1850 – After saving North Presbyterian Church’s bell from the former pastor – Rev. Michael Hummer, who tried to steal it away – a handful of Iowa Citians leave Iowa City, on their way westward to search for California gold – taking Hummer’s Bell with them.

The 1848-1850 Hummer’s Bell Story was one of the biggest news stories of early Iowa City. When the former pastor – Rev. Michael Hummer – tried to steal the church bell from the North Presbyterian church belfry, quick-thinking parishioners abducted it, hiding it near the banks of the Iowa River until Hummer left town. In April, 1850, several Iowa Citians took the bell with them as they were headed westward for California gold. During their stop in Salt Lake City, they sold the bell to the Mormon Church for $600. You can read the full story here…

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April 14, 1978 – The Nicolas Oakes-Grant Wood House – located at 1142 E. Court Street in Iowa City – is placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

When Grant and Sara Wood moved to Iowa City, they bought a home built in 1858 by the brick manufacturer, Nicholas Oakes, located at 1142 East Court Street. During their married years (1935-1939), Grant made extensive renovations to 1142, as he called it, designing his own furniture, restoring historic features, and changing the landscaping.

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April 13, 1856 – A newspaper clipping from a Chicago newspaper advertises the Rock Island Railroad’s direct service to Iowa City and the west.

In January 1856, the Mississippi & Missouri (M&M) Railroad rolled into Iowa City from Davenport, but it wasn’t until April when the final link of our railroad connection to the East was completed. The construction involved three sections—a bridge across a narrow portion of the Mississippi between the Illinois shore and Rock Island (the island not the city), a line of tracks across the island, and the long bridge between the island and the Iowa shore.

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