1839 Iowa City – One Square Mile That Lives On.

One of the unique aspects about Iowa City is that it was, from the very beginning, a pre-planned community – worked out on paper, long before the first building was ever built.

Unlike every other city in Iowa, Iowa City had no prior circumstances that made it happen. It came about by a planning committee, looking to build a brand new city in a brand new location. So, when Leander Judson drew up his first version of his 1839 map of Iowa City (below), the only pre-existing conditions he had to work with were 1) the Iowa River, 2) the hills surrounding it, and 3) one beautiful spot already located on one square mile of wooded land where a new capitol building would be built. Everything else would be worked out by city planners.

*Read more about Iowa City’s humble beginnings here.*

Under U.S. law, when a new Territory was established in the west, that territorial government was allowed to choose a full section of land – one square mile or 640 acres – to establish its capital. As we mention elsewhere, in May 1839 – Chauncey Swan and his companions staked out an uncharted piece of wilderness located on the Iowa River – legally called Section 10 – Township 79 North, Range 6 – West 5th Principal Meridian in Johnson County. By July 4, 1839, that piece of land – one square mile – had been drawn out by Leander (L.) Judson on the map you see below.

**The City of Iowa City – as introduced on July 4, 1839.**

So, while only a handful of people actually lived in Iowa City in July 1839, the future looked bright, and within one year, over half of the 24 streets planned for Iowa City (see map above) were actually being carved out of the wooded hills! In May 1840, for example, writer J.B. Newhall, after a brief visit here, offered this first “inventory” of Iowa City – now with a booming population of 700!

A spacious city hotel, three or four brick buildings, and several others in progress, ten drygoods, grocery, and provision stores, one drug store, one saddlery, two blacksmiths, one gunsmith, three or four coffeehouses, four lawyers, three physicians, one church, and one primary school.

On this page, I’d like to journey with you – beginning in July 1839 and traveling all the way up to today – looking, along the way, at how Iowa City has grown over the years – yet still keeping, in full sight, that original 1839 map of L. Judson’s. Below, you’ll find a selection of nine Iowa City maps – 1854, 1868, 1875, 1892, 1900, 1920, 1930, 2000, and 2023 – and on each of these maps we’ve highlighted, in red, the “original” 1839 Iowa City boundaries. So, are you ready? Let’s jump from July 4, 1839 to…

In **1854**, Iowa City’s population had grown from 700 (1840) to around 3,500. The eastern Iowa banking firm of Cook, Sargent & Downey commissioned map designer **J.H. Millar** and local artist **George Yewell** to produce a new map of Iowa City. Under the auspices of the firm of Bryan and Millar, this decorative map – **Iowa City And Its Environs** – rolled off the presses in 1854 – giving us a wonderful overview of our city as it appeared in the mid-1850’s. Click here to read more.

In **1868**, Iowa City’s population had grown from 3,500 (1854) to around 5,000. Artist and map designer **Albert Rugar** produced this classic map – calling it a **Bird’s Eye View of Iowa City**. A historian favorite, this map is surprisingly accurate, locating sites such as the original 4-building SUI campus, the Johnson County Court House, Plum Grove (Governor Lucas’ farm), the two Iowa River bridges built in 1860, and it even includes a steamboat chugging up the river on its way to the Port of Iowa City. Below you can see the “original” 1839 Iowa City outlined in red. Read more here.

In 1875, Iowa City’s population had grown from around 5,000 (1868) to approximately 6,500, and A.T. Andreas published his massive Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Iowa, which included very detailed maps of both Johnson County and Iowa City. Read more here.

In **1892**, Iowa City’s population had grown from around 6,500 (1875) to approximately 7,000. Sanborn maps – such as the 1892 version pictured above – were detailed maps of U.S. cities and towns produced in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Originally published by **The Sanborn-Perris Map Company** in New York City, these maps were created to allow fire insurance companies to assess their total liability in urbanized areas of the United States. Read more here.

In **1900**, Iowa City’s population had grown from around 7,000 (1892) to approximately 8,000. At the turn-of-the-century (1900), **The Huebinger Survey and Map Publishing Company** produced a massive Atlas of Johnson County and in it were several maps of Iowa City, East & West Lucas Townships, and other Johnson County locations. Read more here.

In **1920**, Iowa City’s population had grown from around 8,000 (1900) to approximately 12,000. As mentioned earlier, **The Sanborn Map Company** in New York City published maps that were created to allow fire insurance companies to assess their total liability in urbanized areas of the United States. Read more here.

*In **1930**, Iowa City’s population had grown from around 12,000 (1920) to approximately 15,000. This map of Iowa City and the **State University of Iowa** was published by SUI and given to students*. Read more here.

In **2000**, Iowa City’s population had grown from around 15,000 (1930) to approximately 63,000. Today (below) in 2023, the population of Iowa City is around 75,000 with Johnson County being the home to 155,000. As you can see, the “original” 1839 Iowa City (in red) has now been surrounded by our ever-expanded community.

*Click here for a larger selection of maps of Iowa City and Johnson County from 1832 to the present.*

On July 1, 1976, The Iowa City Press-Citizen published a special 76-page Bicentennial edition. In that edition there were articles and pictures related to stories found on this page. You can read more here.