1904 – Welcome To Prosperous, Enterprising Iowa City.

It’s Friday, August 5, 1904, and here in Iowa City on this fine summer day, the three city newspapers – The Iowa City Republican, The Iowa Citizen, and The Iowa City Daily Press – all have released their latest editions (see below).

Read about the histories of these Iowa City newspapers here.

While it’s common for the city papers to run an eight-pager, on this day, The Daily Press has twelve pages – adding its special Mid-Summer Industrial Edition (see the front page of that special section below)…

*Here’s page 5 in the special 12-page edition of the August 5, 1904 Daily Press. In total, 7 pages of the 12-page edition were dedicated to the newspaper’s Mid-Summer Industrial Edition.*

So – here on this webpage, my Our Iowa Heritage friends – we bring you the highlights from this Daily Press special edition. We hope you enjoy this brief visit back to Iowa City – in the Summer of 1904…

Of course, once we open up The Daily Press‘ special edition, we find nearly a full page – Page 6 – dedicated to the State University of Iowa (SUI) – entitled on this page – The Iowa State University…

*The University of Iowa, The State University of Iowa, Iowa State University! What’s in a name? Read more about SUI, ISU, etc. here.*

*The Daily Press article led off with a big overview of **The State University of Iowa**. Above is that article in its entirety.*

*Here’s the new Hall of Natural Science (Macbride Hall) which was under construction – opening in 1908*. *Read more about the SUI campus during the turn of the century here.*

In 1904, the Hall of Anatomy and the Hall of Histology, Physiology and Pathology (Laboratory Hall) opened on Jefferson Street. These two buildings were closer to the growing SUI University Hospital – on Iowa Avenue – and the Homeopathic Medical Building – on Dubuque Street – and served as medical laboratories until a new Medical Laboratory Building was completed – in 1927 – on the west side of the river. Read more about the SUI medical department at the turn of the century.

Iowa Field opened in 1895 – located adjacent to the Iowa River just west of Old Capitol – positioned between what is now Iowa Avenue and Burlington Street. SUI President Charles A. Schaeffer – a proponent of college athletics – saw to it that the university had a dedicated space to play baseball, football, and other sports. Once the new Gym & Armory opened in 1905, Iowa Field became the hub of Iowa athletics until 1929. Read more about the SUI athletic departments at the turn of the century.

Page 7 featured the many churches of Iowa City. Above: First M.E. Church, First Presbyterian Church, Zion (Bethel) African M.E. Church, Trinity Episcopal Church, and Baptist Church. Below left: St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, St. Wenceslaus Bohemian Catholic Church, Unitarian Church, and Church of God. Below right: Christian Church, Evangelical German Lutheran Church, Congregational Church, First Evangelical English Lutheran Church, and St. Zion’s Evangelical German Lutheran Church. Read more about many of these churches in 1887.

When people think of higher education in Iowa City – the immediate response is The University of Iowa. But, did you know that for most of Iowa City’s first century, there were many other private schools in Iowa City competing for students?

Page 10 featured pics of some of Iowa City’s best-known educational buildings. Above left: (#1-unknown), St. Mary’s Catholic School, St. Agatha’s Academy, Iowa City Academy, St. Patrick’s Catholic School, and Mercy Hospital. Read more about the many commercial colleges of Iowa City here.

Above right: Here are the city schools of 1904 – North School, Third Ward, South School, Grammar School, Fourth Ward, Second Ward, and First Ward. Below: Iowa City’s City High School. Read more about these public schools in 1887.

*Read more about Iowa City’s City High School and other public schools.*

Throughout the edition, a few pictures of the Iowa River were featured. Read more about the Iowa River and the many bridges of Iowa City.

Page 9 featured a large etching of the brand-new Johnson County Court House.

*Read about the new Johnson County Court House which opened in 1901.*

Page 10 featured a poem written to celebrate Iowa City’s new Interurban rail line…

On August 13, 1904 – just eight days after The Daily Press‘ big edition – the first CRANDIC electric rail cars – The Interurban – carrying passengers from Cedar Rapids to Iowa City made its inaugural trip. Read more about the CRANDIC Interurban railway here.

On that same day – August 13, 1904 – a booster power station for the Interurban was started for the first time – and that power station would eventually go on to become the Iowa Electric Power and Light Company – later becoming the CRANDIC’s parent company – Alliant Energy.

Throughout the twelve pages of this Daily Press special edition, numerous businesses are identified and given special write-ups.

Below is a chart that was offered to readers, giving the business statistics of 1904 for Iowa City. It probably should be pointed out that many of the business that are given special write-ups in this special 1904 edition were owned and operated by those who identified themselves, politically, as Democrats. For much of its first century, there were two newspapers in Iowa City – one Republican, and the other Democrat. In a similar special edition published in 1887 by the Iowa City Republican, the businesses promoted there were those owned and operated by Republicans. In truth, much like today, in Iowa City at the turn-of-the-century, it was hard to get your news from a truly independent source.

Three of the five banks of Iowa City were identified for special articles. The first mentioned is Iowa City State Bank – which also housed the famed Coldren Opera House.

Read more about other Iowa City tobacconists – H.J. Wieneke, and J.G. Fink.

Read more about J.D. Reichardt & his candy business here. Read more about another candy man from Iowa City – Russell Stover.

*Did you know that one of the earliest buildings on today’s Pentacrest was a horse & carriage barn? Read more here.*

*Did you know the Maresh Brothers (Maresh & Holubar) were involved with SHSI between 1882-1901?*

Do you know the story of Rose – The 1876 Steinway Grand Piano – housed today in The Senate Chamber of Old Capitol in Iowa City?

Did you know the Stillwell building – 227 East Washington Street – housed the Iowa Telephone Company for 20 years (1909-1929)? Read more here.

Well, that just about does it for our 1904 tour of Iowa City. Though a bit limited by its political worldview, the overall result from this August 5, 1904 edition leaves today’s Johnson County historians truly blessed! Thanks to The Iowa City Daily Press for your valiant 12-page edition! Indeed, it was prosperous, enterprising…and entertaining!