Walter Butler – A True Servant’s Heart.

Have you ever noticed? In life, there are givers, and there are takers. People that make things all about themselves vs. those who care more about others than what’s in it for them.

Did You Know? the audio version

As I see it, Walter Butler of Iowa City was one of those givers with a true servant’s heart . . . a “butler” to the city, so to speak. One who tried his best to do whatever would best serve his community; even if it cost him a pretty penny or two to do so. Allow me here to tell you more about this special man from Tennessee…

*This is what Iowa City most likely looked like in May 1839.*

In 1839, when it was decided that Iowa City would be the new, centrally-located capital of Iowa Territory, there was nothing here but a river called the Iowa, surrounded by thick prairie grass and dense forest. A little community called Napoleon had been the Johnson County seat, and on October 8, 1839 Iowa City took over that role, with the county commissioners meeting in the simple log cabin home of Captain F.M. Irish.

A contract for the design and construction of the new capitol building had been agreed upon in November, but with winter coming, not much work would occur until spring. That fall – August and October 1839 – there were two city auctions where parcels of land surrounding this new capitol building were sold to those who had the vision that Iowa City just might become something worth investing in.

Walter Butler was one of those men.

Born in Tennessee in 1800, Walter Butler moved as a young man to Illinois, married and had a family, which he brought with him when he ventured west to Iowa City in 1839.

Here’s a look at **Leander (L.) Judson’s original map (1839)**. Two months after the surveyors planted their stake — on July 4, 1839 — this first map of Iowa City situated in Township 79 North, Range 6 West of the 5th Meridian, was signed and approved. Iowa City, as it was laid out on Judson’s map, was one-square mile, divided into blocks 320 feet square with lots 80 x 150 feet. Click here to read more about the early maps of Iowa City.

We don’t know what exactly drew Walter Butler here. It might have been Governor Robert Lucas’ July 25th announcement of land sales in Iowa City that first caught Walter’s attention. We do know, with certainty, that these two land sales – August and October 1839 – did bring a rush of folks to town, and we also know that there was little place for these potential land buyers to lay their heads. Read more here.

Could it be that Walter came to town in time of the first sale in August and stayed in Lean Back Hall? From everything historian Benjamin F. Shambaugh tells us about the place, it would have made for one memorable experience…

The 75′ long x 8′ wide Lean Back Hall was made of stripped-bark poles with slabs of wood for siding and was built on Block 61 – the NE corner of Washington Street and Linn Street (see map above) facing west.

While we don’t know where Walter laid his head, we do know that he did purchase three lots in these first two auctions, bidding alongside some other names you’ll probably recognize (below). Historian William J. Peterson gives us the details…

Note the names – Robert Lucas (Governor of Iowa Territory),Chauncey Swan, considered by many to be the ‘father of Iowa City,’ and Lyman Dillon, the farmer from Cascade who plowed the famous furrow between Dubuque and Iowa City.

So now, let me tell you a couple of smart moves made by Walter Butler after buying land in Iowa City…

Smart move #1: In the 1839 auction, Walter bought Lot 5 in Block 80 (see above) for $300. Soon after that, since there was a real shortage of lodging in Iowa City – Walter built a hotel – The City Hotel – on Lot 5.

*A typical room at Butler’s City Hotel.*

*In December 1840, **Walter Butler’s City Hotel** hosted a big Christmas Ball for the city. Here is an invitation to that event.*

Smart move #2: In 1840, Butler sold some of his land that was located near today’s City Park to Walter Terrell in order to buy Lot 6 in Block 80 (see above) – corner of Clinton and Washington Streets – for $800. It’s on this lot where our story continues…

In 1841, the Iowa Territorial Legislature, which had been meeting in Burlington since its inception in 1838, announced that they would continue meeting in Burlington until Iowa City, basically, got their act together. They knew that the construction of the new capitol building was moving along at a snail’s pace, and the new governor, John Chambers, who was never a big fan of Iowa City, choosing to remain in Burlington throughout his term (1841-1845), was in no big hurry to move things along. In January, 1841 the Assembly passed a rather back-handed act, stating that the next Legislative Assembly would meet in Iowa City on the first Monday in December, 1841 if …

“other sufficient buildings shall be furnished for the accommodation of the Legislative Assembly – rent free.”

Ba-boom.

Peterson, in his 1955 article entitled, Walter Butler: Capitol Builder, tells us what happened next…

And so, the competition was on. And this is where Walter Butler steps in. Apparently, as soon as word reached Iowa City about the possibility of hosting the Territorial Assembly, Walter not only volunteered to lead the charge, but he also went immediately to work, building a suitable meeting hall on his property – Lot 6 in Block 80 – with the full intention of offering it to the Assembly at no charge, even though that decision ended up being a very costly one for him personally. It seems that Walter’s generosity stirred so much attention around the Territory, even the Bloomington (Muscatine) Herald got involved…

*The Bloomington Herald was owned by Thomas Hughes, who by December 1841, moved to Iowa City, debuting his new newspaper, The Iowa Capital Reporter. Read more here.*

And so, the Walter Butler story continues…

And here, is what Walter built…

A new two-story wood-frame structure with a 60-foot front facing south toward Washington Street beginning some 32 feet east of Clinton Street. It was 30 feet deep and divided into separate meeting rooms for the 26-member House and 13-member Council upstairs, plus smaller committee rooms and several little offices at ground level. Built entirely of wood, it lacked plumbing, electricity, rest rooms and central heating as was typical of the era, and just months before, the wood had been live timber which had been laboriously cut by hand since no local saw mill was available!

Benjamin F. Shambaugh recorded the glorious beginnings of Iowa City as the capital city of Iowa Territory, thanks to Walter Butler…

*Read more about Representative Oliver Weld from Keosauqua and his adventure getting to Iowa City for the Fourth General Assembly!*

Worth noting in this account is the name of the pastor who offered the opening prayer for this first Assembly session in 1841. It’s no other but our infamous Presbyterian pastor, Rev. Michael Hummer. Read about his bell-ringing story here.

And so, Walter Butler did it. He built the building, paid the price, and found a way to make the Iowa Territorial Assembly – a bunch of politicians, mind you – along with the reluctant Governor Chambers, to keep their promise of meeting in Iowa City for their fourth general assembly if a free meeting space was provided. For the record, the Legislature met in Butler’s Capitol for 54 daily sessions, from December 6, 1841 to February 18, 1842, passing 127 laws on such issues as roads, ferries, dams, private and municipal incorporation, and divorce. They appropriated $24,412 in funding, including $3 to the local justice of the peace, but not one penny to Walter for the use of his facility!

Click here to read a letter from a Territorial Representative – William L. Toole – who was attending this first Legislative Assembly in Iowa City.

In December 1842, the Territorial Assembly returned to Iowa City for their fifth annual session, meeting this time in the first floor of the new capitol building – since the second floor wasn’t yet completed. These annual sessions continued into Iowa Statehood (1846) until 1857, when the State Legislature decided to leave our fair city, giving us the State University of Iowa, while they took their politics to Des Moines. Click here for that story.

Let’s allow William J. Peterson to continue the story…

Click here to read more about Iowa City’s entertainment choices in the 1840’s and 50’s.

The only image we have of Butler’s Capitol is this photograph, taken after it had been moved in the 1870’s. Records indicate that **Robert Hutchinson** bought Butler’s Capitol around 1842, and moved it to Jefferson Street in the 1850’s, living in it while he built a new home (Hutchinson House – 318 E. Jefferson) in the 1870’s. *In the 1883 History of Johnson County volume (below), we find that Butler’s Capitol – aka – The Hutchinson House – is now on Dubuque Street and is owned by a Mr. Springer.*

In the 1870’s, Butler’s Capitol was moved once more – this time to the east side of Dubuque Street, one half-block south of College Street – becoming a fairly sleazy place and the city’s first brothel! Not the ending, Walter Butler envisioned, I’m sure.

Peterson continues…

Both Peterson (below) and other reliable sources indicate that Walter Butler was one special man, a gentleman of good character and a trust-worthy fellow, indeed.

*(P-0310) Over the decades, there have been several Butler Bridges. This (above) is the bridge built in 1885.*

Walter Butler, during the short time he lived in Iowa City (1839-1844), owned other property north of the city, land which extended from today’s City Park, upstream along the Iowa River just beyond the site of today’s Butler Bridge on Dubuque Street. An early marina there was known as Butler’s Landing. In 1843, Butler gave three acres of his land for the construction of the Coralville Dam.

Walter Butler owned land along the Iowa River, from today’s City Park, including land he sold to Walter Terrell in 1840 (Terrell’s Mill) to Coralville (Coralville Dam) and other points north. Marked on the above map is the location of Butler Bridge.

Walter Butler (1800-1844), age 43, was buried at Mt. Calvary Cemetery – Oxford Township – in Johnson County. According to Iowa City historian, Irving Weber, Walter’s widow, “greatly revered and respected, lived on for many years.” Sadly, there don’t seem to be any records with her name or life history, though Mt. Calvary cemetery files do indicate other Butlers who might be Walter and wife’s children.

All in all, Iowa City greatly benefited from the generous life that was Walter Butler. Godspeed!