I probably won’t go to The State Historical Society of Iowa’s Centennial Building in Iowa City before it closes for good on June 30, 2026. In all my time in Johnson County, I’ve only ever been inside a couple of times. I remember purchasing some Iowa history books with their distinctive red covers. There are likely other good things there, like the archive of Emma Harvat, first female mayor of Iowa City. Even so, I found the building’s contents inaccessible, and a discouragement to research.
Everything is destined for the Des Moines Historical Society location, according to the Cedar Rapids Gazette. “It’s unclear how many records are kept at the Iowa City building,” Megan Woolard wrote in the article. I believe that. It was difficult to find a path to start research when I was last there. Maybe with the move, someone will go through everything and highlight some of the objects in a program or exhibition. Given the level of interest, combined with funding constraints, maybe not.
Our historical archives are a collection of society’s stuff. There is a view archives should be conserved. What is the best way to do that? Looks like the direction in Iowa is under one roof. That can be good or bad. Here’s hoping for the best outcome, in case we someday need access to this forgotten history.
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