Library collection chronicles Iowa City’s historical past digitally

Throughout the last couple of years, downtown Iowa City has undergone fair amount of change. Buildings have come down. New ones have taken their place. Some are undergoing expansive renovations, while others only slight modifications. Cities change and Iowa City is no exception.

To explore images of a changing city from the last century, check out the Iowa City Public Library's Digital History Project (history.icpl.org), an online collection of historical and cultural materials documenting Iowa City's past. Launched last month, the site currently features more than 300 photographs and videos. With a generous grant from the Noon Lions Club, the library has partnered with the Johnson County Historical Society to identify and digitize collections significant to the history of Iowa City, including a number of interesting photographs of downtown.

The earliest images date from the late 19th and early 20th century. Street scenes from Dubuque and College streets show cobbled roads, buggies and broad sidewalks, which prove Iowa City was always a walking city. Look for store signs that sit atop poles where the street meets the sidewalk, such as those for Dresden and J.J. Stach Fine Shoes.

Scenes of Iowa City at night are captured in the Rodger's photograph collection, which dates from the 1950s. Included are images of restaurants and bars, including one showing two men working in the kitchen of an establishment. There also are a number of beautifully composed photographs of the store windows of Younkers and Bremers, as well as the signs for Blanchard's Café and John Wilson Sporting Goods.

The largest collection is Theo Lindley's slides documenting urban renewal. Through these images, you can follow the demolition of buildings on Clinton, College, Dubuque and Washington streets. Lindley captured other significant downtown events, such as the aftermath of the 1970 fire at Things, Things, Things. The store, entrapped in ice after it was blasted with water in the middle of January, looks more like something from Antarctica than Iowa City.

The Digital History Project features far more than downtown Iowa City. Check back as the library continues to grow its collection of historical images and stories of life in Iowa City and Johnson County.

Anne Mangano is Collection Services Coordinator at the Iowa City Public Library.