Iowa City Johnson Iowa United States

The State University of Iowa is founded on February 25, 1847, just fifty-nine days after Iowa was admitted to the Union.

The Constitution of the State of Iowa refers to a State University to be established in Iowa City "without branches at any other place.

Five hundred Mormon handcart pioneers leave Iowa City on June 9, 1856, and head west for Salt Lake City, Utah, carrying all their possessions in two-wheeled handcarts.

Motivated to join their fellow church members in Utah, but lacking funds for full teams of oxen or horses, nearly three thousand Mormon pioneers from England, Wales, Scotland and Scandinavia will make the journey from Iowa or Nebraska to Utah in ten handcart companies between 1856 and 1860.

The trek will be disastrous for two of the companies that start their journey dangerously late and will be caught by heavy snow and severe temperatures in central Wyoming.

Despite a dramatic rescue effort, more than two hundred and ten of the nine hundred and eighty pioneers in these two companies will die along the way.