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A FACT A DAY ABOUT IOWA CITYMi 1 itary RoadAccording to the findings of the lamented Iowa educator and historian. Dr. Benjamin Shambaugh, the “public high-! way history of Iowa City, as distinguished from the history 1 of the occasional private road1' begins with the enactment of the 25th congress in 1839. This followed close on the ; heels of the coming of the true pioneers of Johnson county, who “entered the wilderness and staked out their claims, and then duly heheld three differ-Ifently designated roads on the map o£ the new Iowa country—although actual roads, such as we know them now; and even those that ante-dat-ea modern paving and macadamizing were unknown for a long time.The congressional act, above mentioned, authorized the construction Of a road from Dubuque, through Iowa, to the northern boundary of Missouri, whose admission to the Union in IS21, was the last act of that type until Arkansas came in, during 1836. This represented one of the three types noted above — the military, or national road. The others were the territor-ning, and scrimping at home so that the boys” can be fed.Those things are essential, of course, but they don't give a woman the feeling that she. individually, is taking part in the fight.One good indication that the role that the British women are playing in this war is far more appealing to women than a more passive one is tte way American women have started organizing themselves so that if war should come to America they, too, will be driv-. I ing ambulances, ferrying planes : | and managing to get into the fight. No matter how often they are told to stick to their knitting and canning and feeding their families well-balanced meals, they just get together and organize another ambulance driving unit.If war comes, they want to make sure they’ll be ready for a more averting job than bandage rolling.LANCESPM**Sal road, and the local township or country road.The appropriation covering the: cost or establishing' the military' highway in question amounted to $20,000- Because this highway was to be a military road, the supervi- \ sor of the construction was to be Joel R. Poinsett, then President Van Buren’s secretary of wan In the fading months of 1839, the surveying was done* ana the proposed highway was traced directly to and through Gov. Robert Lucas’ home town.It crossed the placid Iowa on a line, drawn with equatorial imaginativeness to west Iowa avenue. Although the road was called ordinarily a 'National road”, it was, in point of fact, more entitled to the description “United States military highway, inasmuch as the government designed it for military uses. Fo re ah ad owed was a day when the U. S. dragoons or other military units would be compelled to march trans-continentally thereon* in the event of invasion by mid-century Hitlers or other foemen.\Either actually, or legendarily, the National road that linked Iowa City with the Mississippi river was long-styled the “Dillon Furrow”, because Lyman Dillon was credited with the breaking of the roadway, as he followed or led five yoke of oxen, as they trudged wearily 100 miles, covering th£ nearly uncharted course to Dubuque. Mr. Dillon and his big breaking plow acted as answer to the petitions of Iowa City pioneers, who were eager to provide a more or less 'straight and narrow” path to the coming Old Capitol and the new capital for interested travelers, sight-seers, investors, and settlers, per se. As Mr. Dillon toiled and moiled, an ancient emigrant wagon, drawn by a team of the oxen’s equine friends, carried accompanying provisions and supplies.—E. R.
Newspaper Details
Iowa City Press Citizen
Iowa City, Iowa, US
Fri, Oct 31, 1941
Page 13
Full Page
Clipped by
State H.
IA, USA 16 Aug 2019
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