Omaha daily bee., 1883-05-23
1owA's SEMI-CENTBNNIAL.
Preparations for Its Celebration at
butllngton-Some of the Points
In the hiarly History OF
the State.

The movement insugurated at Bur
lington for the celebration of the
semi-centennlal anniversary Of the DC.
cupation of Iowa soil by tho United
States, which occurs ON the 1st of
June next, Is receiving general stten-
ton, and q lively CT operation from
the citizens Of Iowa of all classes. The
occasion for such = celebration need
not be- urged. Its appropriateness
suggests itself at once rs being tho
only date that can properly be called
the irst settlement of Iowa. That
white men had invaded the wilder
ness and planted their fishing and
hunting camps In the midst If the
Indians prior to that date there Is no
dispute, and tho location of some of
these stations nav DO we'll identified;
but oil such advcnturers were tress.
passers ON tho soil of the red man,
aud were liable to displacement at any
time; but on the 1,t OF Jnne, 1888,
that settlement commenced which was
recognized by the laws OF the laws of
the United States aud the Indian
treaty made the proceeding year, and
is the only proper point from which
to date the history OF Iowa as being
occupied or controlled by whites.
The selection of Burlington as the
place of rendezvous on this occasion,
Is indeed a happy one, and the
assembly there will fud themselves
In a location thoroughly identified
with the early history Of Iowa. Dss
Moines county was one of the two
original counties into which the ter
ritory now known as Iowa was divided
being then a part of Wisconsin. The
first territorial legislature of Wiscon.
sin met at Belmont, but the succeed.
Ing n convened at Burlington,
pending the ereo Ion Of buildings at
Madison, where the seat of govern
ment had been located. Thus Bur.
lington, as far back rs 1886, was des.
ignated as tho seat of government fol-
the large area out of which states have
been carved. One of the acts of the
legislature which so designated Bur
lington was to divide Des Moinel
county into the COUNTIES of Lee, Var
Buren,, Des Moines, Henry, Louisa
Mu,quitine and Cook. All of ,hes,
counties still exist except Cook, which
has disappeared by subsequent sub
divisions, and all but Musquitine ro-
tain their original names, 1t slon'
having been moderated In spelling t.
Muscatine. 1t is appropriate that III
semi. centennial of Iowa should b
, celebrated in Burlington, the count.
seat of the mother of counties.
B,fors the state buildings at Madi
son were completed, or at least befor
=, they we're occupied, the territory O
=, Iowa was carved out of the territor
Of Wisconsin, and Burlington wal re
tained as the territorial seat of gov
| eminent for Iowa, the fret legislator
f: oonvening In q building which wa
l destroyed by fire during the session
The body then convsned In Old Zio
church, which stood as q place of wor
+. ship until two years ago, when 1t wa
: torn down and one of the most ele
r CANT opera houses In the United State
was erected on Its site.
1t is then natural and %appropriat
that the people of Iowa should Assem-
bic at Burlington and celebrate tt
close of the first half century of Il
;, occupation of the state by the Will
e race, Offering, as 1t does, all the rem
It inisecenes of the earliest acts of GOV
Q eminent. The gathering there Jul
b l promises to be an immense one, ar
the city of Burlington and Des Moin
b county are making preparations cor
mensurate with the character of ii
event and the development of Il
at commonwealth.