History of Iowa State: Time Lines

Iowa State University 150 Years of Excellence

Enter the Time Line

An historical overview of Iowa State's growth and achievements. 

by Tanya Zanish-Belcher

In 1958, Iowa State College celebrated its Centennial and in honor of that event, Dorothy Kehlenbeck (Curator of the College History Collection) compiled the first Chronology.  The Chronology covered the years 1858 through 1957.  Several addendums were added through the 1960s.

Mrs. Kehlenbeck's work gave me a starting point as I began to contemplate the overwhelming tasks of updating the Chronology to 2007-2008. This update includes not only new information, but revising previous information now out of date, and adding information not previously considered as important but as the years have passed, their significance has become clear.  A shorter version of this timeline will be available as a pullout section in an upcoming issue of Visions Magazine.  This is still a work in progress; I hope to have it fully completed by December of 2007.

I should like to thank those who have been particularly supportive in this endeavor, particularly Michele Christian, Becky Jordan, and David Gregory, ISU Library.  I also received helpful advice from the Sesquicentennial History Committee, including John Anderson, George Christensen, Charlie Dobbs, Carole Gieseke, and Ed Lewis. 

Resources available online

Bibliography for the History of Iowa State