Talk:Iowa City, Iowa

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[edit] Removed Material

I removed this from the "local color" section and changed it to local landmarks. I will integrate it with the culture section when I have time.

  • Under the leadership of Professor James Van Allen, the University of Iowa has played an important part in the American space exploration program.
  • On June 9, 1856, 500 Mormon handcart pioneers left Iowa City and headed west for Salt Lake City, Utah, carrying all their possessions in two-wheeled handcarts. They had arrived by train. At that time, Iowa City was the westernmost rail terminus. To this day, a major Iowa City road, Mormon Trek Blvd, is named in honor of that historic voyage.
  • Local historian Irving Weber[1] distinguished himself through his articles about various important Iowa City landmarks. A school in the area is named after him. Read the articles online through the Iowa Heritage Digital Collections [2] —Preceding unsigned comment added by 201.230.15.8 (talk) 04:41, 27 May 2008 (UTC)


[edit] Better picture?

Somebody's got to have a better picture than that. A construction site?

That's what the Old Capitol looked like after there was a fire there about three years ago. It looks normal now.

So someone go take a decent pic and replace that one. I'd do it but I don't have a digital camera anymore. — Clarknova 15:57, 1 Dec 2004 (UTC)
Why not just use the Iowa City Webcam?

Why is that little snippet about the Mormons up there in the intro? It looks really tacky there and sticks out like a sore thumb. It ought to be moved down into the history/color section. --208.186.122.48 04:10, 4 Jan 2005 (UTC)

It's waiting for someone to write a == History == subsection and place it there. I nominate you. — Clarknova 22:46, 19 Jan 2005 (UTC)
The main north/south street on the West side of Iowa City is called 'Mormon Trek'. :)
And the fact that Mormon Trek is the name of a street is a good reason to have the Mormon folk clear up there in the intro? I don't agree, if that's what you're saying.--Addyfree 22:23, July 26, 2005 (UTC)
I currently removed the bit about the mormans because it was never edited or changed to even remotely fit into the article. Matt Yohe 01:09, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
And I put it back in under "Local Color". Deleting it seemed excessive. Perhaps this is an acceptable compromise? (Makes note to self to start collecting notes for a full-fledged history section.)Brandon39 03:51, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

The picture is still marginal, at best. I'll snap one with my digital camera when I get a chance. 216.137.74.63 02:56, 15 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Too careful about sticking to factual information?

This article brings up an issue I've thought about a lot while reading Wikipedia. Is there a point where we're too careful about sticking to factual information? This article gives no feel for what Iowa City is like (Iowa City has an accepted repuation with Iowans; it is noted for being the cultural center of Iowa, very much a university town.) Someone reading this article wouldn't be able to tell it from neighboring Cedar Rapids, which has completely different character. I'd fix it but I don't really understand the appropriateness. Comments on this? ObsidianOP 02:28, 12 July 2005 (UTC)

Well, the LOCAL COLOR section isn't particularly good and the last bullet is about a Neil Smith--I don't know a Neil Smith and I know me some Iowa City. So, since most people really do identify Iowa most readily with things other than it's history as the former westernmost terminus of the railways and the hoping off point for Mormon's headed to Salt Lake, it seems apropos to put in some better LOCAL COLOR and closer to the top. --Addyfree 22:21, July 26, 2005 (UTC)

[edit] New Photo...

Well.. I was in town and took a new photo for the page... Ill come back in the summer and take one that's greener :) -- Matt Yohe 17:28, 28 Feb 2005 (UTC)



  • Can we add a section about overprivileged teenagers begging for change on the ped mall? :) I'm amazed there's no mention of famous local yokels who currently, or used to, call Iowa City home. The guy who does the "Non Sequitur" comic used to sit upstairs at Praerie Lights when I lived there. Didn't Vonnegut have a favorite perch on Van Buren street to watch pedestrian traffic? I believe Dr. Van Allen still lives in town, yes? Iowa City has retained many of its old cobbled roads, has an incredible public transit system for so small a town (compare Iowa City's bus routes with Waterloo or Cedar Rapids or any other similarly-sized town in the area). There's a non-stop supply of festivals and gatherings, there's no mention of the Coralville Reservoir or the impact of the 1993 floods on the town or the Old Capitol fire. There's so much more we could add to this article, and I know Iowa Citizens love to brag on their town. I'd do it but I never "got into" the Iowa City local culture that much, I only lived there for a few years. You could have an entire article on tailgating in Iowa City, it consumes the entire county. Bjsiders 22:25, September 6, 2005 (UTC)

Perhaps Jazzfest and Artsfest should be in there. And Greg Brown should be mentioned, as he is a grammy-winning singer/songwriter who is very highly regarded in folk circles. Perhaps Dave Zollo and Bo Ramsey should also be mentioned.

I dont understand why there is nothing about the hospital in this article either. Its one of the largest hospitals in the world. I dont really feel like researching and writing an edit now. I just got a new car at Hartwig Motors and I have finals soon. Somebody should edit this that actually knows the town. I have lived here all 23 years of my life. My parents, grandparents, and great grandparents are from the Iowa City area. I have been to all 48 mainland states and 7 different countries and there is nowhere I have been that even compares to IC. I would edit but I just dont have the time. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.224.52.163 (talk) 02:16, 23 April 2008 (UTC)


[edit] LGBT friendly city?

I remember there being a mentioned in the 90's of Iowa City as being in the 'top 10 best places to live for gays' (it may have been a lesbians-only publication, don't recall). Does anyone have a cite that we could add to this article? It's certainly unexpected... (I've got other ideas, but in a rush today adding to my Watchlist). Nae'blis 21:13:43, 2005-08-31 (UTC)

While not strictly an LGBT publication, the Utne Reader may be what you're thinking of... I added a link to the local color section. --Grendzy 22:56, 15 June 2006 (UTC)

[edit] A dozen bars?

While the downtown area has something like 40-ish bars...the ped mall itself doesn't have "over a dozen." Martini's, Brothers, Vito's, College Street Billiards, Donnelly's, Field House/3rd Base, Union, Morgan's, and Etc. Not to pick nits or anything, but that's only nine. It's a strange error, because the article, IMO, doesn't give enough a sense of Iowa City's massive (for the size of the town) bar scene.

  1. Well, you missed the Deadwood, Airliner, BoJames, Joe's, David's (new), Micky's, the Mill...BuckRose 14:45, 17 April 2006 (UTC)
  2. The Deadwood and so on are not on the Ped Mall.

The Mill could be considered in the ped mall. There is also The Palace which is now called DC's and there is a Quinton's on the same block. Hopefully that clears it up. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.224.52.163 (talk) 02:23, 23 April 2008 (UTC)

The Mill isn´t on the pedmall, its on Burlington. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 200.60.190.65 (talk) 18:50, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] first capitol?

I see both Iowa City and Burlington claim to be the first capitol of Iowa. Which is it?

Burlington was the first territorial capitol. Iowa City was the first state capitol. Brandon39 11:55, 3 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Photos of tornado aftermath

Consider using one or more of the photos here:

66.167.139.8 13:17, 15 April 2006 (UTC).

Or try this page. It has more photos, including the one of St. Patrick's Church that was put in a lot of the national newspapers.
—Preceding unsigned comment added by Ohjeeztower (talk • contribs)