Iowa Migration

Migration Routes

 * Mississippi River
 * Missouri River
 * California Trail
 * Chicago-Dubuque Highway
 * Mormon Trail
 * Oregon Trail
 * Great Northern Railway (U.S.)
 * Illinois Central Railroad
 * Santa Fe Railway
 * Union Pacific Railroad

Iowa's rivers provided transportation routes bringing European traders, trappers and explorers like the Frenchmen, Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet in 1673. Prior to this exploration the land was occupied by the Fox, Ioway, Potawatomi, Oto, Missouri, Sauk, and Sioux Native Americans. The Louisiana Purchase gave the U.S. control of Iowa in 1803. The Black Hawk Purchase in 1833 brought the first official American village. Iowa was populated with settlers pioneering in from Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. When Iowa became a State in 1846, its capital was Iowa City. Iowa’s current borders were drawn in 1857 when Des Moines in Polk county became home of the new State Capital.