The two documents on display here illustrate how the members of the State Constitutional Convention were selected to represent their County for the creation of the 1846 Constitutional Convention, which did result in the Constitution being ratified and Iowa officially becoming a state on December 28, 1846. Elections were held in early April 1846 and the Convention met in the following month of May. Committee members included Thomas Dibble, Erastus Hoskin, David, Galland, Sulifand S. Ross, Shepherd Leffler, Curtis Bates, William G. Coop (his commission is seen here on display for Jefferson County), John Ronalds, Samuel A. Bissell, Socrates H. Tryon, Wareham G. Clark, William Hubbel, John J. Selman, George Berry (his commission is seen here on display for Lee County), John Conrey, Josiah Kent, Joseph H. Hedrick, Sylvester G. Matson, S. B. Shelledy, James Grant, George Hobson, H. P. Haun, Stewart Goodrell, Sanford Harned, David Olmstead, G. W. Bowie, Alvin Saunders, William Steele, T. McCraney, F. K. O’Ferrall, J. Scott Richman. Enos Lowe served as President and William Thompson as Secretary.  

Passed on June 8, 1866, and ratified on July 9, 1868, the 14 Amendment of the United States Constitution granted citizenship to all persons “born or naturalized in the United States,” this included all formerly enslaved persons. The amendment provided all citizens with “equal protection under the laws,” and extended the Bill of Rights to the States. In addition to extending rights to all citizens, the amendment also banned those who “engaged in insurrection” against the United States from holding civil, military, or elected office without the approval of two-thirds of the House and Senate. The amendment prohibited former Confederate states from repaying war debts and compensating former slave owners for the emancipation of their enslaved people. Former Confederate states were required to ratify the 14th amendment as a condition of regaining federal representation. The Iowa 12th General Assembly would adopt this amendment for the State on April 30, 1868.  

Documents include:

• Capitol Commission 1 (1855-1903)
• Drawings and Plans (1883, ND)
• Capitol Booklet from 1885
• Invitation to the Cornerstone Laying
• Document Outlining the Gold Leaf Used on the Dome 

These documents include a selection related to the construction of the Iowa State Capitol. The cornerstone for the Capitol was laid on November 23, 1871. Due to waterlogging though, the cornerstone was replaced on September 29, 1873. Construction was completed in 1886. The final report from June 29, 1886, listed the total cost at $2,873,294.59. The final audit showed only $3.77 was unaccounted for during the 15 years of construction. The three documents are a Capitol Tour Booklet from 1885, an invitation to the cornerstone laying, and a small document outlining the cost and weight of gold leaf used on the exterior of the capitol.  

In 1919, the United States Congress passed the 19th amendment which granted women the right to vote. This victory took decades of hard work and protest. Efforts to secure women’s suffrage began in the United States mid-19th century. On July 2, 1919, Iowa became the tenth state to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment. The Secretary of State’s Office has named our high school voter registration program after notable Iowa suffragist, Carrie Chapman Catt.  

Eunice Viola (Ola) Babcock Miller was born on March 1, 1871, in Washington County, Iowa. She attended Iowa Wesleyan College and following her education was a teacher in rural schools. In 1895, she married Alex Miller. The pair had two daughters and one son. In 1932, she was nominated to run for Secretary of State and won. Ola was Iowa’s 18th and first female Secretary of State, serving in the position from 1933-1937. She was re-election in 1934 and 1936. She died January 24, 1937, and is buried in Elm Grove Cemetery, Washington, Iowa. She was described as having the rare qualities of refined feeling, good judgement, and administrative ability, and made a marked success in conducting her office. 

Ola Babcock Miller had a friend whose son was killed in a tragic traffic accident and during her term she set out to improve motor vehicle safety. Without legislative support, she took it upon herself to assign members of her Motor Vehicle Department duties of patrolling counties for unsafe vehicles and reckless drivers. The success of this program was quick and in 1935, Miller convinced the legislature to pass a bill establishing the Iowa State Highway Patrol. The bill established a safety school to train new officers and over 3,000 applications were received. Of those applicants, 100 met the requirements of 20-20 vision and measured over 5’10”. On July 28, 1935, 50 officers and their commanding officers began their service. The fleet consisted of 37 cars and 12 motorcycles. The patrolmen earned $100,00 per month and worked 12-hour shifts. The year 2026 marks the 91 anniversaries of the Iowa State Patrol. Following her passing in 1937, Miller’s funeral was attended by over 3,000 people. The 55 Iowa State Patrol officers served as her pallbearers.