Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 1.djvu/286



location of the Capital it was named “Iowa City.” A portion of the land was cleared of brush and timber and laid out into lots. The Governor was required to order a sale of lots at the newly chosen Capital, under the supervision of the commissioners, the proceeds thereof to be paid into the treasury of the Territory. The selection had been made on the 4th of May and designated by a stake driven into the ground bearing the following inscription:

A sale of lots was widely advertised for August 18, 1839. A few log houses had been built before the sale took place. The first sale lasted three days and was then postponed until October. Two hundred and six lots were disposed of at these sales for $28,854.75, which amount was estimated to be about one-fourth of the value of the entire plat.

When the city was laid out one rude log cabin stood on the site of the future Capital of Iowa. Matthew Tenrick with his family occupied it. The commissioners and surveyors boarded at this cabin while engaged in platting the city. The first substantial log house was erected by Mr. Tenrick during the summer at the corner of Iowa Avenue and Dubuque Street. It was constructed of hewn logs and was two stories in height. The first frame building was put up the same summer by Wesley Jones, south of the University Square, in which the first store was opened. Walter Butler came with his family, and before winter erected and opened a hotel on the corner of Clinton and Washington Streets. Young men began to arrive at the new backwoods Capital and open offices for future business. The first lawyer was William L. Gilbert; the first doctor was Henry Murray; the first minister Rev. Mr. Ferree, of the Methodist Episcopal Church; the first