• In 2008, Iowa City became the world’s third United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) City of Literature, following Edinburgh, Scotland and Melbourne, Australia
  • Stone for the Old Capitol was quarried 10 miles north of Iowa City and floated down the river on barges
  • The University of Iowa became the first public university to admit men and women on an equal basis
  • Fans paid $3 per ticket to see the dedication game October 19, 1929 against Illinois, held in the newly completed Kinnick Stadium
  • Coralville’s sculpture walk in the Iowa River Landing features 11 sculptures, all created by Iowa artists
  • The city sealed a full size time capsule for its 100th birthday in 2013, not to be opened again for another 100 years
  • North Liberty Community Library has a collection of 375+ cake pans it lends out in addition to books
  • 33.6% of the area’s population has completed a bachelors degree; 27.8% have completed a masters degree
  • Johnson County makes up 614 square miles
  • Over 9,000 people walk through the pedestrian mall daily
  • Notable University of Iowa Alumni include:
    • George Gallup, founder of the Gallup Poll, BA, 1923
    • Tennessee Williams, author of “A Streetcar Named Desire” and “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” BA, 1938
    • Gene Wilder, Comedic film and television actor whose credits include “Silver Streak,” “Young Frankenstein,” and “Stir Crazy” BA, 1955, Communication and Theatre Arts
    • James Van Allen, world-famous physicist and discoverer of two radiation belts (the Van Allen Belts) that surround the earth, Emeritus Carver Professor of Physics at the University of Iowa. MS, 1936; PhD, 1939, Physics
    • Sarai Sherman, a twentieth century modernist painter whose work is in major national and international collections including MoMA, the Whitney Museum of American Art; and the Hirshhorn Museum
    • John Irving, novelist who wrote The World According to Garp, A Prayer for Owen Meany, and several others, MFA, 1967, English
    • Tom Brokaw, Mark Mattson and Ashton Kutcher also attended the University of Iowa
  • In 1923, Emma J. Harvat became mayor; she was the first woman to be elected as leader of a U.S. city with a population of over 10,000. Her election made history, and was covered in the news worldwide
  • Including the University Iowa student population, the median age is 24.8 years

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