One year after fire demolished Old Capitol’s golden dome and cupola, the University of Iowa has created a website for those who love the historic structure and want to track the rebuilding process. The U-of-I Libraries’ special collections department has compiled an online treasury of historic photos and documents detailing the evolution of Old Capitol from the site of Abraham Lincoln’s memorial to Vietnam War protests. Archivist David McCartney says the oldest item displayed is ironic: an 1863 receipt for fire insurance.Over the decades, Old Capitol has served many purposes. It was an early home of the U-of-I College of Law, the State Historical Society of Iowa, and it was even once the campus fire station. McCartney says the online exhibit features a variety of images of Old Capitol, from homecoming buttons and student handbooks to commencement brochures and rare photographs.The website also offers links to the Old Capitol Museum and another site covering the fire restoration and building improvements which are now underway. The address is: “www.lib.uiowa.edu/spec-coll/exhibits/oldcapitol”.
