Land Grant Legacy belongs to all Iowans.
The first Iowa settlers called for a new kind of college - one based on science and open to all; one dedicated to the education of the working people of Iowa. That was in 1846. Iowa had started building an ag college when the Morrill Act of 1862 passed. The timing was perfect, and Iowa was the first state to accept the provisions of the act.
Early Iowan’s were at the forefront of another bit of agricultural education when Iowa Ag College’s Perry Holden launched the nation’s first cooperative agricultural extension program in Sioux County in 1903, at the request of local farmers.
Iowa has been and is an education leader. Iowa State and ISU Extension and Outreach continue to be recognized for their national leadership and the education provided to Iowans.
With the Land Grant Legacy project, Iowa became the first state to identify the land that generated funds for the Iowa Agricultural College beginning in 1862, and share the stories of the land and the people on the land.
The stories gathered here tell of our connection to each other, the land, and the people's university. Sharing stories that recall how Iowa's land grant came to be and ones that tell of significant accomplishments made by those with ties to the university honors the dreams of early settlers. They are the basis of our legacy and nurture our hopes for future generations - and a strong Iowa.
The Land Grant Legacy project is a joint effort of ISU Extension and Outreach, Iowa State University, and the people who have ties to what it means to be Iowan.