While New York was already a metropolis, western cities like Iowa City were just being founded. This photograph captures Iowa City during a decade when its population quadrupled. Growth was driven by the mighty Iowa River, which was dammed upriver to irrigate the young city’s fertile farmlands and power riverside mills.

Three years after this image was captured, Iowa City’s population boom came to a sudden end. Iowa City lost its status as the state capital, and its successor Des Moines became the new destination of choice for westbound migrants.

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Incredible early photos of major US cities