How Iowa Got It's Name

Iowa has been a state for so long that it is seldom people living today stop to consider the question of how it got it's name. It was in June, 1835, that three companies of soldiers under the command of Stephen Watts Kearny went on an expedition through what is now Iowa. On this expedition there was a man named Albert M. Lea who wrote a book telling about his experiences while exploring. In his book Lea used the name "Iowa" for the first time in referring to the territory which later became the State of Iowa. In the first chapter of his book Lea explains that the name "Iowa" was taken from the Iowa river which on account of it's beauty seemed to give that characteristic to the country through which it passed.

How the Iowa river received it's name is unknown. According to present knowledge of history a possible explanation is that the name might have been taken from a tribe of Indians known as the Ioways. In early times these indians lived near the Great Lakes. After a time this tribe began to move westward until they came to the Mississippi river,. Here some of the indians remained and others went on to the Missouri River. Those who remained were the ancestors of the Iowa Indians. There is an old story which tells how these indians camped on a sand bar. It was very windy and they were soon covered with dust. Because of this they were given the name of Pahucha or "Dusty Men". The Sioux Indians who were relatives of these indians changed the name Pahucha into their own language and called them Ayuhapa or Ayuhba. Because this name was hard for the French people who came to this region to pronounce it was changed to Ayuvois. Lewis and Clark in mentioning these indians in their journals, called them the Ayouways. Later this spelling was changed to Ioway and still later to Iowa.

There is also a legend which tells how a group of indians were moving in search of a new home. In coming to a high bluff near the mouth of what is now the Iowa River, and seeing the beautiful scenery they said, "Iowa" or "This is the Place."

There is another story which tells that Iowa means "beautiful land." These are simply interpretations placed on the meaning of the name. Many people have become interested to find out just how the name originated. Most of the people who have been studying the subject have decided that the word "Iowa" or the word from which it came means "Dusty Faces." But no matter what the scientific meaning of "Iowa" is, it has been well said, "In all that is good, Iowa affords the best."

The nickname of Iowa which is "Hawkeye" was first applied to the state by James G. Edwards in a newspaper, the Fort Madison Patriot. Mr. Edwards thought that the adoption of this name would always be a reminder of the great old chief, Black Hawk. However, among most people the name suggests alertness and keenness of sight of the hawk, a bird which is commonly found in the Iowa country even today.