I've written before of the journey of the 1946 Iowa Statehood Centennial Half Dollar's journey through the US Congress, [Read more here:
1946 Iowa Statehood Centennial - Redux but the legislative story of the coin began in the Iowa General Assembly.
In April 1945, following Karl Miles Le Compte's (R-IA) introduction of the bill calling for an Iowa Statehood centennial half dollar (introduced February 27, 1945 in the House of Representatives), the 51st Iowa General Assembly adopted a Joint Resolution that supported the Iowa delegation's efforts in the US Congress on behalf of a commemorative stamp for Iowa's Statehood Centennial and a parallel commemorative coin.
The Joint Resolution was as follows:
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 22Whereas, on December 28, 1946, the State of Iowa will have completed its first century of statehood, and the year will be celebrated in Iowa as the State's centennial year; and
Whereas, there is general desire on the part of the people of the State that the centennial year of Iowa shall be made the occasion for renewed interest in and acceleration of the study of the entire history of Iowa, by appropriate ceremonies in the schools, the churches, and all civic societies, in every city and town of the State, to the end that Iowa people shall have finer appreciation of their own State and the achievements of her people: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, by the House (the Senate concurring), That the fifty-first General Assembly hereby endorses and approves the movement made by HON. KARL LECOMPTE, and other members of the Iowa delegation in Congress, to secure the publication by the Postal Department of a special stamp commemorative of the event, serving to remind all the people of the fact that Iowa was the first free State of the Louisiana Purchase, and of its growth and greatness; and the similar effort to secure the coinage of a special commemorative coin; of special Iowa significance, and we hereby add our indorsement to the effort to make not only Iowa but all the world more history-conscious as a background for the higher patriotism affecting all things American.
Harold Felton,
Speaker of the HouseKenneth A. Evans
President of the Senate"
The Resolution supported the in-state sentiment that "There is much more to Iowa than acres of corn and herds of baby beef." (
Annals of Iowa. July 1945).
Representative Le Compte was able to successfully navigate his Iowa coin bill through Congress, with the bill being signed into law by President Harry S. Truman on August 7, 1946.
1946 Iowa Statehood Centennial Half Dollar
For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including a number about the 1946 Iowa Statehood Centennial coin, see:
Commems Collection.
Posted 05/14/2024 12:17 pm
