“The fire was a disaster that destroyed the original tower of a treasured landmark for the UI, community, and the State of Iowa,” associate museum director Shallah Ashworth notes. “But as with any disaster, the fire gave the Old Capitol Museum the opportunity to literally rise from the ashes and to move into the 21st century with new life.” —“Rebirth of a landmark” news release

As the University marks the 10th anniversary of the Old Capitol fire, we’re featuring these contemporary accounts of the event from Iowa Digital Library.