The west facade of the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines rises behind a broad flight of steps and a tiered fountain. Small groups of figures stroll across the plaza, and the Great Seal of the State of Iowa appears at upper left. Completed in 1886, the Renaissance Revival building was designed by John C. Cochrane and Alfred H. Piquenard. Its central dome is covered in gold leaf and flanked by four smaller domes. It houses Iowa's legislature and executive offices.
White margin along the bottom carrying the printed caption; light edge and corner wear; color lithograph with a pale blue sky. Iowa state seal emblem in the upper left corner, with the motto "OUR LIBERTIES WE PRIZE AND OUR RIGHTS WE WILL MAINTAIN" around the border and the state name below.
No postmark. Undivided back with "This Side for the Address Only" — pre-1907 era. Imprint: Illustrated Postal Card Co. New York - Germany. No handwriting on this side.
Cite this card
State Capitol, Des Moines, Iowa, circa 1901, postcard, c. 1901. PostalPast Collection. https://postalpast.com/postcard/state-capitol-des-moines-iowa-circa-1901. Accessed November 2, 2026.
