Here is the same west view of the Capitol in 2010. There are no houses or businesses nearby. A large park sits in front of the Capitol down to East 9th and Locust. This view looks across 9th Street from Locust Street.
Note the streetcar going east on Locust Street toward the Capitol Building. There is also an automobile parked on the right side of the street. At that time, houses and other buildings were located very close to the steps of the Capitol.
This photo shows the back of the Ola Babcock Miller Building (formerly the Historical Building) in 2010 hidden by the the Vocational Rehabilitation Building facing Des Moines Street. This building replaces a house that was torn down.
This photo shows a house on Des Moines Street that partially blocks the view of the back side of the Historical Building. You can also see the top part of the Capitol to the right and south of the Historical Building.
This is a photo of the former Historical Buildiing taken in the fall of 2010. It is now known as the Ola Babcock Miller Building and houses Iowa Library Services/State Library of Iowa, the Iowa Ombudsman's Office and Iowa Legislative Services…
In 1896, the Iowa Legislature passed a law providing for the erection of a "Memorial, Historical and Art Building". The law provided for the purchase of property adjacent to the Capitol building and grounds for the purpose of construction and for the…