The Legislature of 1903 passed an act making the Iowa State College a state highway commission to supervise the construction of improved roads in the state. Under this act work was carried on under the auspices of the college until 1913, when another act was passed creating a commission of three members, one of whom was the dean of the engineering department of the State College, and the other two were to be appointed by the governor from the different political parties, for a term of four years. The first highway commission appointed under this act, and the one still in existence at the close of the year, 1916, was composed of Anson MARSTON, dean of engineering in the State College, chairman; James W. HOLDEN, of Scranton, Iowa; and H. C. BEARD, of Mount Ayr, Iowa.

By the provisions of the highway commission act the office of county surveyor was abolished, and the board of supervisors in each county of the state was required to appoint a county engineer, within thirty days from the taking effect of the act, and to designate roads within the county for improvement, such roads hereafter to be known as county roads under the county road system.

SOURCE: FAIRBAIRN, Robert Herd History of Chickasaw and Howard Counties, Iowa Vol. I. Chapter 19. p. 355. S.J. Clarke Publ. Co. Chicago. 1919.

Transcription and note by Sharon R. Becker, May of 2009