Ada Hayden

Ada Hayden (1884-1950) was a strong woman with strong opinions—especially when it came to protecting Iowa's native prairies.

Ada grew up in rural Ames and, in 1918, became the first woman to receive a doctorate degree from Iowa State College (now Iowa State University). She soon joined the university's faculty (botany department) and later served as long-time curator of the state's herbarium.

Meanwhile, Ada conducted research on Iowa's vanishing prairies—and soon became a public advocate for preserving them. She has been decribed as brusque, eccentric, diversely talented and fearless.

Thanks to her legacy, many Iowa prairies are now permanently protected, including a prairie that bears her name.

Learn more about this early Iowa conservationist and her lasting legacy by following the links!

Other publications:

SELY, D. 1989. Ada Hayden: A tribute. Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science 96:1-5.

LEWIS, D. 2001. Ada Hayden, champion of Iowa prairies. Proceedings of the Seventeenth North American Prairie Conference: seeds for the future, roots of the past, pp. 215-219.

LOVELL, J. 1987. She fought to save Iowa's prairies. The Iowan 36(2):22-27, 56-57.