Iowa State University President Steven Leath took time June 27 to observe the original Morrill Act, which is on display at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. President Leath participated in events celebrating the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Morrill Act, which created land-grant universities. The federal legislation was signed into law on July 2, 1862 by President Abraham Lincoln. The events in Washington were sponsored by the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities and the Smithsonian Institution.