Former Iowa Congressman Neal Smith of Des Moines has died at the age of 101. Smith, a Democrat, was first elected to the U.S. House in 1958. An attorney and a farmer, Smith was a key architect of several federal Farm Bills and he secured funding for two of Iowa’s federal flood control reservoirs  — Saylorville and Red Rock.

The National Wildlife Refuge near Prairie City in Jasper County is named for Smith, who worked to secure its creation. The federal buidling in Des Moines is also named in his honor.