Des Moines () is the
capital
Capital may refer to:
Common uses
* Capital city, a municipality of primary status
** List of national capital cities
* Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences
* Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used f ...
and the
most populous city in the
U.S. state of
Iowa
Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...
. It is also the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
of
Polk County. A small part of the city extends into
Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines, which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857. It is located on, and named after, the
Des Moines River, which likely was adapted from the early French name, ''Rivière des Moines,'' meaning "River of the
Monk
A monk (, from el, μοναχός, ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedica ...
s". The city's population was 214,133 as of the
2020 census.
The six-county
metropolitan area
A metropolitan area or metro is a region that consists of a densely populated urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories sharing industries, commercial areas, transport network, infrastructures and housing. A metro area usually com ...
is ranked 83rd in terms of population in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
with 699,292 residents according to the 2019 estimate by the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, and is the largest
metropolitan area
A metropolitan area or metro is a region that consists of a densely populated urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories sharing industries, commercial areas, transport network, infrastructures and housing. A metro area usually com ...
fully located within the state.
Des Moines is a major center of the US insurance industry and has a sizable financial services and publishing business base. The city was credited as the "number one spot for U.S. insurance companies" in a ''
Business Wire'' article and named the third-largest "insurance capital" of the world. The city is the headquarters for the
Principal Financial Group
Principal Financial Group is an American global financial investment management and insurance company headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
Business operations
Four segments comprise the company: Retirement and Income Solutions, Principal G ...
, Ruan Transportation, TMC Transportation, EMC Insurance Companies, and
Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield
Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield is a mutual insurance in the United States with more than two million members in Iowa and South Dakota. It is the dominant health insurance in Iowa. It is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Associ ...
. Other major corporations such as
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational financial services company with corporate headquarters in San Francisco, California; operational headquarters in Manhattan; and managerial offices throughout the United States and intern ...
,
Cognizant,
Voya Financial
Voya Financial is an American financial, retirement, investment and insurance company based in New York City. Voya began as ING U.S., the United States operating subsidiary of ING Group, which was spun off in 2013 and established independent fina ...
,
Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company
Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and affiliated companies, commonly shortened to Nationwide, is a group of large U.S. insurance and financial services companies based in Columbus, Ohio. The company also operates regional headquarters in Scott ...
,
ACE Limited
An ace is a playing card, die or domino with a single pip. In the standard French deck, an ace has a single suit symbol (a heart, diamond, spade, or club) located in the middle of the card, sometimes large and decorated, especially in the ca ...
, Marsh,
Monsanto, and
Corteva have large operations in or near the metropolitan area. In recent years,
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washing ...
,
Hewlett-Packard
The Hewlett-Packard Company, commonly shortened to Hewlett-Packard ( ) or HP, was an American multinational information technology company headquartered in Palo Alto, California. HP developed and provided a wide variety of hardware components ...
, and
Facebook
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin M ...
have built data-processing and logistical facilities in the Des Moines area.
Des Moines is an important city in U.S. presidential politics; as the state's capital, it is the site of the first
caucuses
A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a specific political party or movement. The exact definition varies between different countries and political cultures.
The term originated in the United States, where it can refer to a meeting ...
of the
presidential primary
The presidential primary elections and caucuses held in the various U.S. state, states, the Washington, D.C., District of Columbia, and territories of the United States form part of the nominating process of candidates for United States preside ...
cycle. Many presidential candidates set up campaign headquarters in Des Moines. A 2007 article in ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' said, "If you have any desire to witness presidential candidates in the most close-up and intimate of settings, there is arguably no better place to go than Des Moines."
Etymology
Des Moines takes its name from Fort Des Moines (1843–46), which was named for the
Des Moines River. This was adopted from the name given by
French colonists. ''Des Moines'' (; formerly ) translates literally to either "from the monks" or "of the monks".
The historian Virgil Vogel claimed that the name was derived from ''Moingona,'' an
Algonquian clan
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship
and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clans may claim descent from founding member or apical ancestor. Clans, in indigenous societies, tend to be endogamous, meaning ...
name, which means "
Loon
Loons (North American English) or divers (British / Irish English) are a group of aquatic birds found in much of North America and northern Eurasia. All living species of loons are members of the genus ''Gavia'', family Gaviidae and order Gavi ...
".
[Vogel, Virgil (1983) ''Iowa Place Names of Indian Origin'' University of Iowa Press, Iowa City.]
Some historians and researchers lacking linguistic or Algonquianist training concluded that ''Moingona'' meant "people by the portage" or something similar, a reference to the
Des Moines Rapids
The Des Moines Rapids between Nauvoo, Illinois and Keokuk, Iowa-Hamilton, Illinois is one of two major rapids on the Mississippi River that limited Steamboat traffic on the river through the early 19th century.
The rapids just above the conf ...
. This was where the earliest known encounters between the Moingona and European explorers took place.
In 2015, Michael McCafferty of Indiana University, while studying the Miami-Illinois language, concluded that the name was actually a derisive term coined by the Peoria tribe. McCafferty agrees with other linguists that the "Moines" in Des Moines is a French derivation of Moingoana. What he discovered, however, was that it wasn't the actual name of the neighboring tribe; it was an insulting nickname they hurled at their rivals. It translates, essentially, as "the feces-faces."
One popular interpretation of "Des Moines" ignores Vogel's research, and concludes that it refers to a group of French
Trappist monks, who in the 17th century lived in huts built on top of what is now known as the ancient
Monks Mound
Monks Mound is the largest Pre-Columbian earthwork in the Americas and the largest pyramid north of Mesoamerica. The beginning of its construction dates from 900–955 CE. Located at the Cahokia Mounds UNESCO World Heritage Site near Collinsvil ...
at
Cahokia, the major center of
Mississippian culture
The Mississippian culture was a Native Americans in the United States, Native American civilization that flourished in what is now the Midwestern United States, Midwestern, Eastern United States, Eastern, and Southeastern United States from appr ...
, which developed in what is present-day Illinois, east of the Mississippi River and the city of
St. Louis. This was some from the Des Moines River.
Prehistory
Prehistoric inhabitants of early Des Moines
Based on archaeological evidence, the junction of the
Des Moines
Des Moines () is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small part of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines, ...
and
Raccoon Rivers has attracted humans for at least 7,000 years. Several prehistoric occupation areas have been identified by archaeologists in
downtown Des Moines
Downtown Des Moines is the central business district of Des Moines, Iowa and the Greater Des Moines Metropolitan Area. Downtown Des Moines is defined by the City of Des Moines as located between the Des Moines River to the east, the Raccoon Rive ...
. Discovered in December 2010, the
"Palace" is an expansive, 7,000-year-old site found during excavations prior to construction of the new wastewater treatment plant in southeastern Des Moines. It contains well-preserved house deposits and numerous graves. More than 6,000 artifacts were found at this site. State of Iowa archaeologist John Doershuk was assisted by
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa (UI, U of I, UIowa, or simply Iowa) is a public university, public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is org ...
archaeologists at this dig.
At least three Late Prehistoric villages, dating from about AD 1300 to 1700, stood in or near what developed later as downtown Des Moines. In addition, 15 to 18 prehistoric
American Indian mounds were observed in this area by early settlers. All have been destroyed during development of the city.
History
Origin of Fort Des Moines
Des Moines traces its origins to May 1843, when Captain
James Allen supervised the construction of a fort on the site where the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers merge. Allen wanted to use the name Fort Raccoon; however, the
U.S. War Department
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department (and occasionally War Office in the early years), was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army, a ...
preferred Fort Des Moines. The fort was built to control the
Sauk and
Meskwaki tribes, whom the government had moved to the area from their traditional lands in eastern Iowa. The fort was abandoned in 1846 after the Sauk and Meskwaki were removed from the state and shifted to the Indian Territory.
The Sauk and Meskwaki did not fare well in Des Moines. The illegal whiskey trade, combined with the destruction of traditional lifeways, led to severe problems for their society. One newspaper reported:
"It is a fact that the location of Fort Des Moines among the Sac and Fox Indians (under its present commander) for the last two years, had corrupted them more and lowered them deeper in the scale of vice and degradation, than all their intercourse with the whites for the ten years previous".
After official
removal, the Meskwaki continued to return to Des Moines until around 1857.
Archaeological excavations have shown that many fort-related features survived under what is now
Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and First Street.
Soldiers stationed at Fort Des Moines opened the first coal mines in the area, mining coal from the riverbank for the fort's blacksmith.
Early, non-Native American, settlement
Settlers occupied the abandoned fort and nearby areas. On May 25, 1846, the state legislature designated Fort Des Moines as the seat of Polk County. Arozina Perkins, a school teacher who spent the winter of 1850–1851 in the town of Fort Des Moines, was not favorably impressed:
This is one of the strangest looking "cities" I ever saw... This town is at the juncture of the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers. It is mostly a level prairie with a few swells or hills around it. We have a court house of "brick" and one church, a plain, framed building belonging to the Methodists. There are two taverns here, one of which has a most important little bell that rings together some fifty boarders. I cannot tell you how many dwellings there are, for I have not counted them; some are of logs, some of brick, some framed, and some are the remains of the old dragoon
Dragoons were originally a class of mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but dismounted to fight on foot. From the early 17th century onward, dragoons were increasingly also employed as conventional cavalry and trained for combat w ...
houses... The people support two papers and there are several dry goods shops. I have been into but four of them... Society is as varied as the buildings are. There are people from nearly every state, and Dutch, Swedes, etc.
In May 1851, much of the town was destroyed during the
Flood of 1851. "The Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers rose to an unprecedented height, inundating the entire country east of the Des Moines River. Crops were utterly destroyed, houses and fences swept away." The city started to rebuild from scratch.
Era of growth
On September 22, 1851, Des Moines was incorporated as a city; the charter was approved by voters on October 18. In 1857, the name "Fort Des Moines" was shortened to "Des Moines", and it was designated as the second state capital, previously at
Iowa City
Iowa City, offically the City of Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States. It is the home of the University of Iowa and county seat of Johnson County, at the center of the Iowa City Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the time ...
. Growth was slow during the
Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
period, but the city exploded in size and importance after a railroad link was completed in 1866.
In 1864, the Des Moines Coal Company was organized to begin the first systematic mining in the region. Its first mine, north of town on the river's west side, was exhausted by 1873. The Black Diamond mine, near the south end of the West Seventh Street Bridge, sank a
mine shaft
Shaft mining or shaft sinking is the action of excavating a mine shaft from the top down, where there is initially no access to the bottom. Shallow shafts, typically sunk for civil engineering projects, differ greatly in execution method from ...
to reach a coal bed. By 1876, this mine employed 150 men and shipped 20 carloads of coal per day. By 1885, numerous mine shafts were within the city limits, and mining began to spread into the surrounding countryside. By 1893, 23 mines were in the region.
[James H. Lees, "History of Coal Mining in Iowa," Chapter III o]
''Annual Report, 1908''
, Iowa Geological Survey, 1909, pages 566–569. By 1908, Des Moines' coal resources were largely exhausted.
[Henry Hinds, "The Coal Deposits of Iowa,]
''Annual Report, 1908''
, Iowa Geological Survey, 1909, pages 121–127, and see map on page 102. In 1912, Des Moines still had eight locals of the
United Mine Workers
The United Mine Workers of America (UMW or UMWA) is a North American labor union best known for representing coal miners. Today, the Union also represents health care workers, truck drivers, manufacturing workers and public employees in the Unit ...
union, representing 1,410 miners. This was about 1.7% of the city's population in 1910.
By 1880, Des Moines had a population of 22,408, making it Iowa's largest city. It displaced the three Mississippi River ports: Burlington, Dubuque, and Davenport, that had alternated holding the position since the territorial period. Des Moines has remained Iowa's most populous city. In 1910, the Census Bureau reported Des Moines' population as 97.3% white and 2.7% black, reflecting its early settlement pattern primarily by ethnic Europeans.
"City Beautiful" project, decline and rebirth
At the turn of the 20th century, encouraged by the Civic Committee of the
Des Moines Women's Club
The Des Moines Women's Club, founded in 1885 as the Woman's club movement in the United States, women's club movement swept through the United States, today serves the Des Moines community by providing scholarships, support for the local arts comm ...
, Des Moines undertook a "
City Beautiful
The City Beautiful Movement was a reform philosophy of North American architecture and urban planning that flourished during the 1890s and 1900s with the intent of introducing beautification and monumental grandeur in cities. It was a part of the ...
" project in which large
Beaux Arts public buildings and fountains were constructed along the Des Moines River. The former
Des Moines Public Library building (now the home of the
World Food Prize); the United States
central Post Office, built by the federal government (now the Polk County Administrative Building, with a newer addition); and the
City Hall
In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...
are surviving examples of the 1900–1910 buildings. They form the
Civic Center Historic District.
The ornate riverfront balustrades that line the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers were built by the federal
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a voluntary government work relief program that ran from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men ages 18–25 and eventually expanded to ages 17–28. The CCC was a major part of ...
in the mid-1930s, during the
Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
under Democratic President
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...
, as a project to provide local employment and improve infrastructure. The ornamental fountains that stood along the riverbank were buried in the 1950s when the city began a postindustrial decline that lasted until the late 1980s. The city has since rebounded, transforming from a blue-collar industrial city to a white-collar professional city.
In 1907, the city adopted a
city commission government
City commission government is a form of local government in the United States. In a city commission government, voters elect a small commission, typically of five to seven members, typically on a plurality-at-large voting basis.
These commissione ...
known as the Des Moines Plan, comprising an elected mayor and four commissioners, all elected
at-large
At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather than ...
, who were responsible for public works, public property, public safety, and finance. Considered progressive at the time, it diluted the votes of ethnic and national minorities, who generally could not command the majority to elect a candidate of their choice.
That form of government was scrapped in 1950 in favor of a
council-manager government, with the council members elected at-large. In 1967, the city changed its government to elect four of the seven city council members from
single-member district
A single-member district is an electoral district represented by a single officeholder. It contrasts with a multi-member district, which is represented by multiple officeholders. Single-member districts are also sometimes called single-winner vo ...
s or wards, rather than at-large. This enabled a broader representation of voters. As with many major urban areas, the city core began losing population to the suburbs in the 1960s (the peak population of 208,982 was recorded in 1960), as highway construction led to new residential construction outside the city. The population was 198,682 in 2000 and grew slightly to 200,538 in 2009.
The growth of the outlying suburbs has continued, and the overall metropolitan-area population is over 700,000 today.
During the
Great Flood of 1993, heavy rains throughout June and early July caused the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers to rise above flood stage levels. The Des Moines Water Works was submerged by floodwaters during the early morning hours of July 11, 1993, leaving an estimated 250,000 people without running water for 12 days and without drinking water for 20 days. Des Moines suffered major flooding again in June 2008 with a major
levee
A levee (), dike (American English), dyke (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English), embankment, floodbank, or stop bank is a structure that is usually soil, earthen and that often runs parallel (geometry), parallel to ...
breach. The Des Moines river is controlled upstream by
Saylorville Reservoir
Saylorville Lake is a reservoir on the Des Moines River in Iowa, United States. It is located upstream from the city of Des Moines, and from the mouth of the Des Moines River at the Mississippi River. It was constructed as part of a flood contr ...
. In both 1993 and 2008, the flooding river overtopped the reservoir spillway.
Today, Des Moines is a member of
ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability USA
ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (or simply ICLEI) is an international non-governmental organization that promotes sustainable development. ICLEI provides technical consulting to local governments to meet sustainability objectives.
...
. Through ICLEI, Des Moines has implemented "The Tomorrow Plan", a regional plan focused on developing central Iowa in a
sustainable fashion, centrally-planned growth, and resource consumption to manage the local population.
Cityscape
The skyline of Des Moines changed in the 1970s and the 1980s, when several new skyscrapers were built. Additional skyscrapers were built in the 1990s, including Iowa's tallest. Before then, the 19-story
Equitable Building, from 1924, was the tallest building in the city and the tallest building in Iowa. The 25-story
Financial Center
A financial centre ( BE), financial center ( AE), or financial hub, is a location with a concentration of participants in banking, asset management, insurance or financial markets with venues and supporting services for these activities to t ...
was completed in 1973 and the 36-story
Ruan Center was completed in 1974. They were later joined by the 33-story
Des Moines Marriott Hotel
The Des Moines Marriott Hotel is a high-rise hotel located in Downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. The building rises 33 floors and in height. It is currently the 3rd-tallest building in the city and the tallest hotel in Iowa. The structure ...
(1981), the 25-story
HUB Tower
The HUB Tower is a high-rise office building located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. The building rises 25 floors and in height. It is tied with the EMC Insurance Building for the title of the 6th-tallest building in the city. Desig ...
and 25-story
Plaza Building (1985). Iowa's tallest building,
Principal Financial Group
Principal Financial Group is an American global financial investment management and insurance company headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
Business operations
Four segments comprise the company: Retirement and Income Solutions, Principal G ...
's 45-story tower at
801 Grand
801 Grand High Rise Building (referred to as the 801 Grand Building and previously known as The Principal Building), is a 45-story skyscraper in Des Moines, Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa, United States, operated and managed by JLL (company), JLL America ...
was built in 1991, and the 19-story
EMC Insurance Building
The EMC Insurance Building is a high-rise office building located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. The building rises 19 Storey, floors and in height. It is currently tied with the HUB Tower as the 6th-tallest building in the city. De ...
was erected in 1997.
During this time period, the
Civic Center of Greater Des Moines
The Des Moines Civic Center is a 2,744-seat performing arts center belonging to Des Moines Performing Arts located in Des Moines, Iowa. It has been Iowa's largest theater since it opened on June 10, 1979, and is used for concerts, Broadway shows, ...
(1979) was developed; it hosts Broadway shows and special events. Also constructed were the
Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden (1979), a large city botanical garden/greenhouse on the east side of the river; the
Polk County Convention Complex (1985), and the State of Iowa Historical Museum (1987). The Des Moines
skywalk
A skyway, skybridge, skywalk, or sky walkway is an elevated type of pedway connecting two or more buildings in an urban area, or connecting elevated points within mountainous recreational zones. Urban skyways very often take the form of enclos ...
also began to take shape during the 1980s. The skywalk system is long and connects many downtown buildings.
In the early 21st century, the city has had more major construction in the downtown area. The new
Science Center of Iowa
The Science Center of Iowa is a science museum located in Des Moines, Iowa.
The museum opened in 1970 in Greenwood-Ashworth Park and was called the Des Moines Center of Science and Industry. It was renamed the Science Center of Iowa in 1985. I ...
and Blank IMAX Dome Theater and the
Iowa Events Center opened in 2005. The new central branch of the Des Moines Public Library, designed by renowned architect
David Chipperfield
Sir David Alan Chipperfield, (born 18 December 1953) is an English architect. He established David Chipperfield Architects in 1985.
His major works include the River and Rowing Museum in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire (1989–1998); the Museum ...
of London, opened on April 8, 2006.
The
World Food Prize Foundation, which is based in Des Moines, completed adaptation and restoration of the
former Des Moines Public Library building in October 2011. The former library now serves as the home and headquarters of the
Norman Borlaug/World Food Prize Hall of Laureates.
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has an area of , of which is land and is covered by water.
It is above sea level at the confluence of the Raccoon and Des Moines Rivers.
In November 2005, Des Moines voters approved a measure that allowed the city to annex parcels of land in the northeast, southeast, and southern corners of Des Moines without agreement by local residents, particularly areas bordering the
Iowa Highway 5/
U.S. 65 bypass. The annexations became official on June 26, 2009, as and around 868 new residents were added to the city of Des Moines.
An additional were voluntarily annexed to the city over that same period.
[
]
Metropolitan area
Des Moines-West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area
Des Moines-Ames
Ames may refer to:
Places United States
* Ames, Arkansas, a place in Arkansas
* Ames, Colorado
* Ames, Illinois
* Ames, Indiana
* Ames, Iowa, the most populous city bearing this name
* Ames, Kansas
* Ames, Nebraska
* Ames, New York
* Ames, Oklah ...
-West Des Moines
West Des Moines is a city in Polk, Dallas
Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the ...
Combined Statistical Area
Combined statistical area (CSA) is a United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) term for a combination of adjacent metropolitan (MSA) and micropolitan statistical areas (µSA) across the 50 US states and the territory of Puerto Ric ...
Des Moines' suburban communities include Altoona, Ankeny, Bondurant, Carlisle
Carlisle ( , ; from xcb, Caer Luel) is a city that lies within the Northern England, Northern English county of Cumbria, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, Scottish border at the confluence of the rivers River Eden, Cumbria, Eden, River C ...
, Clive
Clive is a name. People and fictional characters with the name include:
People Given name
* Clive Allen (born 1961), English football player
* Clive Anderson (born 1952), British television, radio presenter, comedy writer and former barrister
* ...
, Grimes
Claire Elise Boucher (; born March 17, 1988), known professionally as Grimes, is a Canadian musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Her early work has been described as extending from "lo-fi R&B" to futuristic dance-pop, and has in ...
, Johnston, Norwalk, Pleasant Hill, Urbandale, Waukee
Waukee is a city in Dallas County, Iowa, United States. The population was 23,940 at the time of the 2020 U.S. Census. It is part of the Des Moines – West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area.
In 2017, Apple Inc. chose Waukee as the loc ...
, West Des Moines
West Des Moines is a city in Polk, Dallas
Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the ...
, and Windsor Heights.
Climate
At the center of North America and far removed from large bodies of water, the Des Moines area has a hot summer type humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...
( Köppen ''Dfa''), with warm to hot, humid summers and cold, dry winters. Summer temperatures can often climb into the range, occasionally reaching . Humidity can be high in spring and summer, with frequent afternoon thunderstorm
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm or a lightning storm, is a storm characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere, known as thunder. Relatively weak thunderstorms are someti ...
s. Fall brings pleasant temperatures and colorful fall foliage. Winters vary from moderately cold to bitterly cold, with low temperatures venturing below quite often. Snowfall averages per season, and annual precipitation averages , with a peak in the warmer months. Winters are slightly colder than Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
, but still warmer than Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
, with summer temperatures being very similar between the Upper Midwest
The Upper Midwest is a region in the northern portion of the U.S. Census Bureau's Midwestern United States. It is largely a sub-region of the Midwest. Although the exact boundaries are not uniformly agreed-upon, the region is defined as referring ...
metropolitan areas.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the census of 2020, the population was 214,133. The population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was . There were 95,082 housing units at an average density of . Ethnically, the population was 15.6% Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race. When grouping both Hispanic and non-Hispanic people together by race, the city was 64.5% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 11.7% Black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...
or African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 6.8% Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.7% Native American, 0.1% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 6.6% from other races, and 9.6% from two or more races.
The 2020 census population of the city included 252 people incarcerated in adult correctional facilities and 2,378 people in student housing.
According to the American Community Survey
The American Community Survey (ACS) is a demographics survey program conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the decennial census, such as ancestry, citizenship, educati ...
estimates for 2016-2020, the median income for a household in the city was $54,843, and the median income for a family was $66,420. Male full-time workers had a median income of $47,048 versus $40,290 for female workers. The per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $29,064. About 12.1% of families and 16.0% of the population were below the poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 24.3% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over. Of the population age 25 and over, 86.7% were high school graduates or higher and 27.9% had a bachelor's degree or higher.
2010 census
As of the census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2010, there were 203,433 people, 81,369 households, and 47,491 families residing in the city. Population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was . There were 88,729 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city for Unincorporated areas not merged with the city proper was 66.2% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 15.5% African Americans
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.5% Native American, 4.0% Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, and 2.6% from Two or more races
2 (two) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 1 and preceding 3. It is the smallest and only even prime number. Because it forms the basis of a duality, it has religious and spiritual significance in many culture ...
. People of Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
origin, of any race, made up 12.1% of the population. The city's racial make up during the 2010 census was 76.4% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 10.2% African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.5% Native American, 4.4% Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
(1.2% Vietnamese, 0.9% Laotian, 0.4% Burmese, 0.3% Asian Indian, 0.3% Thai, 0.2% Chinese, 0.2% Cambodian, 0.2% Filipino, 0.1% Hmong, 0.1% Korean, 0.1% Nepalese), 0.1% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 5.0% from other races, and 3.4% from two or more races. People of Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
origin, of any race, formed 12.0% of the population (9.4% Mexican, 0.7% Salvadoran, 0.3% Guatemalan, 0.3% Puerto Rican, 0.1% Honduran, 0.1% Ecuadorian, 0.1% Cuban, 0.1% Spaniard, 0.1% Spanish). Non-Hispanic Whites were 70.5% of the population in 2010. Des Moines also has a sizeable South Sudanese
South Sudan is home to around 60 indigenous ethnic groups and 80 linguistic partitions among a population of around million. Historically, most ethnic groups were lacking in formal Western political institutions, with land held by the communit ...
community.
There were 81,369 households, of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.9% were married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.6% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.11.
The median age in the city was 33.5 years. 24.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 29.4% were from 25 to 44; 23.9% were from 45 to 64; and 11% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.9% male and 51.1% female.
2000 census
As of the 2000 census, there were 198,682 people, 80,504 households, and 48,704 families in the city. The population density was . There were 85,067 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup
A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
of the city was 82.3% white
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 8.07% Black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...
, 0.35% American Indian, 3.50% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 3.52% from other races, and 2.23% from two or more races. 6.61% of the population were Hispanic or Latino
''Hispanic'' and ''Latino'' are ethnonyms used to refer collectively to the inhabitants of the United States who are of Spanish or Latin American ancestry (). While the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, for example, by the United States C ...
of any race. 20.9% were of German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
, 10.3% Irish, 9.1% "American" and 8.0% English ancestry, according to Census 2000.
There were 80,504 households, out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.7% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.04.
Age spread: 24.8% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 31.8% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $38,408, and the median income for a family was $46,590. Males had a median income of $31,712 versus $25,832 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,467. About 7.9% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.9% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those ages 65 or over.
Economy
Many insurance companies are headquartered in Des Moines, including the Principal Financial Group
Principal Financial Group is an American global financial investment management and insurance company headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
Business operations
Four segments comprise the company: Retirement and Income Solutions, Principal G ...
, EMC Insurance Group, Fidelity & Guaranty Life
F&G Annuities & Life, Inc., previously known as Fidelity and Guaranty Life Insurance Company is an American financial company, primarily providing annuities and life insurance. The company was founded in 1959 and is based in Des Moines, Iowa.
K ...
, Allied Insurance
Allied Insurance provides insurance to individuals, families and businesses. Headquarters are located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. They are represented by independent insurance agents through their regional offices and staff in Des Moines ...
, GuideOne Insurance, Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield
Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield is a mutual insurance in the United States with more than two million members in Iowa and South Dakota. It is the dominant health insurance in Iowa. It is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Associ ...
of Iowa, FBL Financial Group, and American Republic Insurance Company. Iowa has one of the lowest insurance premium taxes in the nation at 1%, and doesn't charge any premium taxes on qualified life insurance plans, making the state attractive to insurance business. Des Moines has been referred to as the "Hartford of the West" and "Insurance Capital" because of this. The Principal is one of two Fortune 500
The ''Fortune'' 500 is an annual list compiled and published by ''Fortune'' magazine that ranks 500 of the largest United States corporations by total revenue for their respective fiscal years. The list includes publicly held companies, along ...
companies with headquarters in Iowa (the other being Casey's General Stores
Casey's Retail Company (doing business as Casey's) is a chain of convenience stores in the Midwestern and Southern United States. The company is headquartered in Ankeny, Iowa, a suburb of Des Moines. As of April 30, 2019, Casey's had 2,146 stor ...
), ranking 201st on the magazine's list in 2020.
As a center of financial and insurance services, other major corporations headquartered outside of Iowa have a presence in the Des Moines Metro area, including Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational financial services company with corporate headquarters in San Francisco, California; operational headquarters in Manhattan; and managerial offices throughout the United States and intern ...
, Voya Financial
Voya Financial is an American financial, retirement, investment and insurance company based in New York City. Voya began as ING U.S., the United States operating subsidiary of ING Group, which was spun off in 2013 and established independent fina ...
, and Electronic Data Systems
Electronic all cash BSN acc: 1311729000110205 Data Systems (EDS) was an American multinational information technology equipment and services company headquartered in Plano, Texas which was founded in 1962 by Ross Perot. The company was a subs ...
(EDS). The Meredith Corporation
Meredith Corporation was an American media conglomerate based in Des Moines, Iowa, that owned magazines, television stations, websites, and radio stations. Its publications had a readership of more than 120 million and paid circulation of more ...
, a leading publishing and marketing company, was also based in Des Moines prior to its acquisition by IAC and merger with Dotdash
Dotdash Meredith (formerly About.com) is an American digital media company based in New York City. The company publishes online articles and videos about various subjects across categories including health, home, food, finance, tech, beauty, ...
in 2021. Meredith published '' Better Homes and Gardens'', one of the most widely circulated publications in the United States. Des Moines was also the headquarters of ''Golf Digest
''Golf Digest'' is a monthly golf magazine published by Warner Bros. Discovery through its sports unit under its Warner Bros. Discovery Golf division. It is a generalist golf publication covering recreational golf and men's and women's competiti ...
'' magazine.
Other major employers in Des Moines include UnityPoint Health
UnityPoint Health (known as Iowa Health System until 2013) is a network of hospitals, clinics and home care services in Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin. The system began in 1993, when Iowa Lutheran Hospital and Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines ...
, Mercy Medical Center, MidAmerican Energy Company
MidAmerican Energy Company is an energy company based in Des Moines, Iowa. Its service area includes almost two-thirds of Iowa, as well as portions of Illinois, South Dakota, and Nebraska. Its territory is wholly encompassed by the territory of ...
, CDS Global
CDS Global, Inc. is a multinational corporation based in Des Moines, Iowa, that provides business process outsourcing and customer data management to various industries worldwide.
They handle 710 million consumer sales promotions, 65 million cus ...
, UPS
UPS or ups may refer to:
Companies and organizations
* United Parcel Service, an American shipping company
** The UPS Store, UPS subsidiary
** UPS Airlines, UPS subsidiary
* Underground Press Syndicate, later ''Alternative Press Syndicate'' or ...
, Firestone Agricultural Tire Company, EDS, Drake University
Drake University is a private university in Des Moines, Iowa. It offers undergraduate and graduate programs, including professional programs in business, law, and pharmacy. Drake's law school is among the 25 oldest in the United States.
Hi ...
, Titan Tire, ''The Des Moines Register
''The Des Moines Register'' is the daily morning newspaper of Des Moines, Iowa.
History Early period
The first newspaper in Des Moines was the ''Iowa Star''. In July 1849, Barlow Granger began the paper in an abandoned log cabin by the junctio ...
'', Anderson Erickson, Dee Zee and EMCO
EMCO or Emco may refer to:
* Emco, a manufacturing company and maker of Unimat
* EMCO Enterprises, a subsidiary of the Andersen Corporation
* Enhanced Movement Control Order, part of the Malaysian movement control order
The 2020–21 Malays ...
.
In 2017, Kemin Industries
Kemin Industries Inc supplies specialty ingredients for several industries, including human/animal health and nutrition, pet food, agricultural, nutritional, food technologies, crop technologies, and textile industries.
Established in 1961, Kemin ...
opened a state-of-the-art worldwide headquarters building in Des Moines.
Culture
Arts and theatre
The City of Des Moines is a cultural center for Iowa and home to several art and history museums and performing arts
The performing arts are arts such as music, dance, and drama which are performed for an audience. They are different from the visual arts, which are the use of paint, canvas or various materials to create physical or static art objects. Perform ...
groups. The Des Moines Performing Arts routinely hosts touring Broadway shows
Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), 130 of the 144 extant and extinct Broadway venues use (used) the spelling ''Th ...
and other live professional theater. Its president and CEO, Jeff Chelsvig, is a member of the League of American Theatres and Producers, Inc. The Temple for Performing Arts and Des Moines Playhouse are other venues for live theatre, comedy, and performance arts.
The Des Moines Metro Opera
Des Moines Metro Opera is an opera company in Indianola, Iowa, a town of approximately 14,000 inhabitants which lies some south of Des Moines, Iowa. It was founded by Robert L. Larsen and Douglas Duncan in 1973. The director is Michael Egel.
D ...
has been a cultural resource in Des Moines since 1973. The Opera offers educational and outreach programs and is one of the largest performing arts organizations in the state. Ballet Des Moines
Ballet Des Moines is a ballet company based in Des Moines, Iowa.
History
The company was founded in 2002 as the Ballet Theatre of Iowa. Previously, the city had been served for by Ballet Iowa for three decades; however, that company had gone def ...
was established in 2002. Performing three productions each year, the Ballet also provides opportunities for education and outreach.
The Des Moines Symphony
The Des Moines Symphony (DMSO) is a United States symphony orchestra based in Des Moines, Iowa. The current conductor is Joseph Giunta. Established in 1937 as the Des Moines Civic Orchestra, the orchestra performs both Masterworks and Pops concer ...
performs frequently at different venues. In addition to performing seven pairs of classical concerts each season, the Symphony also entertains with New Year's Eve Pops and its annual Yankee Doodle Pops concerts.
The Metro Arts Alliance produces ''Jazz in July'' every year, that offers free jazz shows daily at various venues throughout the city during the entire month of July.
Wells Fargo Arena is the Des Moines area's primary venue for sporting events and concerts since its opening in 2005. Named for title sponsor Wells Fargo Financial Services, Wells Fargo Arena holds 16,980 and books large, national touring acts for arena concert
A concert is a live music performance in front of an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, choir, or band. Concerts are held in a wide variety a ...
performances, while several smaller venues host local, regional, and national bands. It is the home of the Iowa Wolves
The Iowa Wolves are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Des Moines, Iowa, and are affiliated with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Wolves play their home games at the Wells Fargo Arena and compete in the Western ...
of the NBA G League
The NBA G League, or simply the G League, is the National Basketball Association's (NBA) official List of developmental and minor sports leagues, minor league basketball organization. The league was known as the National Basketball Development ...
, the Iowa Wild
The Iowa Wild are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, that began play for the 2013–14 season. The team plays at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa, as the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild.
The team was f ...
of the American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary Minor league#Ice hockey, developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 AHL se ...
, and the Iowa Barnstormers
The Iowa Barnstormers are a professional indoor American football, indoor football team based in Des Moines, Iowa. They are currently members of the Indoor Football League (IFL). They play their home games at Wells Fargo Arena (Des Moines, Iowa) ...
of the Indoor Football League
The Indoor Football League (IFL) is a professional indoor American football league created in 2008 out of the merger between the Intense Football League and United Indoor Football. It has one of the largest number of currently active teams amon ...
.
The Simon Estes
Simon Estes (born March 2, 1938) is an operatic bass-baritone of African-American descent who had a major international opera career beginning in the 1960s. He has sung at most of the world's major opera houses as well as in front of presiden ...
Riverfront Amphitheater is an outdoor concert venue on the east bank of the Des Moines River which hosts music events such as the Alive Concert Series.
The Des Moines Art Center, with a wing designed by architect I. M. Pei
Ieoh Ming Pei
– website of Pei Cobb Freed & Partners ( ; ; April 26, 1917 – May 16, 2019) was ...
, presents art exhibitions and educational programs as well as studio art classes. The Center houses a collection of artwork from the 19th century to the present. An extension of the art center is downtown in an urban museum space, featuring three or four exhibitions each year.
The Pappajohn Sculpture Park
The John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park is a park within Western Gateway Park in Des Moines, Iowa. It opened in 2009 with 24 sculptures, with four more acquired later. The sculpture park is administered by the Des Moines Art Center and contai ...
was established in 2009. It showcases a collection of 24 sculptures donated by Des Moines philanthropists John and Mary Pappajohn. Nearby is the Temple for Performing Arts, a cultural center for the city. Next to the Temple is the Central Library, designed by renowned English architect David Chipperfield
Sir David Alan Chipperfield, (born 18 December 1953) is an English architect. He established David Chipperfield Architects in 1985.
His major works include the River and Rowing Museum in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire (1989–1998); the Museum ...
.
Salisbury House and Gardens is a 42-room historic house museum on of woodlands in the South of Grand neighborhood of Des Moines. It is named after—and loosely inspired by—King's House in Salisbury
Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath.
Salisbury is in the southeast of Wil ...
, England. Built in the 1920s by cosmetics magnate Carl Weeks and his wife, Edith, the Salisbury House contains authentic 16th-century English oak and rafters dating to Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
's days, numerous other architectural features re-purposed from other historic English homes, and an internationally significant collection of original fine art, tapestries, decorative art, furniture, musical instruments, and rare books and documents. The Salisbury House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
, and has been featured on A&E's '' America's Castles'' and PBS's '' Antiques Roadshow''. Prominent artists in the Salisbury House collection include Joseph Stella, Lillian Genth, Anthony van Dyck
Sir Anthony van Dyck (, many variant spellings; 22 March 1599 – 9 December 1641) was a Brabantian Flemish Baroque artist who became the leading court painter in England after success in the Southern Netherlands and Italy.
The seventh c ...
and Lawrence Alma-Tadema.
Built in 1877 by prominent pioneer businessman Hoyt Sherman
Major Hoyt Sherman (November 21, 1827 – January 25, 1904), a member of the prominent Sherman family, was an American banker.
Biography
Hoyt Sherman was born in 1827 in Lancaster, Ohio, the son of Charles R. Sherman, Judge of the Ohio S ...
, Hoyt Sherman Place
Hoyt Sherman Place, the home of Hoyt Sherman, was built in 1877 and is located in Des Moines, Iowa.
History
In 1850, Hoyt purchased five acres of land in Des Moines for $105. In 1877, Hoyt Sherman Place, the family home, was completed with the ...
mansion was Des Moines' first public art gallery and houses a distinctive collection of 19th and 20th century artwork. Its restored 1,250-seat theater features an intricate rococo
Rococo (, also ), less commonly Roccoco or Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and theatrical style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpted moulding, ...
plaster ceiling and excellent acoustics and is used for a variety of cultural performances and entertainment.
Attractions
Arising in the east and facing westward toward downtown, the Iowa State Capitol
The Iowa State Capitol, commonly called the Iowa Statehouse, is in Iowa's capital city, Des Moines. As the seat of the Iowa General Assembly, the building houses the Iowa Senate, Iowa House of Representatives, the Office of the Governor, and the ...
building with its , 23-karat gold leafed dome towering above the city is a favorite of sightseers. Four smaller domes flank the main dome. The Capitol houses the governor's offices, legislature, and the old Supreme Court Chambers. The ornate interior also features a grand staircase, mural "Westward", five-story law library, scale model of the USS ''Iowa'', and collection of first lady dolls. Guided tours are available.
The Capitol grounds include a World War II memorial with sculpture and Wall of Memories, the 1894 Soldiers and Sailors Monument of the Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
and memorials honoring those who served in the Spanish–American, Korean, and Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
s.
The West Capitol Terrace provides the entrance from the west to the state's grandest building, the State Capitol Building. The "people's park" at the foot of the Capitol complex includes a promenade and landscaped gardens, in addition to providing public space for rallies and special events. A granite map of Iowa depicting all 99 counties rests at the base of the terrace and has become an attraction for in-state visitors, many of whom walk over the map to find their home county.
Iowa's history lives on in the State of Iowa Historical Museum. This modern granite and glass structure at the foot of the State Capitol Building houses permanent and temporary exhibits exploring the people, places, events, and issues of Iowa's past. The showcase includes native wildlife, American Indian and pioneer artifacts, and political and military items. The museum features a genealogy and Iowa history library, museum gift shop, and cafe.
Terrace Hill
Terrace Hill, also known as Hubbell Mansion, Benjamin F. Allen House or the Iowa Governor's Mansion, is the official residence of the governor of Iowa, United States. Located at 2300 Grand Avenue in Des Moines, it is an example of Second Empire ...
, a National Historic Landmark and Iowa Governor's Residence, is among the best examples of American Victorian Second Empire architecture. This opulent 1869 home was built by Iowa's first millionaire, Benjamin F. Allen, and restored to the late 19th century period. It overlooks downtown Des Moines and is situated on with a re-created Victorian formal garden. Tours are conducted Tuesdays through Saturdays from March through December.
The Science Center of Iowa and Blank IMAX Dome Theater offers seven interactive learning areas, live programs, and hands-on activities encouraging learning and fun for all ages. Among its three theaters include the 216-seat Blank IMAX Dome Theater, 175-seat John Deere
Deere & Company, doing business as John Deere (), is an American corporation that manufactures agricultural machinery, heavy equipment, forestry machinery, diesel engines, drivetrains (axles, transmissions, gearboxes) used in heavy equipment, ...
Adventure Theater featuring live performances, and a domed Star Theater.
The Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, an indoor conservatory of over 15,000 exotic plants, is one of the largest collections of tropical, subtropical, and desert-growing plants in the Midwest. The Center blooms with thousands of flowers year-round. Nearby are the Robert D. Ray Asian Gardens and Pavilion, named in honor of the former governor whose influence helped relocate thousands of Vietnamese refugees to Iowa homes in the 1970s and 1980s. Developed by the city's Asian community, the Gardens include a three-story Chinese pavilion, bonsai landscaping, and granite sculptures to highlight the importance of diversity and recognize Asian American contributions in Iowa.
Blank Park Zoo is a landscaped zoological park on the south side. Among the exhibits include a tropical rain forest, Australian Outback, and Africa. The Zoo offers education classes, tours, and rental facilities.
The Iowa Primate Learning Sanctuary
Ape Cognition and Conservation Initiative is a sanctuary and scientific research facility in Des Moines, Iowa. It is dedicated to understanding the origins and future of culture, language, tools and intelligence. The facility was announced in 2002 ...
was established as a scientific research facility with a campus housing bonobos and orangutans for the noninvasive interdisciplinary study of their cognitive and communicative capabilities.
The East Village, on the east side of the Des Moines River, begins at the river and extends about five blocks east to the State Capitol Building, offering an eclectic blend of historic buildings, hip eateries, boutiques, art galleries, and a wide variety of other retail establishments mixed with residences.
Adventureland Park is an amusement park in neighboring Altoona, just northeast of Des Moines. The park boasts more than 100 rides, shows, and attractions, including six rollercoasters. A hotel and campground is just outside the park. Also in Altoona is Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino, an entertainment venue for gambling and horse racing. Open 24 hours a day, year-round, the racetrack and casino features live racing, plus over 1,750 slot machines, table games, and concert and show entertainment. The racetrack hosts two Grade III races annually, the Iowa Oaks and the Cornhusker Handicap.
Living History Farms
Living History Farms is a 500-acre open-air museum located in Urbandale, Iowa, United States. The museum's mission is to educate visitors and demonstrate the past 300 years of Iowa's agricultural history. As its name implies, the museum follows ...
in suburban Urbandale tells the story of Midwestern agriculture and rural life in an open-air museum with interpreters dressed in period costume who recreate the daily routines of early Iowans. Open daily from May through October, the Living History Farms include a 1700 Ioway Indian village, 1850 pioneer farm, 1875 frontier town, 1900 horse-powered farm, and a modern crop center.
Wallace House was the home of the first Henry Wallace, a national leader in agriculture and conservation and the first editor of ''Wallaces' Farmer
Farm Progress is the publisher of 22 farming and ranching magazines. The company dates back nearly 200 years. Farm Progress Companies is owned by Informa.
Farm Progress has the oldest known continuously published magazine, ''Prairie Farmer'', whi ...
'' farm journal. This restored 1883 Italianate Victorian houses exhibits, artifacts, and information covering four generations of Henry Wallaces and other family members.
Historic Jordan House in West Des Moines
West Des Moines is a city in Polk, Dallas
Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the ...
is a stately Victorian home built in 1850 and added to in 1870 by the first white settler in West Des Moines, James C. Jordan
James is a common English language surname and given name:
*James (name), the typically masculine first name James
* James (surname), various people with the last name James
James or James City may also refer to:
People
* King James (disambiguati ...
. Completely refurbished, this mansion was part of the Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was a network of clandestine routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early- to mid-19th century. It was used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and Canada. T ...
and today houses 16 period rooms, a railroad museum, West Des Moines community history, and a museum dedicated to the Underground Railroad in Iowa. In 1893 Jordan's daughter Eda was sliding down the banister when she fell off and broke her neck. She died two days later, and her ghost is reputed to haunt the house.
The ''Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...
'' wrote that Iowa's capital city has "walker-friendly downtown streets and enough outdoor sculpture, sleek buildings, storefronts and cafes to delight the most jaded stroller".
Festivals and events
Des Moines plays host to a growing number of nationally acclaimed cultural events, including the annual Des Moines Arts Festival
The Des Moines Arts Festival is an arts festival held every June in Western Gateway Park in Des Moines, Iowa. The three-day festival frequently draws in excess of 200,000 people and has been ranked among the top festivals in the United States.
H ...
in June, Metro Arts Jazz in July, Iowa State Fair
The Iowa State Fair is an annual state fair held in Des Moines, Iowa in August.
It began in 1854 and has been held on the Iowa State Fairgrounds since 1886. It is based in the state capital Des Moines, Iowa over an 11 day period in August. With ...
in August, and the World Food & Music Festival in September. On Saturdays from May through October, the Downtown Farmers' Market draws visitors from across the state. Local parades include Saint Patrick's Day Parade, Drake Relays Parade, Capitol City Pride Parade, Iowa State Fair Parade, Labor Day Parade, and Beaverdale Fall Festival Parade.
Other annual festivals and events include: Des Moines Beer Week, 80/35 Music Festival
80/35 Music Festival is a multi-day music festival in Des Moines, Iowa. The name comes from two prominent interstates, I-80 and I-35, which intersect in Des Moines. The festival includes a stage for national touring bands and several smaller st ...
, 515 Alive Music Festival, ArtFest Midwest, Blue Ribbon Bacon Fest, CelebrAsian Heritage Festival, Des Moines Pride Festival, Des Moines Renaissance Faire, Festa Italiana, Festival of Trees and Lights, World Food & Music Festival, I'll Make Me a World Iowa, Latino Heritage Festival, Oktoberfest, Winefest, ImaginEve!, Iowa's Premier Beer, Wine & Food Show, and Wild Rose Film Festival.
Museums
* Des Moines Art Center
* Des Moines Police Museum & Historical Society
* Fort Des Moines Museum and Education Center
* Jordan House Museum
* Hoyt Sherman Place
Hoyt Sherman Place, the home of Hoyt Sherman, was built in 1877 and is located in Des Moines, Iowa.
History
In 1850, Hoyt purchased five acres of land in Des Moines for $105. In 1877, Hoyt Sherman Place, the family home, was completed with the ...
* Salisbury House
*Science Center of Iowa
The Science Center of Iowa is a science museum located in Des Moines, Iowa.
The museum opened in 1970 in Greenwood-Ashworth Park and was called the Des Moines Center of Science and Industry. It was renamed the Science Center of Iowa in 1985. I ...
* State Historical Society of Iowa
* Terrace Hill
Terrace Hill, also known as Hubbell Mansion, Benjamin F. Allen House or the Iowa Governor's Mansion, is the official residence of the governor of Iowa, United States. Located at 2300 Grand Avenue in Des Moines, it is an example of Second Empire ...
– Official residence of the governor of Iowa
* Wallace House Museum
* World Food Prize Hall of Laureates
* Wells Fargo History Museum
The Wells Fargo History Museum is a museum operated by Wells Fargo in its corporate headquarters in San Francisco, California that features exhibits about the History of Wells Fargo. It includes original stagecoaches, photographs, gold nuggets ...
Government
Des Moines operates under a council–manager form of government. The council consists of a mayor ( Frank Cownie) and is elected in citywide vote, two at-large members, and four members representing each of the city's four wards. In 2014, Jonathan Gano was appointed as the new Public Works Director. In 2015, Dana Wingert was appointed as Police Chief. In 2018, Steven L. Naber was appointed as the new City Engineer.
The council members include:
A plan to merge the governments of Des Moines and Polk County was rejected by voters during the November 2, 2004, election. The consolidated city-county
In United States local government, a consolidated city-county is formed when one or more cities and their surrounding county ( parish in Louisiana, borough in Alaska) merge into one unified jurisdiction. As such it has the governmental powers o ...
government would have had a full-time mayor and a 15-member council that would have been divided among the city and its suburbs. Each suburb would still have retained its individual government but with the option to join the consolidated government at any time. Although a full merger was soundly rejected, many city and county departments and programs have been consolidated.
Transportation
Des Moines has an extensive skywalk
A skyway, skybridge, skywalk, or sky walkway is an elevated type of pedway connecting two or more buildings in an urban area, or connecting elevated points within mountainous recreational zones. Urban skyways very often take the form of enclos ...
system within its downtown core. With over four miles of enclosed walkway, it is one of the largest of such systems in the United States. The Des Moines Skywalk System has been criticized for hurting street-level business, though a recent initiative has been made to make street-level Skywalk entrances more visible.
Interstate 235 (I-235) cuts through the city, and I-35
Interstate 35 (I-35) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route. It stretches from Laredo, Texas, near the Mexican border ...
and I-80 both pass through the Des Moines metropolitan area, as well as the city of Des Moines. On the northern side of the city of Des Moines and passing through the cities of Altoona, Clive, Johnston, Urbandale and West Des Moines, I-35 and I-80 converge into a long concurrency while I-235 takes a direct route through Des Moines, Windsor Heights, and West Des Moines before meeting up with I-35 and I-80 on the western edge of the metro. The Des Moines Bypass
The bypass around Des Moines, Iowa, is a freeway around the south and east of the Des Moines metropolitan area. The route is made up of two state highways – Iowa Highway 5 (Iowa 5) and U.S. Highway 65 (US 65). The bypass begin ...
passes south and east of the city. Other routes in and around the city include US 6, US 69, Iowa 28, Iowa 141
Iowa Highway 141 (Iowa 141) is an east–west highway in the western and central portions of the state. It is the most direct link between Sioux City and Des Moines. It also serves as a freeway link between Des Moines and the outlying com ...
, Iowa 163, Iowa 330, and Iowa 415.
Des Moines's public transit system, operated by DART (Des Moines Area Regional Transit
Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) operates mass transit service in Greater Des Moines. It is the largest public transit agency operating in the state of Iowa.
History
DART was founded in 1973 as the Des Moines Metropolitan Transit ...
), which was the Des Moines Metropolitan Transit Authority until October 2006, consists entirely of buses, including regular in-city routes and express and commuter buses to outlying suburban areas.
Characteristics of household ownership of cars in Des Moines are similar to national averages. In 2015, 8.5 percent of Des Moines households lacked a car, and increased to 9.6 percent in 2016. The national average was 8.7 percent in 2016. Des Moines averaged 1.71 cars per household in 2016, compared to a national average of 1.8.
Burlington Trailways, and Jefferson Lines
Jefferson Lines (JL or JLI) is a regional intercity bus company operating in the United States. Their current operations expands over 14 states throughout the Midwest.
Background
The company is operated by Jefferson Partners L.P., located in Minn ...
run long-distance, intercity bus routes through Des Moines. The bus station
A bus station or a bus interchange is a structure where city or intercity buses stop to pick up and drop off passengers. While the term bus depot can also be used to refer to a bus station, it generally refers to a bus garage. A bus station is l ...
is located north of downtown.
Although Des Moines was historically a train hub, it does not have passenger train service. For east–west traffic it was served at the Rock Island Depot by the ''Corn Belt Rocket'' express from Omaha
Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest city ...
to the west, to Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
in the east. The Rock Island also offered the ''Rocky Mountain Rocket
The ''Rocky Mountain Rocket'' was a Streamliner, streamlined passenger train of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad. Rock Island's train numbers 7 and 8 ran between Chicago's LaSalle Street Station and Denver, CO, Denver's Union Station ...
'' from Colorado Springs in the west, to Chicago, and the '' Twin Star Rocket'' to Minneapolis to the north and Dallas and Houston to the south. The last train was an unnamed service ending at Council Bluffs, and it was discontinued on May 31, 1970. Today, this line constitutes the mainline of the Iowa Interstate Railroad.
Other railroads used the East Des Moines Union Station. Northward and northwest bound, there were Chicago and North Western
The Chicago and North Western was a Class I railroad in the Midwestern United States. It was also known as the "North Western". The railroad operated more than of track at the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states befor ...
trains to destinations including Minneapolis. The Wabash Railroad
The Wabash Railroad was a Class I railroad that operated in the mid-central United States. It served a large area, including track in the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, and Missouri and the province of Ontario. Its primary con ...
ran service to the southeast to St. Louis. These lines remain in use but are now operated by Union Pacific and BNSF.
The nearest Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
station is in Osceola, about south of Des Moines. The Osceola station
Osceola station is an Amtrak intercity train station in Osceola, Iowa, United States served by Amtrak. Osceola is the closest Amtrak station to Des Moines, Iowa's capital and most populous city, which is about to the north. The station is list ...
is served by the Chicago–San Francisco ''California Zephyr
The ''California Zephyr'' is a passenger train operated by Amtrak between Chicago and the San Francisco Bay Area (at Emeryville), via Omaha, Denver, Salt Lake City, and Reno. At , it is Amtrak's longest daily route, and second-longest overal ...
''; there is no Osceola–Des Moines Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach
Amtrak Thruway is a system of through-ticketed transportation services to connect passengers with areas not served by Amtrak trains. In most cases these are dedicated motorcoach routes, but can also be non-dedicated intercity bus services, transit ...
connecting service. There have been proposals to extend Amtrak's planned Chicago–Moline '' Quad City Rocket'' to Des Moines via the Iowa Interstate Railroad.
The Des Moines International Airport
Des Moines International Airport is a commercial service airport 5 miles (8 km) southwest of Des Moines, Iowa, Des Moines, the capital of Iowa.
The airport's 2,600 acre campus includes two runways, 46 buildings, 7 parking facilities, and ...
(DSM), on Fleur Drive in the southern part of Des Moines, offers nonstop service to destinations within the United States. The only international service is cargo service, but there have been discussions about adding an international terminal.
Education
The Des Moines Public Schools
The Des Moines Independent Community School District (The ''Des Moines Public Schools'', or ''DMPS'') is the largest public school district in Iowa. It is accredited by the North Central Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges and the Iowa ...
district is the largest community school district in Iowa with 32,062 enrolled students as of the 2012–2013 school year. The district consists of 63 schools: 38 elementary schools, eleven middle school
A middle school (also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school) is an educational stage which exists in some countries, providing education between primary school and secondary school. ...
s, five high schools ( East, Hoover, Lincoln, North
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography.
Etymology
T ...
, and Roosevelt), and ten special schools and programs. Small parts of the city are instead served by Carlisle Community Schools
Carlisle Community School District, also known as the Carlisle Community Schools, is a rural public school district headquartered in Carlisle, Iowa, United States, in Greater Des Moines. The district is located southeast of Downtown Des Moines. ...
,[Our Location]
"
Archive
Carlisle Community Schools
Carlisle Community School District, also known as the Carlisle Community Schools, is a rural public school district headquartered in Carlisle, Iowa, United States, in Greater Des Moines. The district is located southeast of Downtown Des Moines. ...
. Retrieved on April 3, 2013. "Carlisle Elementary School, which is immediately adjacent to the high school and the district office, serves students from pre-kindergarten to grade 3." Johnston Community School District
Johnston Community School District (JCSD) is a school district headquartered in Johnston, Iowa.
In 2018, Laura Kacer became the superintendent.
The district, with ,[Southeast Polk Community School District
Southeast Polk Community School District, (often shortened to SEP, SE Polk)is a public school district located in suburban Des Moines and rural Polk County, Iowa, including the towns of Altoona, Mitchellville, Pleasant Hill, Runnells, and t ...]
and the Saydel School District
The Saydel Community School District is a rural public school district with its headquarters in unincorporated Polk County, Iowa.
The district, entirely in Polk County, serves portions of Des Moines and Ankeny. It also serves a portion of the S ...
Grand View Christian School
Grand View Christian School is a private Christian school located in Des Moines, Iowa. Enrollment for the school is at 530 in preschool-12th grade. The high school has about 128 high school students.
Founding
The school began following the clos ...
is the only private school in the city, although Des Moines Christian School (in Des Moines from 1947 to 2006) in Urbandale, Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines, and Ankeny Christian Academy on the north side of the metro area serve some city residents.
Des Moines is also home to the main campuses of three four-year private colleges: Drake University
Drake University is a private university in Des Moines, Iowa. It offers undergraduate and graduate programs, including professional programs in business, law, and pharmacy. Drake's law school is among the 25 oldest in the United States.
Hi ...
, Grand View University, and Mercy College of Health Sciences
Mercy College of Health Sciences is a private Roman Catholic college focused on healthcare and located in Des Moines, Iowa. Established by the Sisters of Mercy in 1899, Mercy College bachelor's degrees, associate degrees, and certificate programs ...
. The University of Iowa
The University of Iowa (UI, U of I, UIowa, or simply Iowa) is a public university, public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is org ...
has a satellite facility in the city's Western Gateway Park
Western Gateway Park is an urban park located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa. Opened in 2006, the park has served as the host to political rallies, the Des Moines Arts Festival, the 80/35 Music Festival, and various athletic events and festival ...
, while Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a public land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm, Iowa State became one of the n ...
hosts Master of Business Administration
A Master of Business Administration (MBA; also Master's in Business Administration) is a postgraduate degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration such as accounti ...
classes downtown. Simpson College, Upper Iowa University
Upper Iowa University (UIU) is a private university in Fayette, Iowa. It enrolls around 6000 students and offers distance education programs that include 15 centers in the U.S., an online program, an independent study program, and centers in ...
, William Penn University, and Purdue University Global
Purdue University Global, Inc (PG), formerly Kaplan University, is a public university, public Distance education, online university that operates as a public-benefit nonprofit corporation, public-benefit corporation and is part of the Purdue Un ...
. Des Moines Area Community College is the area's community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries: many community colleges have an "open enrollment" for students who have graduated from high school (also known as senior sec ...
with campuses in Ankeny, Des Moines, and West Des Moines. The city is also home to Des Moines University, an osteopathic medical school This list of medical schools in the United States includes current and developing academic institutions which award the Doctor of Medicine (MD), or the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) a professional level of education, either of which is requir ...
.
Media
The Des Moines market, which originally consisted of Polk
Polk may refer to:
People
* James K. Polk, 11th president of the United States
* Polk (name), other people with the name
Places
*Polk (CTA), a train station in Chicago, Illinois
* Polk, Illinois, an unincorporated community
* Polk, Missouri ...
, Dallas
Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
, Story, and Warren
A warren is a network of wild rodent or lagomorph, typically rabbit burrows. Domestic warrens are artificial, enclosed establishment of animal husbandry dedicated to the raising of rabbits for meat and fur. The term evolved from the medieval Angl ...
counties, was ranked 91st by Arbitron
Nielsen Audio (formerly Arbitron) is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio broadcasting audiences. It was founded as the American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by mergin ...
as of the fall of 2007 with a population of 512,000 aged 12 and older. But in June 2011 it was moved up to 72nd with the addition of Boone, Clarke
Clarke is a surname which means "clerk". The surname is of English and Irish origin and comes from the Latin . Variants include Clerk and Clark. Clarke is also uncommonly chosen as a given name.
Irish surname origin
Clarke is a popular surname i ...
, Greene, Guthrie, Jasper
Jasper, an aggregate of microgranular quartz and/or cryptocrystalline chalcedony and other mineral phases,Kostov, R. I. 2010. Review on the mineralogical systematics of jasper and related rocks. – Archaeometry Workshop, 7, 3, 209-213PDF/ref> ...
, Lucas
Lucas or LUCAS may refer to:
People
* Lucas (surname)
* Lucas (given name)
Arts and entertainment
* Luca Family Singers, also known as "lucas ligner en torsk"
* ''Lucas'' (album) (2007), an album by Skeletons and the Kings of All Cities
* ''L ...
, Madison Madison may refer to:
People
* Madison (name), a given name and a surname
* James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States
Place names
* Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...
and Marion Marion may refer to:
People
*Marion (given name)
*Marion (surname)
*Marion Silva Fernandes, Brazilian footballer known simply as "Marion"
*Marion (singer), Filipino singer-songwriter and pianist Marion Aunor (born 1992)
Places Antarctica
* Mari ...
counties.
Radio
Commercial stations
iHeartMedia
iHeartMedia, Inc., formerly CC Media Holdings, Inc., is an American mass media corporation headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It is the holding company of iHeartCommunications, Inc. (formerly Clear Channel Communications, Inc.), a company fou ...
owns five radio stations in the area, including WHO 1040 AM, a 50,000-watt AM news/talk station that has the highest ratings in the area and once employed future President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
as a sportscaster. In addition to WHO, iHeartMedia owns KDRB 100.3 FM ( adult hits), KKDM
KKDM (107.5 MHz) is a commercial FM radio station in Des Moines, Iowa. The station airs a Top 40 (CHR) radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. KKDM uses the KISS-FM branding used by many iHeart CHR/Top 40 stations. It carries the syn ...
107.5 FM (contemporary hits
Contemporary hit radio (also known as CHR, contemporary hits, hit list, current hits, hit music, top 40, or pop radio) is a radio format that is common in many countries that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by ...
), KXNO-FM
KXNO-FM (106.3 MHz, "106.3 / 1460 KXnO") is a commercial radio station licensed to Ankeny, Iowa, and serving the Des Moines radio market. It airs a sports radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia. The station's studios are located on Grand Avenue ...
106.3, and KXNO 1460 AM (sports radio
Sports radio (or sports talk radio) is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A widespread programming genre that has a narrow audience appeal, sports radio is characterized by an often- boisterous on-ai ...
). They also own news/talk station KASI
KASI (1430 AM, "News Talk 1430") is a radio station licensed to serve Ames, Iowa. The station is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. and licensed to iHM Licenses, LLC. It airs a News/Talk radio format.
The station was assigned the KASI call letters by ...
1430 AM and hot adult contemporary
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quiet ...
station KCYZ
KCYZ (105.1 FM branded as "Now 105.1") is a commercial radio station located in Ames, Iowa, broadcasting to the Des Moines, Iowa area. KCYZ airs a hot adult contemporary music format branded as "Now 105.1". KCYZ is owned by iHeartMedia and lice ...
105.1 FM, both of which broadcast from Ames
Ames may refer to:
Places United States
* Ames, Arkansas, a place in Arkansas
* Ames, Colorado
* Ames, Illinois
* Ames, Indiana
* Ames, Iowa, the most populous city bearing this name
* Ames, Kansas
* Ames, Nebraska
* Ames, New York
* Ames, Oklah ...
.
Cumulus Media owns five stations that broadcast from facilities in Urbandale: KBGG
KBGG (1700 AM) is a commercial radio station in Des Moines, Iowa . The station is owned by Cumulus Media and it airs a sports radio format, known as "101.3 & 1700 The Champ".
KBGG's studios and offices are located in Urbandale. The main AM t ...
1700 AM (sports), KGGO
KGGO (94.9 FM) is a commercial radio station in Des Moines, Iowa. It is owned by Cumulus Media and airs a classic rock radio format. The station's studios and offices are in Urbandale, Iowa, with Cumulus Media's other Des Moines stations: KJJY, ...
94.9 FM (classic rock
Classic rock is a US radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the mid 1990s, primar ...
), KHKI
KHKI (97.3 MHz) is a commercial FM radio station in Des Moines, Iowa. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and airs a country music radio format known as "97.3 Nash FM." On weekdays, local DJs are heard during the day, while in the evening, K ...
97.3 FM (country music
Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
), KJJY
KJJY (92.5 MHz) is a commercial FM radio station licensed to West Des Moines and serving Central Iowa. Cumulus Media owns two country music outlets in the Des Moines radio market, KJJY and 97.3 KHKI. KHKI plays mostly current and recent countr ...
92.5 FM (country music), and KWQW
KWQW (98.3 FM, "The Vibe") is a contemporary hit radio radio station licensed to Boone, Iowa and serving the Des Moines area. The station is currently owned by Cumulus Media. KWQW's studios are in Urbandale, along with Cumulus' other stations: ...
98.3 FM ( classic hip hop).
Saga Communications owns nine stations in the area: KAZR
KAZR (103.3 MHz) is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Pella, Iowa, and serving the Des Moines metropolitan area. It is owned by the Des Moines Radio Group subsidiary of Saga Communications, with studios located on Locust Street in Des ...
103.3 FM (rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
), KAZR-HD2 (oldies), KIOA
KIOA (93.3 FM) is a commercial radio station in Des Moines, Iowa. It is owned by the Des Moines Radio Group subsidiary of Saga Communications and airs a Classic Hits radio format. The station's studios are located at 1416 Locust Street along w ...
93.3 FM (oldies
Oldies is a term for musical genres such as pop music, rock and roll, doo-wop, surf music (broadly characterized as classic rock and pop rock) from the second half of the 20th century, specifically from around the mid-1950s to the 1980s, as we ...
), KIOA-HD2
K260AM ("Hits 99.9") is a contemporary hit radio station serving the Des Moines, Iowa area of the United States. It broadcasts at 99.9 on the FM dial and on HD Radio subchannel KIOA 93.3-HD2. The station's studios are located in Des Moines along ...
99.9FM & 93.3 HD2 ( Rhythmic Top 40), KOEZ 104.1 FM ( soft adult contemporary), KPSZ
KPSZ (940 AM, "Hope 940") is a commercial radio station in Des Moines, Iowa. The station's studios and offices are located on Locust Street in Des Moines along with the Des Moines Radio Group subsidiary of Saga Communications' other local stati ...
940 AM (contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music, also known as CCM, Christian pop, and occasionally inspirational music is a genre of modern popular music, and an aspect of Christian media, which is lyrically focused on matters related to the Christian faith and s ...
, religious teaching, and conservative talk), KRNT
KRNT (1350 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a sports format. Serving the Des Moines, Iowa, United States, area, the station is owned by the Des Moines Radio Group subsidiary of Saga Communications through licensee Saga Communications of Iowa ...
1350 AM (ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio, which is alternately platform-agnostically branded as ESPN Audio, is an American sports radio network and extension of the ESPN television network. It was launched on January 1, 1992, under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN". ...
), KSTZ
KSTZ (102.5 FM, "Star 102.5") is a commercial FM radio station in Des Moines, Iowa. The station airs a hot adult contemporary radio format. KSTZ is part of Saga Communications' Des Moines Radio Group, with studios located on Locust Street in Des ...
102.5 FM ( adult contemporary hits), and KSTZ-HD2 (classic country).
Other stations in the Des Moines area include religious stations KWKY
KWKY (1150 kHz) is an AM radio station broadcasting a Catholic talk and teaching format. Its city of license is Des Moines, Iowa, and is owned by Saint Gabriel Communications. Most of the schedule is nationally syndicated shows from EWTN Radio ...
1150 AM, and KPUL
KPUL (101.7 MHz, "Pulse 101.7") is a Christian CHR (Top 40) formatted FM radio station. It is licensed to Winterset, Iowa, with studios located on 335th Street in Waukee. It is one of only a few independent stations in the Des Moines metrop ...
101.7 FM.
Non-commercial stations
Non-commercial radio stations in the Des Moines area include KDPS
KDPS is a radio station in Des Moines, Iowa. The station is owned by Des Moines Public Schools. The school district programs the station with a variety of rock music styles and staffs it with high school students who are learning radio.
Childre ...
88.1 FM, a station operated by the Des Moines Public Schools
The Des Moines Independent Community School District (The ''Des Moines Public Schools'', or ''DMPS'') is the largest public school district in Iowa. It is accredited by the North Central Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges and the Iowa ...
; KWDM
KWDM, "88.7 KWDM The Point," is a modern rock high school radio station serving the Des Moines, Iowa area on 88.7 FM. The radio station's studio is located at Valley High School in West Des Moines. It is owned and operated by the West Des Moine ...
88.7 FM, a station operated by Valley High School; KJMC
KJMC (89.3 FM) is a non-commercial educational radio station serving the Des Moines, Iowa area with an Urban Adult Contemporary format. KJMC is owned by Minority Communications, Inc.
The station was originally licensed as KLNQ on November 2, 1 ...
89.3 FM, an urban contemporary station; K213DV 90.5 FM, the contemporary Christian K-Love affiliate for the area; and KDFR 91.3 FM, operated by Family Radio
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
. Iowa Public Radio
Iowa Public Radio is a state network in the U.S. state of Iowa that combines the operations of the National Public Radio member stations run by Iowa State University, the University of Iowa, and University of Northern Iowa. They broadcast programs ...
broadcasts several stations in the Des Moines area, all of which are owned by Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a public land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm, Iowa State became one of the n ...
and operated on campus. WOI 640 am, the networks flagship station, and WOI-FM
WOI-FM (90.1 FM) is a radio station licensed to Ames, Iowa, serving the greater Ames/Des Moines area. The station is owned by Iowa State University. WOI-FM is an affiliate of Iowa Public Radio, and carries IPR's "News and Studio One" service—a ...
90.1, the networks flagship "Studio One" station, are both based out of Ames and serve as the area's National Public Radio
National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other n ...
outlets. The network also operates classical stations KICG
KICG (91.7 FM) is a radio station licensed to Perry, Iowa, United States. The station airs a Classical music format as part of Iowa Public Radio's Classical network, and is currently owned by Iowa State University of Science and Technology. Acce ...
, KICJ
KICJ (88.9 FM) is a radio station licensed to Mitchellville, Iowa, serving the Des Moines area. The station is owned by the University of Northern Iowa. KICJ is an affiliate of Iowa Public Radio, and carries the network's classical service.
See a ...
, KICL
KICL (96.3 FM) is an American radio station licensed to Pleasantville, Iowa, United States. The station serves the Des Moines area. A sale of KICP and sister station KICL to Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technol ...
and KICP
KICP (105.9 FM) is a radio station licensed to Patterson, Iowa. KICP serves the Central Iowa-Des Moines area. A sale of KICP and sister station KICL to Iowa State University was completed in early November 2011. Both stations went silent upon com ...
. The University of Northwestern – St. Paul
University of Northwestern (UNW) is a private Christian university in Roseville, Minnesota.
History
It was established in 1902 as ''Northwestern Bible and Missionary Training School'' by William Bell Riley, a pastor at First Baptist Churc ...
operates Contemporary Christian simulcasts of KNWI-FM at 107.1 Osceola/Des Moines, KNWM-FM at 96.1 Madrid/Ames/Des Moines, and K264CD at 100.7 in downtown Des Moines.
Low-power FM stations include KFMG-LP 99.1, a community radio station broadcasting from the Hotel Fort Des Moines
The Hotel Fort Des Moines is an historic building located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
History
The three original promoters of the hotel were Des Moines businessme ...
and also webstreamed.
Television
The Des Moines-Ames media market
A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area (DMA), television market area, or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same (or similar) television and radio station offerings, and may also incl ...
consists of 35 central Iowa counties: Adair, Adams, Appanoose
Appanoose was a 19th-century Meskwaki chief who lived in Iowa; he was son of Taimah (Chief Tama) and probably a grandson of Quashquame. Prior to European-American settlement in the 19th century, the tribe occupied territory in what became Michiga ...
, Audubon, Boone, Calhoun
John C. Calhoun (1782–1850) was the 7th vice president of the United States.
Calhoun can also refer to:
Surname
* Calhoun (surname)
Inhabited places in the United States
*Calhoun, Georgia
*Calhoun, Illinois
*Calhoun, Kansas
*Calhoun, Kentucky
...
, Carroll, Clarke, Dallas, Decatur, Franklin
Franklin may refer to:
People
* Franklin (given name)
* Franklin (surname)
* Franklin (class), a member of a historical English social class
Places Australia
* Franklin, Tasmania, a township
* Division of Franklin, federal electoral d ...
, Greene, Guthrie, Hamilton Hamilton may refer to:
People
* Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname
** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland
** Lord Hamilt ...
, Hardin, Humboldt, Jasper, Kossuth, Lucas, Madison, Mahaska, Marion, Marshall, Monroe, Pocahontas, Polk, Poweshiek, Ringgold, Story, Taylor
Taylor, Taylors or Taylor's may refer to:
People
* Taylor (surname)
**List of people with surname Taylor
* Taylor (given name), including Tayla and Taylah
* Taylor sept, a branch of Scottish clan Cameron
* Justice Taylor (disambiguation)
Plac ...
, Union
Union commonly refers to:
* Trade union, an organization of workers
* Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets
Union may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
* Union (band), an American rock group
** ''Un ...
, Warren, Wayne, Webster
Webster may refer to:
People
*Webster (surname), including a list of people with the surname
*Webster (given name), including a list of people with the given name
Places Canada
*Webster, Alberta
*Webster's Falls, Hamilton, Ontario
United State ...
, and Wright
Wright is an occupational surname originating in England. The term 'Wright' comes from the circa 700 AD Old English word 'wryhta' or 'wyrhta', meaning worker or shaper of wood. Later it became any occupational worker (for example, a shipwright is ...
. It was ranked 71st by Nielsen Media Research for the 2008–2009 television season with 432,410 television households.
Commercial television stations serving Des Moines include CBS affiliate KCCI channel 8, NBC affiliate WHO-DT
WHO-DT (channel 13) is a television station in Des Moines, Iowa, United States, affiliated with NBC and owned by Nexstar Media Group. The station's studios are located on Grand Avenue in downtown Des Moines, and its transmitter is located in Al ...
channel 13, and Fox
Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush'').
Twelve sp ...
affiliate KDSM-TV
KDSM-TV (channel 17) is a television station in Des Moines, Iowa, United States, affiliated with the Fox network. The station is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, and has studios on Fleur Drive in Des Moines; its transmitter is located in Allem ...
channel 17. ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
affiliate WOI-TV
WOI-DT (channel 5) is a television station licensed to Ames, Iowa, United States, serving the Des Moines area as an affiliate of ABC. It is owned by Tegna Inc. alongside CW affiliate KCWI-TV (channel 23), also licensed to Ames. Both stations sh ...
channel 5 and CW affiliate KCWI-TV
KCWI-TV (channel 23) is a television station licensed to Ames, Iowa, United States, serving as the CW affiliate for the Des Moines area. It is owned by Tegna Inc. alongside ABC affiliate WOI-DT (channel 5), also licensed to Ames. Both stations s ...
channel 23 are both licensed to Ames
Ames may refer to:
Places United States
* Ames, Arkansas, a place in Arkansas
* Ames, Colorado
* Ames, Illinois
* Ames, Indiana
* Ames, Iowa, the most populous city bearing this name
* Ames, Kansas
* Ames, Nebraska
* Ames, New York
* Ames, Oklah ...
and broadcast from studios in West Des Moines. KFPX-TV
KFPX-TV (channel 39) is a television station licensed to Newton, Iowa, United States, broadcasting the Ion Television network to the Des Moines area. Owned and operated by the Ion Media subsidiary of the E. W. Scripps Company, the station mainta ...
channel 39, the local ION
An ion () is an atom or molecule with a net electrical charge.
The charge of an electron is considered to be negative by convention and this charge is equal and opposite to the charge of a proton, which is considered to be positive by conven ...
affiliate, is licensed to Newton. Two non-commercial stations are also licensed to Des Moines: KDIN channel 11, the local PBS
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...
member station and flagship of the Iowa Public Television network, and KDMI
KDMI (channel 19) is a religious television station in Des Moines, Iowa, United States, owned and operated by Tri-State Christian Television (TCT). The station's transmitter is located in Alleman, Iowa. KDMI maintained studios on Southwest 7th S ...
channel 19, a TCT affiliate. Mediacom is the Des Moines area's cable television provider. Television sports listings for Des Moines and Iowa can be found on the Des Moines Register website.
Print
''The Des Moines Register
''The Des Moines Register'' is the daily morning newspaper of Des Moines, Iowa.
History Early period
The first newspaper in Des Moines was the ''Iowa Star''. In July 1849, Barlow Granger began the paper in an abandoned log cabin by the junctio ...
'' is the city's primary daily newspaper. As of March 31, 2007, the ''Register'' ranked 71st in circulation among daily newspapers in the United States according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations with 146,050 daily and 233,229 Sunday subscribers. Weekly newspapers include ''Juice'', a publication aimed at the 25–34 demographic published by the ''Register'' on Wednesdays; '' Cityview'', an alternative weekly
An alternative newspaper is a type of newspaper that eschews comprehensive coverage of general news in favor of stylized reporting, opinionated reviews and columns, investigations into edgy topics and magazine-style feature stories highlighting l ...
published on Thursdays; and the ''Des Moines Business Record'', a business journal published on Sundays, along with the West Des Moines Register, the Johnston Register, and the Waukee Register on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays depending on the address of the subscriber. Additionally, magazine publisher Meredith Corporation
Meredith Corporation was an American media conglomerate based in Des Moines, Iowa, that owned magazines, television stations, websites, and radio stations. Its publications had a readership of more than 120 million and paid circulation of more ...
was based in Des Moines prior to its acquisition by IAC and merger with Dotdash
Dotdash Meredith (formerly About.com) is an American digital media company based in New York City. The company publishes online articles and videos about various subjects across categories including health, home, food, finance, tech, beauty, ...
in 2021.
Sports and recreation
Sports
Des Moines hosts professional minor league teams in several sports — baseball, basketball, hockey, indoor football, and soccer — and is home to the sports teams of Drake University which play in NCAA Division I.
Des Moines is also home to the Drake University
Drake University is a private university in Des Moines, Iowa. It offers undergraduate and graduate programs, including professional programs in business, law, and pharmacy. Drake's law school is among the 25 oldest in the United States.
Hi ...
Bulldogs
The Bulldog is a British breed of dog of mastiff type. It may also be known as the English Bulldog or British Bulldog. It is of medium size, a muscular, hefty dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose.[NCAA Division I
NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest level of College athletics, intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major ...]
member of the Missouri Valley Conference, primarily playing northwest of downtown at the on-campus Drake Stadium Drake Stadium may refer to:
* Drake Stadium (1904), a defunct outdoor multiuse sports field at Drake University used from 1904 to 1925
* Drake Stadium (Drake University), an outdoor multiuse sports field at Drake University used from 1925 to present ...
and Knapp Center
The Knapp Center is a 6,424-seat multi-purpose arena on the campus of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It was built in 1992.
The Knapp Center is the center building for three athletic buildings combined. The Bell Center to th ...
. Drake Stadium is home to the famed Drake Relays each April. In addition to the Drake Relays, Drake Stadium Drake Stadium may refer to:
* Drake Stadium (1904), a defunct outdoor multiuse sports field at Drake University used from 1904 to 1925
* Drake Stadium (Drake University), an outdoor multiuse sports field at Drake University used from 1925 to present ...
has hosted multiple NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
Outdoor Track and Field Championships and USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
The Des Moines Menace soccer club, a member of USL League Two
USL League Two (USL2), formerly the Premier Development League (PDL), is a semi-professional developmental soccer league sponsored by United Soccer Leagues in the United States and Canada, forming part of the United States soccer league syste ...
, also play at Drake Stadium.
Des Moines is home to the Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. They are located in Des Moines, Iowa, and are named for their Major League Baseball (MLB) affiliate. The ...
baseball team of the Triple-A East
The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball ( ...
. The I-Cubs, which are the Triple-A affiliate of the major league Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
, play their home games at Principal Park
Principal Park, formerly Sec Taylor Stadium, is a minor league baseball stadium in Des Moines, Iowa. It is the home field of the International League's Iowa Cubs.
Features
Principal Park is at the confluence of the Des Moines River and the Racco ...
near the confluence of the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers.
Wells Fargo Arena of the Iowa Events Center is home to the Iowa Barnstormers
The Iowa Barnstormers are a professional indoor American football, indoor football team based in Des Moines, Iowa. They are currently members of the Indoor Football League (IFL). They play their home games at Wells Fargo Arena (Des Moines, Iowa) ...
of the Indoor Football League
The Indoor Football League (IFL) is a professional indoor American football league created in 2008 out of the merger between the Intense Football League and United Indoor Football. It has one of the largest number of currently active teams amon ...
, the Iowa Wild
The Iowa Wild are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, that began play for the 2013–14 season. The team plays at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa, as the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild.
The team was f ...
of the American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary Minor league#Ice hockey, developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 AHL se ...
, and the Iowa Wolves
The Iowa Wolves are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Des Moines, Iowa, and are affiliated with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Wolves play their home games at the Wells Fargo Arena and compete in the Western ...
of the NBA G League
The NBA G League, or simply the G League, is the National Basketball Association's (NBA) official List of developmental and minor sports leagues, minor league basketball organization. The league was known as the National Basketball Development ...
. The Barnstormers relaunched as an af2
The AF2 (often styled as af2, and short for arenafootball2) was the Arena Football League's developmental league; it was founded in 1999 and played its first season in 2000. Like its parent AFL, the AF2 played using the same arena football ru ...
club in 2008 before joining a relaunched Arena Football League in 2010 and the Indoor Football League in 2015; the Barnstormers had previously played in the Arena Football League from 1994 to 2000 (featuring future NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...
Hall of Famer and Super Bowl MVP
The Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award, or Super Bowl MVP, is presented annually to the most valuable player of the Super Bowl, the National Football League's (NFL) championship game. The winner is chosen by a panel of 16 football writers a ...
quarterback Kurt Warner) before relocating to New York. The Iowa Energy, a D-League team, began play in 2007. They were bought by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2017 and were renamed the Iowa Wolves
The Iowa Wolves are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Des Moines, Iowa, and are affiliated with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Wolves play their home games at the Wells Fargo Arena and compete in the Western ...
to reflect the new ownership. The Wild, the AHL affiliate of the National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
's Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and play their home games at the Xcel Ener ...
have played at Wells Fargo Arena since 2013; previously, the Iowa Chops
The Iowa Stars, later known as the Iowa Chops, were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. The club was based in Des Moines, Iowa at the Wells Fargo Arena.
History
The Stars were founded by Howard Baldwin, of Hockey Holdi ...
played four seasons in Des Moines (known as the Iowa Stars for three of those seasons.)
Additionally, the Des Moines Buccaneers of the United States Hockey League
The United States Hockey League (USHL) is the top junior ice hockey league sanctioned by USA Hockey. The league consists of 16 active teams located in the midwestern United States, for players between the ages of 16 and 21. The USHL is strictly ...
play at Buccaneer Arena
Buccaneer Arena is a 3,461-seat, with standing room for an additional 700, multi-purpose arena in Urbandale, Iowa, that is home to the Des Moines Buccaneers ice hockey team in the United States Hockey League. Before the Bucs began playing in 1980, ...
in suburban Urbandale.
The Vikings
Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
of Grand View University also compete in intercollegiate athletics in Des Moines. A member of the Heart of America Athletic Conference
The Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC or The Heart) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Member institutions are located in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska in ...
, within the NAIA, they field 21 varsity athletic teams. They were NAIA National Champions in football in 2013.
The Principal Charity Classic
The Principal Charity Classic is an annual PGA Tour Champions golf tournament in Des Moines, Iowa. It has been held at the William Langford-designed Wakonda Club since 2013. Founded in 2001 as the Allianz Championship, that name has been used by a ...
, a Champions Tour golf event, is held at Wakonda Club in late May or early June. The IMT Des Moines Marathon
The IMT Des Moines Marathon is a marathon held annually in downtown Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines () is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small part of the city e ...
is held throughout the city each October.
Parks and recreation
Des Moines has 76 city parks and three golf courses, as well as three family aquatic centers, five community centers and three swimming pools. The city has of trails. The first major park was Greenwood Park. The park commissioners purchased the land on April 21, 1894.
The Principal Riverwalk
Principal Riverwalk is a recreational park district along the banks of the Des Moines River in Des Moines, Iowa. After eight years of work, it was completed in January 2013.
Funded by the city of Des Moines, Principal Financial and the Iowa stat ...
is a riverwalk park district being constructed along the banks of the Des Moines River in the downtown. Primarily funded by the Principal Financial Group
Principal Financial Group is an American global financial investment management and insurance company headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
Business operations
Four segments comprise the company: Retirement and Income Solutions, Principal G ...
, the Riverwalk is a multi-year jointly funded project also funded by the city and state. Upon completion, it will feature a recreational trail connecting the east and west sides of downtown via two pedestrian bridges. A landscaped promenade along the street level is planned. The Riverwalk includes the downtown Brenton Skating Plaza, open from November through March.
Gray's Lake, part of the of Gray's Lake Park, features a boat rental facility, fishing pier, floating boardwalks, and a park resource center. Located just south of the downtown, the centerpiece of the park is a lighted Kruidenier Trail, encircling it entirely.
From downtown Des Moines
Downtown Des Moines is the central business district of Des Moines, Iowa and the Greater Des Moines Metropolitan Area. Downtown Des Moines is defined by the City of Des Moines as located between the Des Moines River to the east, the Raccoon Rive ...
primarily along the east bank of the Des Moines River, the Neil Smith and John Pat Dorrian Trails are paved recreational trails that connect Gray's Lake northward to the east shore of Saylorville Lake, Big Creek State Park
Big Creek State Park is a 3550-acre state park located in Polk County, Iowa.
Geography
Big Creek State Park is a park built alongside the manmade Big Creek Lake. Big Creek Lake was created as a result of a diversion dam to the Saylorville La ...
, and the recreational trails of Ankeny including the High Trestle Trail
High Trestle Trail is a rail trail running from Ankeny to Woodward in central Iowa. . These trails are near several recreational facilities including the Pete Crivaro Park, Principal Park
Principal Park, formerly Sec Taylor Stadium, is a minor league baseball stadium in Des Moines, Iowa. It is the home field of the International League's Iowa Cubs.
Features
Principal Park is at the confluence of the Des Moines River and the Racco ...
, the Principal Riverwalk, the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, Union Park and its Heritage Carousel of Des Moines, Birdland Park and the Birdland Marina/Boatramp on the Des Moines River, Riverview Park, McHenry Park, and River Drive Park. Although outside of Des Moines, Jester Park has of land along the western shore of Saylorville Lake and can be reached from the Neil Smith Trail over the Saylorville Dam.
Just west of Gray's Lake are the of the Des Moines Water Works Park Water Works Park may refer to:
* Water Works Park in Detroit, Michigan
* Water Works Park (Tampa, Florida)
* Water Works Park (Des Moines), an approximately 1,500 acre park near downtown Des Moines (one of the largest urban parks)
* Water Works Pa ...
. The Water Works Park is along the banks of the Raccoon River immediately upstream from where the Raccoon River empties into the Des Moines River. The Des Moines Water Works Facility, which obtains the city's drinking water from the Raccoon River, is entirely within the Water Works Park. A bridge in the park crosses the Raccoon River. The Water Works Park recreational trails link to downtown Des Moines by travelling past Gray's Lake and back across the Raccoon River via either along the Meredith Trail near Principal Park, or along the Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway. The Water Works Park trails connect westward to Valley Junction and the recreational trails of the western suburbs: Windsor Heights, Urbandale, Clive
Clive is a name. People and fictional characters with the name include:
People Given name
* Clive Allen (born 1961), English football player
* Clive Anderson (born 1952), British television, radio presenter, comedy writer and former barrister
* ...
, and Waukee
Waukee is a city in Dallas County, Iowa, United States. The population was 23,940 at the time of the 2020 U.S. Census. It is part of the Des Moines – West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area.
In 2017, Apple Inc. chose Waukee as the loc ...
. Also originating from Water Works Park, the Great Western Trail
The Great Western Trail is a north-south long distance multiple use route that runs from Canada to Mexico through five western states in the United States. The trail has access for both motorized and non-motorized users and traverses through Ar ...
is an journey southward from Des Moines to Martensdale through the Willow Creek Golf Course, Orilla, and Cumming. Often, the location for summer music festivals and concerts, Water Works Park was the overnight campground for thousands of bicyclists on Tuesday, July 23, 2013, during RAGBRAI
RAGBRAI is an acronym and registered trademark for the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, which is a non-competitive bicycle ride organized by ''The Des Moines Register.'' The course runs across the state of Iowa from west to east ...
XLI.
Sister cities
The Greater Des Moines Sister City Commission, with members from the City of Des Moines and the suburbs of Cumming, Norwalk, Windsor Heights, Johnston, Urbandale, and Ankeny, maintains sister city
A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties.
While there are early examples of inter ...
relationships with:
* Kōfu, Japan (1958)
* Saint-Étienne
Saint-Étienne (; frp, Sant-Etiève; oc, Sant Estève, ) is a city and the prefecture of the Loire department in eastern-central France, in the Massif Central, southwest of Lyon in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
Saint-Étienne is the t ...
, France (1985)
* Shijiazhuang
Shijiazhuang (; ; Mandarin: ), formerly known as Shimen and romanized as Shihkiachwang, is the capital and most populous city of China’s North China's Hebei Province. Administratively a prefecture-level city, it is about southwest of Beijin ...
, China (1985)
* Stavropol, Russia (1992)
* Pristina
Pristina, ; sr, / (, ) is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. The city's municipal boundaries in Pristina District form the largest urban center in Kosovo. After Tirana, Pristina has the second largest population of ethnic Albanians and ...
, Kosovo (2018) (Kosovo also opened Consulate in downtown Des Moines in 2015 – List of diplomatic missions of Kosovo
This page is a list of diplomatic missions of Kosovo. Kosovo maintains 33 embassies abroad. Since Kosovo's declaration of independence, it has been recognised by 112 UN member states, as well as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, the Cook Isl ...
)
* Catanzaro, Italy (2006)
* Kuala Terengganu
, image_seal = Seal of Kuala Terengganu City Council.png
, image_flag = Flag of Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu.svg
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = From top, left to right:The Crystal Mosq ...
, Malaysia (1987)
See also
* List of people from Des Moines, Iowa
This is a list of the people born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with the city of Des Moines, Iowa.
Entertainers
* S. Torriano Berry, film producer, writer, and director
*Bruce Brubaker, pianist and Juilliard School faculty m ...
* B-Bop's
B-Bop's, Inc. is a double drive-thru 1950s themed Fast casual restaurant, casual fast food restaurant Chain store, chain, with franchise locations in central Iowa.
History
B-Bop's was created by Bob Johnson in 1988. The first B-Bop's was located ...
(1988)
* Moingona
The Moingona or Moingwena ( mia, mooyiinkweena) were a historic Miami-Illinois tribe. They may have been close allies of or perhaps part of the Peoria (tribe), Peoria. They were assimilated by that tribe and lost their separate identity about 1700. ...
* Des Moines Police Department
* Des Moines-class cruiser ''Italic text''
The ''Des Moines''-class cruisers were a trio of very large U.S. Navy heavy cruisers commissioned in 1948 and 1949. They were the last of the all-gun heavy cruisers, exceeded in size in the American navy only by the s that strad ...
Notes
References
Bibliography
* Friedericks, William B. ''Covering Iowa: The History of the Des Moines Register and Tribune Company, 1849-1985'' (Iowa State University Press, 2000), 318 pp.
*
*
External links
*
*
Des Moines Featured on NPR's
State of the Re:Union
The Des Moines Post
Greater Des Moines Convention & Visitors Bureau
{{Authority control
Cities in Iowa
Cities in Polk County, Iowa
Cities in Warren County, Iowa
County seats in Iowa
Des Moines metropolitan area
Populated places established in 1843
1843 establishments in Iowa Territory