Des Moines University was an American college in

Des Moines, Iowa Des Moines is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Iowa, most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is the county seat of Polk County, Iowa, Polk County with parts extending into Warren County, Iowa, Wa ...

, that operated from 1865 until 1929. It was established by members of the

Baptist Church Baptists are a denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers ( believer's baptism) and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches generally subscribe to the doctrines of ...

. It was originally located in an abandoned Lutheran college building at 15th and Pleasant near downtown Des Moines. It moved to College and 9th Avenues in 1884. In 1889, the school was renamed Des Moines College to better reflect its mission. In 1892 the Des Moines College was affiliated with the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...

. The college offered bachelor degrees in arts, science, and philosophy. By 1902 its enrollment was 320, including students in the musical and preparatory departments. The library contained about 5000 volumes. Owing to large gifts made by friends of the institution, it entered in 1902 upon a course of rapid expansion. In 1918 the Des Moines College merged with Central College and Highland Park College to become Des Moines University, moving to Highland Park's campus at 2nd Avenue and Euclid Avenue. The merged college re-adopted the Des Moines University name at that time. The 9th and College campus became the campus for Dowling High School (which is now located west of Buffalo and 73rd Streets in western Des Moines); the former campus area at 9th and College streets now hosts a correctional facility for Polk County and the John R Grubb Community

YMCA YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organisation based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It has nearly 90,000 staff, some 920,000 volunteers and 12,000 branches w ...

building. The pharmacy school separated from the school in 1927, reconstituting itself as the Des Moines College of Pharmacy Corporation. Its staff and facilities later became part of

Drake University Drake University is a private university in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. The University offers over 140 undergraduate and graduate programs, including professional programs in business, education, Legal education, law, and pharmacy. Drake U ...

. Des Moines University closed in 1929, blaming court-ordered actions arising from previous student riots at the school.Associated Press (2 September 1929)
BAPTISTS WILL CLOSE DES MOINES SCHOOL; Fundamentalist Board Blames Court Writ Growing Out of Student Riot for Action.
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' The campus at 2nd and Euclid streets was purchased in 1943 for Alfred Lawson's University of Lawsonomy. It is now occupied by Park Fair Mall.''Fair Park Mall'' (Google Maps, accessed 20 November 2020)
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References

External links

Historical blog
{{DEFAULTSORT:Des Moines University (1865-1929) Universities and colleges established in 1865 1865 establishments in Iowa Educational institutions disestablished in 1929 1920s disestablishments in Iowa Defunct private universities and colleges in Iowa