Des Moines History Facts and Timeline

(Des Moines, Iowa - IA, USA)



The Iowa state capital can certainly boast a long and very interesting history. This part of Iowa, at the confluence of the Raccoon River and the Des Moines River, has drawn settlers for close to 10,000 years.

Recent excavations in the city center, by archaeologists from the University of Iowa, unearthed a number of important prehistoric artifacts, house remains and burial sites. It has since been confirmed that a minimum of three fairly sizeable communities were once based around downtown Des Moines in the 2nd century.

Those trying to trace the history and origins of modern-day Des Moines will find that the city began its present life in the spring of 1843. A site was chosen alongside the two rivers and US Army Commander, James Allen, arrived with his team to construct Fort Des Moines.


Fortifications and the Native Indians

Fort Des Moines was built in an attempt to control the Native American Indians (Meskwakis and Sauks), who had been relocated here from their lands on the eastern side of Iowa. However, the fortifications were no longer necessary just three years later, when the Indians were moved once more.

By now, a small settlement had started to form here. Coal mining had commenced and Fort Des Moines became the natural choice for seat of Polk County. A series of timber-framed brick buildings were constructed, including a simple Methodist church, a court house and a couple of taverns.

Locals in Fort Des Moines lived in log cabins, brick-built houses and timber structures, and the town was slowly beginning to establish itself, although appeared rather unorganized. The fertile soil was utilized by farmers, who successfully produced bumper crops.

Flooding, Expansion and State Capital

Just as the town was beginning to grow and expand, it was stopped in its tracks in May of 1851, when history remembers how the Des Moines River and the Raccoon River both quickly rose at an alarming rate, flooding the town and destroying everything in their path.

Despite the terrible damage caused by this unexpected flooding, officials chose to make the most of this opportunity and restructure the town in a more organized fashion. In September of 1851, a charter was approved and Fort Des Moines officially became a city, being renamed as simply Des Moines in 1857. It was decided that this city should become the state capital, partly due to its central setting and riverside location, and the title was transferred from Iowa City.

Coal Mining

Although various industries were being established in Des Moines, the local coal company soon led the city's economy when it started mining for coal in the 1860s.

The coal mines were the first in the territory and mine shafts appeared all around the city's outskirts. However, most of the mines were exhausted roughly 50 years later. At this stage in Des Moines history, the city's population had soared to more than 70,000 people, mainly due to the coal mining boom, with the Iowa State Capitol Building being built on the corner of Grand Avenue and East 12th Street between the years of 1871 and 1886.

A Beautiful City Emerges

The arrival of the 20th century was a time for reflection in the city and the local government chose to improve the overall appearance of Des Moines. Various attractive public buildings were commissioned with a strong Beaux Arts theme, often lining the riverbanks.

Still standing today from this period in history are the former Public Library and Post Office, along with the present-day City Hall, all of which reside within the Civic Center Historic District. In the 1930s, ornamental balustrading was added to frame the rivers, although by the time that the 1950s arrived in Des Moines, the city was experiencing a significant decline in industry.

Modern Times in Iowa's State Capital

During the sixties, the heart of Des Moines began changing and a large percentage of those living in this part of the city moved to the suburbs, joining the spreading metropolitan area. The 1970s onwards has seen the skyline change dramatically, with the addition of skyscrapers such as the Financial Center, the Ruan Center, the Des Moines Marriott Hotel, the HUB Tower, the Plaza Building, the 801 Grand (Principal Building) and also the EMC Insurance Building.

The Civic Center of Greater Des Moines opened in 1979, followed by the Polk County Convention Complex in the mid-1980s and the city's famous skywalk system. In more recent history, both the Iowa Events Center and the Science Center of Iowa opened their doors for business in the first decade of the new millennium.