The history of Des Moines can be traced to 1834,
when John Dougherty, an Indian Agent at Fort
Leavenworth, Ks, recommended that a military
post be established at the point where the Des
Moines and Raccoon Rivers merge. Nine years
later, May 1843, Captain James Allen and a
company of dragoons from Fort Sanford arrived on
the site. Captain Allen proposed to name the
garrison Fort Raccoon but was directed by the
War Department to use the name Fort Des Moines.
The origin of the name is uncertain, but most
historians agree that the name probably
initially referred to the river. Some people
feel that 'Des Moines' is derived from the
Indian word 'moingona' meaning river of the
mounds which referred to the burial mounds that
were located near the banks of the river. Others
are of the opinion that name applies to the
Trappist Monks (Moines de la Trappe) who lived
in huts at the mouth of the Des Moines river.
French voyagers referred to the river as La
Riviere des Moines. The consensus seems to be
that Des Moines is a variation of Moingona,
Moingonan, Moingoun, Mohingona, or Moningounas,
as shown on early maps. However, no one can
actually figure out how to pronounce the name of
the city, but Dead Moans, Des Moaning has been
heard in the alleys of the city.
Settlers
began locating almost immediately near the fort,
which is now the site of Sec Taylor Stadium.
Streets were platted in 1847. The date of
incorporation was September 22, 1851 and the
first town election was held October 18 when 25
voters unanimously approved the town charter. On
October 20th, eight councilmen were elected, and
at their first meeting on October 25th, the
Reverend Thompson Bird became the first
president of the town council. The town
continued under the 1851 charter until January
18th, 1853 when the Iowa Fourth General Assembly
passed "An Act to Incorporate the Town of Fort
Des Moines in Polk County, Iowa. In 1857, Fort
Des Moines was shortened to Des Moines and later
that year the city was designated the capitol of
the State of Iowa.
The first City Hall Building was built in
1870 and was located at the corner of Second and
Locust, now the site of the Civic Center
Apartments. At that time it also housed the Fire
Department and the Court House. That building
stood until 1882 when it was demolished and
replaced with a structure known as the City
Market. On Christmas Eve 1909, the City Council
approved the construction of the present City
Hall building, which interestingly enough was
called the Municipal Building in an effort
toward a more positive connotation. Bids were
tabulated and the low bidder was the firm of
Charles Weitz and Sons, with a bid of $301,960.
The cornerstone for the building was laid on
June 13, 1910 to the great excitement of the
community. Newspaper headlines heralded the
event and noted civic leaders from all over the
country that would attend the ceremonies. The
dedication was preceded by a large parade
through downtown which featured a platoon of
police officers, civic groups, and a unit from
the Sixth Cavalry.
During the 1900s issues such as the
development of permanent roads, new health laws
and women's suffrage dominated debate. But with
the onset of World War I in August of 1914,
expansion slowed as the country braced itself
for war. To aid in the nation's war effort, Camp
Dodge was established in 1917 and more than
100,000 Iowans were trained for combat.
Des Moines suffered the loss of many young
men during the war. As those who were lucky
enough to survive returned home, they faced
unemployment. In January 1919, Mayor Tom
Fairweather estimated that over one thousand
veterans needed jobs and urged businesses in the
City to assist with this growing problem. Local
construction programs helped ease the situation,
and the early 1920s saw an increase in building,
particularly for Des Moines schools.
Although much of the boom that Des Moines
experienced in the 1920s came to a halt with the
stock market crash of 1929, the City fared
surprisingly well throughout the 1930s.
Federally funded projects supplied work that
improved the City, including new bridges and
streets. By 1941, Des Moines' populations had
grown to 160,000 but as 1942 began, the City
changed significantly as the nation entered
WWII. As in most U.S. cities, food became scarce
and thousands of men left the workforce to join
the service.
By the end of the War era, Des Moines began
to pick up the pieces and concentrate on
improving the quality of life. Many businesses
flourished in the post war climate, and the City
soon emerged as a major insurance center. Other
businesses located in Des Moines prospered and
the City breezed through the next three decades
with a healthy economy. Current information on
business and employment statistics in the City
of Des Moines indicate that the city continues
to thrive.
Today more than 200,000 people live in Des
Moines, and the City is recognized as a center
for government, education, business, culture,
and the arts. Des Moines also has gained
national recognition as a major insurance center
(the third largest in the world) with nearly 60
life, health, and casualty companies. The City's
climate-controlled skywalk system serves as an
important link to parking garages, hotels,
restaurants, stores, and businesses. Skywalks
make up more blocks per capita in Des Moines
than in any other city of comparable size in the
U.S. The City's numerous tourist attractions and
facilities have established it as a popular and
thriving Midwest cities.