Des Moines is located in the state of Iowa and has a lot of culture to offer as well as great sights and interesting destinations. So if you’re planning a trip to Des Moines, you’ve come to the right place!
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Vacation in Des Moines
Des Moines, the capital of Iowa, is known for its rich history and culture. The city is home to a variety of museums, theaters, and other attractions. Visitors can also enjoy the city’s many parks and recreation areas.
The city is centrally located and easy to get around. There are a variety of hotels and restaurants to choose from. Visitors can also take advantage of the city’s public transportation system.
There are many things to see and do in Des Moines. The city’s museums offer a glimpse into the past, while its theaters provide live entertainment. There are also a number of parks and recreation areas to enjoy.
Visitors can find plenty of hotel and restaurant options in Des Moines. The city’s public transportation system makes it easy to get around. In addition, the city offers a variety oftaxis and ridesharing services.
Sights in Des Moines
Des Moines, Iowa, is the capital of the United States state of Iowa and 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, which was shortened to “Des Moines” in 1857. The city’s population is 217,521 as of 2019, making it the fifthmost populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa and the 99thlargest city in the United States. The fivecounty metropolitan area is ranked 91st in terms of population in the United States with 687,637 residents, and is the largest metropolitan area in Iowa.
The city descends from a Native American village of the Sauk and Meskwaki tribes, which was founded around 1830 on the banks of the Raccoon River. It was listed as the capital of the Iowa Territory in 1838, and it was the site of the first facetoface meeting of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the local chiefs on August 18, 1804.
The city was designated as the county seat of Polk County upon its establishment in 1846. A city charter was approved by local residents on September 22, 1851, making Fort Des Moines the first incorporated city in what is now Iowa. Fort Des Moines became the capital of the Iowa Territory upon the creation of the territory on July 4, 1838. The fort was abandoned in 1846 when the U.S. Army left to fight in the MexicanAmerican War, and the site became a courthouse square; parts of the old fort remain as a park.
The first documented newspaper in Des Moines, the Iowa Star, was published on June 15, 1846. The city’s first library was established in 1847. In 1853, the city was designated as the permanent state capital, although the capital had been moved to Iowa City earlier that year. On December 28, 1857, the state legislature officially moved the capital to Des Moines, and the city’s name was shortened to “Des Moines”.
The city grew rapidly following the Civil War, and by 1900 its population had reached 54,856. Des Moines became a center of the insurance industry in the early 20th century, and the city’s economy was further diversified in the 1930s by the development of food processing industries.
During World War II, the city’s manufacturing base helped to keep the local economy strong. In the postwar years, the city’s population continued to grow, reaching a peak of 170,917 in 1970. The success of the city’s insurance and financial industries during the early 21st century has been attributed to the expertise of its workforce.
The city is located on the western edge of Iowa, approximately 100 miles (160 km) east of the Missouri River in the Des Moines metropolitan area. The city is the principal city in the Des Moines–West Des Moines metropolitan statistical area, a component of the more extensive Des Moines–Ames–West Des Moines combined statistical area.
Des Moines is a Midwest cultural and artistic hub. It has several art museums, including the Iowa Museum of Art, the Des Moines Art Center, and the Pappajohn Sculpture Park; the Iowa State Fair, one of the largest fairs in the United States; and the Des Moines Performing Arts Center, where touring Broadway shows and artists perform. The city is also home to the world headquarters of several major corporations, including Principal Financial Group, Meredith Corporation, Iowa Farm Bureau, and EMC Insurance.
History of Des Moines
Des Moines is the capital and most populous city in the state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small part of the city limits 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 named for the Des Moines River, which likely was adapted from the French colonial name, Rivière des Moines, meaning “River of the Monks”. The river was likely named for the Trappist monks who founded Monasterio de Nuestra Señora de los Descalzos in 1789.
The city’s population was 217,521 as of 2019, making it the fifthmost populous city in the state. The sixteenthlargest city in the Midwest, Des Moines is a major center for the 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 thirdlargest “insurance capital” in the world.
The city 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 United States War Department preferred Fort Des Moines. The fort was built to control the Sauk and Meskwaki Indians, whom the government had been moving to the area from their traditional lands in eastern Iowa.
In 1851, Allen led an effort to have the fort relocated to Des Moines, the new capital of Iowa. The fort was abandoned in 1853, and its land was sold at auction in 1854. Most of the soldiers stationed at the fort had left by 1852. In the 1940s, a group of history enthusiasts from the Des Moines area, led by Norm Saylor, rediscovered the fort’s remains. The excavated site is now a part of Fort Des Moines Park.
The city’s population increased rapidly in the 1850s, and by 1860, Des Moines had reached a population of nearly 2,000. The city’s economy was based on its position as a regional center for the nascent agricultural industry. However, the Panic of 1857 and a series of tornadoes in the late 1850s caused many residents to lose their jobs and homes.
In 1869, the city was hit by a severe tornado that killed nine people and injured fifty. The city recovered quickly from the disaster, and by 1870, its population had rebounded to over 5,000. The city’s growth continued unabated for the next two decades, and by 1900, Des Moines was the largest city in Iowa with a population of nearly 40,000.
The early 20th century was a period of great change for the city. In 1904, the first concrete street in Des Moines was completed. Five years later, the city’s first skyscraper was completed. The Lucas block, as it was known, stood nine stories tall and was the tallest building in Iowa.
The city continued to grow in the first half of the 20th century, and by 1950, its population had reached nearly 200,000. This growth was largely due to the city’s position as a regional center for the insurance industry. In the second half of the 20th century, the city’s economy diversified, and by the 21st century, the city was home to a number of large corporations, including Principal Financial Group, Wells Fargo, and Meredith Corporation.
Today, Des Moines is a thriving city with a revitalized downtown, a growing population, and a diverse economy. The city is home to a number of cultural institutions, including the Des Moines Symphony, the Des Moines Art Center, and the Des Moines Performing Arts Center. The city is also home to a number of professional sports teams, including the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League and the Iowa Cubs of the Pacific Coast League.
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