85 Sights in Des Moines, United States (with Map and Images)

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Explore interesting sights in Des Moines, United States. Click on a marker on the map to view details about it. Underneath is an overview of the sights with images. A total of 85 sights are available in Des Moines, United States.

Sightseeing Tours in Des Moines

1. Harbach Lofts

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The L. Harbach and Sons Furniture Warehouse and Factory Complex, also known as the Way-Helms Co. & Red Cross Mattress, L. Ginsberg & Sons wholesale furniture warehouse, and the A.A. Schneiderhahn electronic appliances warehouse, is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. This is actually two adjacent buildings completed in 1906. Their significance is their successive ownership by three prominent furniture retailers/wholesalers. L. Harbach & Sons Co. was one of Iowa's largest furniture wholesalers, and they manufactured furniture in Des Moines for more than seventy years. The company was established in 1856 by Louis Harbach, Sr. Louis had immigrated from Germany in 1850 at the age of 12. A catalog of their furniture is available at the National Museum of America. L. Harbach & Sons occupied this complex from 1906 to 1928. One of the buildings was their factory and the other was their warehouse. The Harbach family sold the business around 1920 to the Davidson family, who continued to use the Harbach name until through 1928, and continued to own the building until 1952. They leased the buildings to Way-Helms Co. & Red Cross Mattress for a short time, and then beginning in 1930, to the Ginsberg family. Both the Davidsons and the Ginsbergs owned local furniture stores. The Ginsbergs acquired the buildings from the Davisons and they owned them until 1985. They altered the building as trucks replaced trains as the main mode of transportation for furniture warehousing and distribution. The buildings were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.

Wikipedia: L. Harbach and Sons Furniture Warehouse and Factory Complex (EN), Heritage Website

2. Catholic Pastoral Center

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The Home Federal Savings and Loan Association of Des Moines Building, also known as American Federal Savings and the Catholic Pastoral Center, is a historic building located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Completed in 1962, it is considered to be "one of the most well-known examples of mid-century modern architecture in Des Moines." It was designed by the prominent Chicago architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and it is one of the first steel and glass modernist buildings in the city's downtown. Initially, the roof was designed to be suspended from two lengthwise trusses, similar van der Rohe's designs at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. That design was abdoned for a simpler and more direct design that features a steel-frame, glass-infill, and granite and travertine marble on the base. The three-story building rises to the height of 40.25 feet (12.27 m). It was built for the Home Federal Savings and Loan Association of Des Moines and later American Federal Savings, which failed in 1990 amid the country's Savings and loan crisis. There was concern that the building would be torn down so the Des Moines City Council designated it as a local landmark. In 1992 philanthropist Ed Ochylski acquired it and donated it to the Diocese of Des Moines, who converted it into their headquarters. From 2016 to 2017, the building underwent a $10 million renovation. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017.

Wikipedia: Home Federal Savings and Loan Association of Des Moines Building (EN)

3. James Sansom Carpenter House

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The James Sansom Carpenter House was significant to Des Moines cultural history from 1906 to 1939. The 13 acre property named Oakwood estate by its owners J. S. Carpenter and his Spouse Florence L. Carpenter because of the old growth oak forestation. The Carpenters' collection was deemed by art critics as one of the finest collections of etchings and lithographs in America. The house held the Carpenter collection of 125 paintings and 350 etchings. J. S. Carpenter was also known as Sannie or Sandy after his oddly spelled middle name. J. S. Carpenter, a bridge building magnet, founded the Des Moines Association of Fine Arts in 1916. The Association members each contributed $100.00 annually for the purchase of paintings and sculptures. The members also received a 25% discount on art purchased at Association events. Carpenter was known as the Guru of fine arts by the Des Moines community. Visiting artists and dignitaries came to Des Moines to sell their art and often stayed with the Carpenter's at Oakwood. Carpenter was president of the Association from its inception until his death of heart disease in 1939. The Association transformed into the Edmundson Art Museum in 1940 under the auspices of Association Executive member, and Carpenter's close friend Jay N. (Ding) Darling. Darling as President of the Edmundson Art Foundation merged the original collection into the present day Des Moines Art Center.

Wikipedia: James Sansom Carpenter House (EN), Heritage Website

4. Home of Marshall's Horseradish

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The Home of Marshall's Horseradish, also known as the Marshall House, Stish House, and Marshall's Horseradish Farm, is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. The historic designation is made up of three resources: the two-story frame Queen Anne house, the garage, and the remains of the root cellar. They call attention to food processing for local consumption during the late 19th and early 20th-centuries. Marshall's is said to have been established as a business in 1872, and they cultivated, manufactured, and marketed horseradish condiments. The single-family house was completed in 1886. The property includes four residential lots and at one time was also the location of a small manufacturing facility (nonextant). At one time the family owned 160 acres (65 ha) around 2nd Place. While it is possible that some of that land was used to grow the horseradish, the exact location of their fields is not known for sure and the four residential lots are not large enough. The business came to an end in 1941, and the family sold the property to the city of Des Moines who built a greenhouse on the property. George Daysons, the city florist, and his wife lived in the house. The house, garage, and root cellar were listed together on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

Wikipedia: Home of Marshall's Horseradish (EN), Heritage Website

5. Trent-Beaver House

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Trent-Beaver House is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. This single-story, brick, American Craftsman dwelling was completed in 1917 by the John Martin Company. It was as a single family dwelling built for the Central Land & Real Estate Company, which was a partnership of the brothers Francis E. Trent and John G. Trent. In 1923 it was converted into a mixed use building by Doctors Lincoln and Elizabeth Beaver, who were both chiropractors. They converted the front room into their office and lived in the rest of the house. They remained here until 1940. The house is significant for a couple of reasons. First, it call attention to the importance of small real estate developers and contractor-builders in the suburban residential development of Des Moines during the 1910s. Secondly, it calls attention to the importance of the streetcar in stimulating higher land use along its routes. The Trent-Beaver House was located along the 6th Avenue streetcar line, which helped the conversion of this single-family dwelling into a professional office. It was part of a wider movement of professional services from the central business district to the suburban areas that public transportation made possible. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.

Wikipedia: Trent-Beaver House (EN), Heritage Website

6. Grocers Wholesale Company Building

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The Grocers Wholesale Company Building, also known as the Sears and Roebuck Farm Store, is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Completed in 1916, this was the first of four warehouses built and owned by Iowa's only and most successful statewide cooperative grocery warehouse. It is possible that it was the first statewide organization of this kind in the country. The cooperative allowed independent grocers to compete against chain stores and survive wholesale grocers' surcharges. They leased their first warehouse after they organized in 1912. Each successive time the cooperative built a new warehouse it was larger and technologically more advanced than the previous one. This particular cooperative grew to include parts of four states: Iowa, southern Minnesota, northern Missouri and eastern Nebraska. They built their second warehouse in 1930 and moved out of this facility. They continued to own this building until 1968, and they leased it out to other firms. The Sears Farm Equipment Store began to occupy the building in 1937 and continued here until 1959. The cooperative became the Associated Grocers of Iowa in the late 1950s, and it continued in existence until 1985. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.

Wikipedia: Grocers Wholesale Company Building (EN), Heritage Website

7. U.S. Bank

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The Iowa-Des Moines National Bank Building, also known as the Valley National Bank Building and U.S. Bank, is a historic building located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Designed by the prominent Des Moines architectural firm of Proudfoot, Rawson, Souers & Thomas, it was designed to be a 21- or 22-story building. It is one of the few downtown commercial buildings built in the Art Deco style. It is also thought to be one of the first bank buildings to put the banking room on the second floor while placing retail space on the first floor. Given its location in an area dominated by retail this made sense. This location had a bank on it since 1882 when the Des Moines National Bank built here. The present building was the result when Des Moines National Bank merged with Iowa National Bank and Des Moines Savings Bank and Trust Company in 1929. The original design for the building was a five-story base and a set-back rental office tower on top of it. The base was begun in 1931 and completed a year later. The building is composed of black polished granite on the first floor and the upper floors are Bedford stone. There is a recessed entrance in the center bay of the main facade. The fifth floor was meant to be the base of the office tower that was never built.

Wikipedia: Iowa-Des Moines National Bank Building (EN), Heritage Website

8. Lowry W. and Hattie N. Goode First North Des Moines House

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The Lowry W. and Hattie N. Goode First North Des Moines House, also known as the Allabach House, is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. The Late Victorian-style single-family dwelling is significant for its association with Lowry W. Goode. Goode was a prominent real estate developer in the Des Moines area in the 19th century. Built c. 1884 in what was the suburb of North Des Moines, this house is one of the last resources that calls attention to his work. The Goode's themselves built and occupied several houses in North Des Moines, and they lived here for about one year after it was built. They then used it as a rental property for a while until they sold it. The two-story brick structure features a main block with a rectangular plan, intersecting gables, a single-story bay window on the west elevation, a two-story extension on the south elevation, and a rear wing. The original porch has been removed. The house was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. It was included as a contributing property in the Polk County Homestead and Trust Company Addition Historic District in 2016.

Wikipedia: Lowry W. and Hattie N. Goode First North Des Moines House (EN), Heritage Website

9. Standard Glass and Paint Company Building

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The Standard Glass and Paint Company Building, also known as 10th Street Lofts, is a historic building located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Ashton and Ross Clemens, who were brothers, had the building built in 1913 to house their company, which was said to be the largest glass and paint business west of Chicago. Local contractor J.E. Lovejoy was responsible for its construction. It was one of several warehouse buildings on the southwest corner of the downtown area. Established by the Clemens brothers, Standard Glass and Paint Company was in existence from 1903 to 1979. It was Des Moines' leading wholesale and retail supplier of a variety of building and remodeling supplies. The company remained in this building until the mid-1920s when they moved to the Clemens Automobile Company Building, which was owned by the same family. After it sat empty until 1931 various wholesale companies occupied this building over the succeeding years. Along with the neighboring Herring Motor Car Company Building it has been converted into loft apartments. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.

Wikipedia: Standard Glass and Paint Company Building (EN), Heritage Website

10. Homestead Building

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The Homestead Building, also known as the Martin Hotel, is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Designed by the Des Moines architectural firm of Smith & Gage, it was built in two stages. The eastern one-third was completed in 1893 and the western two-thirds was completed in 1905. It is one of a few late nineteenth-century commercial/industrial buildings that remain in the downtown area. The building was built for James M. Pierce for his publishing operation, which included the Iowa Homestead, a pioneer publication of modern agricultural journalism. Prior to Pierce, the Iowa Homestead publisher was Henry Wallace, the father of Agriculture Secretary Henry C. Wallace, and grandfather of U.S. Vice President Henry A. Wallace. "Through the efforts of Pierce and Wallace the Iowa Homestead became known for its promotion of the rotation of crops, the use of better seed, the value of more and better livestock, the importance of an attractive home and a good home life, the value of farmers banding together to protect common interests, and the care of the soil and conservation of its resources."

Wikipedia: Homestead Building (EN), Heritage Website

11. 14Forty

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The Studebaker Corporation Branch Office Building, also known as the Iowa Truck and Tractor Co., Apperson Iowa Motor Car Co., Sears Auto Co., and the Sanders Motor Co., is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. This is actually two adjacent buildings, built four years apart. The building at 1442 Locust Street was completed in 1918 to house a Studebaker dealership, auto repair shop, and a corporate branch office. The addition of the corporate office made this building different from the others on Des Moines' "Auto Row," where it is located. The building was designed by the prominent local architectural firm of Proudfoot, Bird & Rawson, and built for the Hubbell Building Company who leased it out. The first floor was the location for Glass & Patton, the local Studebaker dealer. The second floor was where Studebaker's wholesale business in the state of Iowa was conducted. The third floor was a store room for automobiles. Studebaker's tenure here was short-lived, and by 1919 other auto and truck related businesses started to occupy the building.

Wikipedia: Studebaker Corporation Branch Office Building (EN), Heritage Website

12. Richard T.C. Lord and William V. Wilcox House

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The Richard T.C. Lord and William V. Wilcox House is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. This 2½-story dwelling follows a crossed gable plan that features elements of both the Colonial Revival and Queen Anne styles. The Colonial Revival influence includes grouped round porch columns and a pedimented porch entry. The Queen Anne influences include its massing, the brackets at the gable end, the second story corner porch, bargeboards, shingles, and the large porch. The property on which it stands is one of ten plats that were owned by Drake University. The house's significance is attributed to the effect of the university's innovative financing techniques upon the settlement of the area around the campus. Lord was a realtor, one of the organizers of the University Land Company, and he was a member of the first board of trustees of the university. He lived here from 1888 to around 1890 when he sold it to W.V. Wilcox, an insurance agent for Hawkeye Insurance Company. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Wikipedia: Richard T.C. Lord and William V. Wilcox House (EN), Heritage Website

13. The Kirkwood

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The Hotel Kirkwood, also known as the Kirkwood Civic Center Hotel, is a historic building located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. The building was designed by the Chicago architectural firm of H.L. Stevens & Company and built in 1930. With its completion it became the largest hotel along Fourth Street between Walnut Street and Court Avenue, along Des Moines' "Hotel Row." It also marked the emergence of the skyscraper hotel in the downtown area. The new hotel replaced a previous Hotel Kirkwood that had been built on the same location in 1862. It was located near Union Station and the Rock Island Depot. Developers and owners of the 1930 Hotel Kirkwood were E.F. Tagney and S.F. McGinn. Art Deco details are found in the building's massing, the sleek exterior geometrical detailing, and treatment of the cornice. The 12-story brick structure rises to a height of 133 feet (41 m). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. The building has subsequently been converted into an apartment building called "The Kirkwood."

Wikipedia: Hotel Kirkwood (EN), Heritage Website

14. Rev. R.W. and Fannie E. Keeler House

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The Rev. R.W. and Fannie E. Keeler House, also known as the Henry C. Borzo House, is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. The house is significant for its being one of the best examples in Des Moines of the attic balcony gable subtype of the Stick Style. It was built by local contractor-builder Detwiler and Bedford in 1889 as speculative housing. Most residential construction in Des Moines was in small developments between about 1880 and 1941, and this house was a part of one such development. This 2½-story frame structure shows its Stick Style influence with a hip and gabled roof, decorative trussed attic balconies that are supported by large decorative brackets, wide bracketed overhanging eaves, and wood clapboard walls with decorative patterns of horizontal boards. The property also contains a barn from the same time period, but it has been significantly altered over the years and now serves as a garage. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.

Wikipedia: Rev. R.W. and Fannie E. Keeler House (EN), Heritage Website

15. Bubbleator

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The Bubbleator was a large, bubble-shaped hydraulic elevator with transparent acrylic glass walls operated from an elevated chair built for the 1962 World's Fair in Seattle. These transparent walls gave the illusion of looking through an actual 'soap bubble' by refracting light to obtain a rainbow-like effect for the riders inside. It was originally part of the Washington State Coliseum, where it lifted 100 passengers at a time up one floor through a structure of interlocking aluminum cubes to the "World of Tomorrow" exhibit. T. C. Howard of Synergetics, Inc. designed the Bubbleator and the exhibit. After the fair, the Bubbleator was relocated to the Center House at Seattle Center. By 1984, it had been removed and put in storage to make way for the Seattle Children's Museum. It was sold to a private owner in Federal Way, Washington, who recycled the upper part of the dome into a greenhouse. The control chair, which had also been in private hands, was donated to the Museum of History and Industry in 2005.

Wikipedia: Bubbleator (EN)

16. Herring Motor Car Company Building

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The Herring Motor Car Company Building, also known as 10th Street Lofts, is a historic building located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. The building is a six-story brick structure that rises 90 feet (27 m) above the ground. It was designed by the Des Moines architectural firm of Proudfoot, Bird & Rawson in the Classical Revival style. Clyde L. Herring had the building built in 1912 and it was completed the following year. It was originally a four-story building and two more floors were added 18 months after it was originally built. By 1915 the company was building 32 Ford automobiles a day, and had delivered “more automobiles than any other one automobile agency in the United States”. Along with the neighboring Standard Glass and Paint Company Building it is part of the same loft apartment complex. The National Biscuit Company Building on the other side of the building has also been converted into an apartment building. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.

Wikipedia: Herring Motor Car Company Building (EN), Heritage Website

17. Plymouth Place

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Plymouth Place is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Construction of the building was initiated by Plymouth Congregational Church, which faces Plymouth Place on the opposite side of Ingersoll Avenue. Ground-breaking occurred on June 12, 1966. Completed in 1968, the 12-story structure rises to a height of 161.01 feet (49.08 m). This circular residential building was designed by local architect Raymond Hueholt. It has an unusual interior plan where a common central living room area is surrounded by peripheral living units. The building is also significant for providing quality affordable senior housing for low-income people regardless of religion or creed. At the time the Greenwood Park Plats Historic District was nominated for the National Register of Historic Places in 2013 it was considered a non-contributing property in the district, but it was considered significant on its own. The building was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.

Wikipedia: Plymouth Place (EN), Heritage Website

18. Hill McClelland Bell House

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The Hill McClelland Bell House is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Built 1902, the 2½-story structure features a rectangular plan, a gable front, and a wrap-around porch. Decorative elements include wood shingles in the gable end, and some of the windows have a diamond mullion pattern. The house's significance is derived from its association with Hill McClelland Bell, president of Drake University from 1902 to 1918. This was a period of dramatic growth for the college. It was during his tenure that the institution was accredited with the North Central Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges, the establishment of a faculty pension, an increase in the school's endowment, a decrease in its debts, eminent professors joined the faculty, and several colleges were reorganized. Enrollment increased during this period of time, and five significant buildings were built on campus. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Wikipedia: Hill McClelland Bell House (EN), Heritage Website

19. F. F. Odenweller-James P. and Nettie Morey House

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The F. F. Odenweller-James P. and Nettie Morey House is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It is a 1½-story frame cottage that follows an irregular plan. It features chamfered corners, Stick Style strips, moulded lintels, beaded corner boards, decorative shinglework, and a small front porch with a shed roof. The property on which it stands is one of ten plats that were owned by Drake University. The University sold the lot to Delos Cutler, one of the University Land Company organizers, in 1887. The next year he sold the property to F.F. Odenweller. After seven years the property was sold to A.A. Smith and O.E. Bowers. In 1896, the year the house was built, the property was sold to J.P. Morey, and he owned it for twenty-three years. Its significance is attributed to the effect of the University's innovative financing techniques upon the settlement of the area around the campus. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Wikipedia: F. F. Odenweller-James P. and Nettie Morey House (EN), Heritage Website

20. Samuel A. and Margaret Stevenson House

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The Samuel A. and Margaret Stevenson House is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. This is the best preserved example of the residential architecture that combines the Stick and Eastlake styles in the city. In the suburban areas of the city in the late 19th century this was one of the most common residential styles. Most of them have been either demolished, significantly altered, or lost most of their character by being covered over with siding. The Stevensons bought the property in 1889 from the Vermont Syndicate, who developed Kingman Place. They mortgaged the property for $2,687.50 to the syndicate immediately after they bought it, probably for them to build their house for them from a pattern book or stock plan design. The two-story wood-frame structure features exterior walls of painted clapboards, vertical and horizontal trim boards, and capped with a crossgabled roof. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

Wikipedia: Samuel A. and Margaret Stevenson House (EN), Heritage Website

21. Norman Apartments

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The Norman Apartment Building is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. This three-story brick structure was the first of five apartment buildings, housing 60 families, that Drake University planned to build near its campus. They would be controlled by the university's board of trustees. The Norman and the more modest McCoy Apartments were the only two buildings constructed. The building features two shades of tan brick, a considerable amount of Gothic Revival limestone trim, a Tudor arched entry, medieval lettering on a name plaque between the second and third floors, and ogee arches on some windows. The building's significance is related to the "University's growth and development and the effect its financial policies had on nearby settlement." It is also significant for its association with the prominent Des Moines architectural firm of Proudfoot & Bird who designed it. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Wikipedia: Norman Apartment Building (EN), Heritage Website

22. Perry and Brainard Block

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The Perry and Brainard Block, also known as the North Des Moines Town Hall, is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. The structure was built between 1888 and 1889 and the second floor served as the city hall for the suburb of North Des Moines. In the late 19th century Des Moines actively sought to annex its Victorian suburbs, with North Des Moines being the largest of these communities. This is the only known public building that has survived from the Annexation Movement era. The local government and community of North Des Moines debated annexation, not only of the municipalities, but of their schools as well. It was also the only community where the residents voted on the annexation issue, and this building also served as a polling place. The building served as the location of the celebration after the referendums passed in 1890. After its use as the city hall, the second floor became the lodge for the Ancient Order of United Workmen.

Wikipedia: Perry and Brainard Block (EN), Heritage Website

23. Byron and Ivan Boyd House

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The Byron and Ivan Boyd House, also known as Boyd Cottage, is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Built in 1924, the 2½-story Tudor Revival half-timbered cottage is located in an up-scale neighborhood. The neighborhood is composed of large private residential lots with numerous mansions built in the first half of the 20th century for the city's prominent citizens. Its significance is its association with Byron Bennett Boyd. He was a local architect, and a nationally recognized artist and painter. Boyd was the architect that designed this house, and lived here from 1924 to 1945. He began practicing architecture at the prominent Des Moines firm of Proudfoot, Bird and Rawson before setting up his own practice in 1916 with Herbert Moore. His work includes Salisbury House (1923), Fred W. Hubbell mansion, known as Helfred Farms (1928), and the Ralph Rollins House (1926). Boyd's wife, Ivan Bloom Hardin, owned her own publishing company.

Wikipedia: Byron and Ivan Boyd House (EN), Heritage Website

24. William W. and Elizabeth J. Ainsworth House

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The William W. and Elizabeth J. Ainsworth House, also known as the Catholic Worker House and the Dingman House, is an historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Ainsworth was a Des Moines businessman who was engaged in various professional occupations. His wife Elizabeth took title to this property in 1886, and they built this 21⁄2-story, frame, Queen Anne house in what was then the suburban community of North Des Moines. It features a hip roof, intersecting gables, a front porch, an enclosed porch in the back, and 2-story bay windows on the south and east elevations. Built as a single-family dwelling, it is now a half-way house for social services operated by the Catholic Worker Movement. The house calls attention to the increased importance of North Des Moines as a residential neighborhood for business and professional people in the late 19th-century Des Moines area. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

Wikipedia: William W. and Elizabeth J. Ainsworth House (EN), Heritage Website

25. Nellie and Thomas Knotts House

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The Nellie and Thomas Knotts House is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. This two-story dwelling is a gabled-ell type house that features a chamfered front section with gable-end detail, fishscale shingles, and a hipped porch. The property on which it stands is one of ten plats that were owned by Drake University. The University sold this lot and two others to Adam Howell in 1886. He sold this lot to Harold R. Howell in 1891. Nellie J. and Thomas H. Knotts acquired the property in 1893, and the house was built the following year. Knotts was president of Iowa Printing Company and then became a manager of the Union Mutual Life Insurance Company. He and his wife resided here until at least 1907. Its significance is attributed to the effect of the University's innovative financing techniques upon the settlement of the area around the campus. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Wikipedia: Nellie and Thomas Knotts House (EN), Heritage Website

26. George B. Peak House

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The George B. Peak House, also known as New Life Eternity House, is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It is a 2½-story brick dwelling that features a hipped roof with a flat deck, pedimented dormers, and a portico with freestanding columns. It was built for George M. Peak who came to Des Moines in 1888 from Kentucky. He worked as the local manager of the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the U.S. before he organized the Central Life Assurance Society of the U.S. in 1896. He served as president of the later until his death. He also promoted the Insurance Exchange building in Des Moines, and advocated for the construction of Keosauqua Way. After Peak died in 1923 the house was acquired for use as a fraternity and then a sorority house for Drake University. It has since been converted into a multi-family dwelling. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Wikipedia: George B. Peak House (EN), Heritage Website

27. Mary A. and Caleb D. Scott House

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The Mary A. and Caleb D. Scott House is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. This 2½-story dwelling features a hipped roof with gablets, various gables, reeded panels along cornice and base, and a shed-roofed porch with brackets, turned columns, and an open grill. The property on which it stands is one of ten plats that were owned by Drake University. The house's significance is attributed to the effect of the University's innovative financing techniques upon the settlement of the area around the campus. Charles H. Atkins and R.T.C. Lord owned the property between 1887 and 1888. Mary A. Scott bought the property in 1888 and the house was built the following year. She lived here in 1889 with Caleb D. Scott, a streetcar conductor, and James L. Scott, who was retired. The Scotts lived here until 1899. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Wikipedia: Mary A. and Caleb D. Scott House (EN), Heritage Website

28. Maish House

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The Maish House is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. George H. Maish was involved with a coal company and bank in his native Pennsylvania before he and his family relocated to Des Moines in 1869. While here he was a partner with his brother-in-law in a drug firm, in banking, and insurance. He had this house built in 1882. It calls attention to Maish as a prosperous 19th-century businessman, and its high-quality Victorian craftsmanship. The two-story frame structure was built in the Italianate style with Eastlake details, especially on the inside. It includes a burglar alarm/servants' call box which is still operative. The exterior features a wrap around porch, a hip roof, metal cresting on the ridge, various gables that are filled in with glass, bracketed eaves, and three corbelled chimneys. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

Wikipedia: Maish House (EN), Heritage Website

29. Midland Financial Building

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The Hippee Building, also known as the Southern Surety Building, the Savings and Loan Building, and the Midland Building, is a historic building located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It was completed in 1913 by George B. Hippee whose father, George M. Hippee, was one of the first merchants in Des Moines. George B. developed the first interurban railway in the city and it connected Des Moines to other communities in central Iowa. The 172-foot (52 m), 12-story structure was designed by the Des Moines architectural firm of Sawyer and Watrous in the Early Commercial style. At the time of it completion, the building was Iowa's tallest skyscraper. It was used as an office building until the Aparium Hotel Group of Chicago acquired it in 2017 and began converting the building into a 138-room hotel. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018.

Wikipedia: Hippee Building (EN)

30. Professor Charles O. Denny House

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The Professor Charles O. Denny House is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It is a 2½-story dwelling that follows an irregular plan. It features a hipped roof with gablets and additional gables, fishscale shingles, bargeboards, reeded panels that form the cornice, and a wraparound porch with a pedimented entry. The property on which it stands is one of ten plats that were owned by Drake University. The University sold the lot to C.O. Denny in 1892, and he had the house built the following year. Denny was a Latin professor at Drake and lived nearby. He seems to have bought the property for speculative purposes. Its significance is attributed to the effect of the University's innovative financing techniques upon the settlement of the area around the campus. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Wikipedia: Professor Charles O. Denny House (EN), Heritage Website

31. Rollins Mansion

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Rollins Mansion

The Ralph Rollins House, also known as the Bohen Estate, is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. This rambling mansion in the English medieval eclectic style was designed in 1925 by the Des Moines architectural firm of Boyd & Moore. It was completed the following year. The facades are a picturesque accumulation of gables, window bays, over hangs and minor projections. The roofscape is significant in defining the character of the house. Its main ridge runs the length of the structure, and it features short cross gables. The walls are a combination of brick and stucco half-timber in almost equal proportions. Together with Salisbury House, it is unique in Des Moines, and probably the state, for literally borrowing from England's domestic medieval architecture. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Wikipedia: Ralph Rollins House (EN), Website, Heritage Website

32. Byron A. Beeson House

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The Byron A. Beeson House, also known as Mission Temple Academy, is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Built c. 1890, the 2½-story structure features balloon frame construction, a complex roof system, and wrap-around front porch. Its flared cornice is considered unusual. It was originally a single-family dwelling that later became and education facility associated with the Church of God in Christ. It is also associated with Byron A. Beeson who served as Treasurer of Iowa from 1891 to 1895, and as Adjutant General of the Iowa National Guard around the same time. The house's significance is derived from its location in suburban North Des Moines and its complex roof system. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. A stable along the alley behind the house shares the historic designation.

Wikipedia: Byron A. Beeson House (EN), Heritage Website

33. Mahnke House

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The Mahnke House is an historical residential building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. The house was built by prolific Des Moines builder Fred W. Weitz in 1909 in the Prairie School style. The exterior is covered in Flemish bond brick veneer. It features a hip roof, a single-story west side solarium, a rear porch and a flat-roofed centered front portico with a raised entrance and square paned window lights. George and Emma Mahnke owned the house between 1909 and 1952 when they transferred the property to the Des Moines Annual Conference of the Methodist Church. The house then became the residence of the organization's superintendents. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, and it was included as a contributing property in the Ingersoll Place Plat Historic District in 2000.

Wikipedia: Mahnke House (EN), Heritage Website

34. Kappa Kappa Gamma House

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The Minnie Y. and Frank P. Mattes House is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Its significance is attributed to its association with the prominent Des Moines architectural firm of Proudfoot, Bird & Rawson, and it calls attention to their residential work. The historic designation includes the large scale Tudor Revival house, automobile garage, and the retaining wall and entrance steps that were all constructed in 1910 for the Mattes. Both Frank and Minnie were from prominent Des Moines German-American families. He was a brewer until prohibition in the city, and he was then involved with real estate. The property was sold to Guy M. and Madeline Lambert in 1944, who sold it to the Drake University sorority Kappa Gamma in 1959. Other houses in the neighborhood were converted in a similar manner.

Wikipedia: Minnie Y. and Frank P. Mattes House (EN), Heritage Website

35. John P. Simmons House

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The John P. Simmons House is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. This simple 1½-story frame dwelling features a gable front, rectangular plan, and a hipped roof front porch. The property on which it stands is one of ten plats that were owned by Drake University. The house's significance is attributed to the effect of the University's innovative financing techniques upon the settlement of the area around the campus. Delos Cutler, one of the organizers of the University Land Company, acquired this lot and the one next to it in 1887. He sold them to F.F. Odenweller the following year. John P. Simmons bought this lot 25 in 1894, the same year the house was built. He either sold or mortgaged it to University Bank in 1900. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Wikipedia: John P. Simmons House (EN), Heritage Website

36. Sargent's Garage

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Sargent's Garage, also known as the Robinson's Paint and Body Shop, Grand Spring Body and Paint Company, and Fabio's, is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Completed in 1924, this single-story commercial building emplifies vernacular commercial architecture. It features a rectangular plan, wood siding now covered with metal, and a flat roof. It originally had a symmetrical facade, which has now been altered. Its significance is that it is an early automobile repair and body shop, which was a new architectural form that was emerging in early 20th-century Iowa. It continued to serve this purpose until 1997 when it suffered a minor fire. The building sat vacant for a period of time until it was renovated and reopened. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

Wikipedia: Sargent's Garage (EN), Website, Heritage Website

37. Lampson P. Sherman House

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The Lampson P. Sherman House is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. This 2½-story frame dwelling features crossed gables that create a cross shape, shingles in the gable ends, porch and gable end brackets, and turned porch columns. The property on which it stands is one of ten plats that were owned by Drake University. The house's significance is attributed to the effect of the University's innovative financing techniques upon the settlement of the area around the campus. Hoyt Sherman bought the property from the University Land Company in 1885. The house was built in 1888 and Sherman sold it to his brother Lampson, who was a student at Drake, two years later. The house remained in the Sherman family until 1904. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Wikipedia: Lampson P. Sherman House (EN), Heritage Website

38. National Biscuit Company Building

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The National Biscuit Company Building, also known as National Biscuit Company Flats, is a historic building located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. The heavy timber and masonry building was built in 1906. Only half of the planned building was completed, and the north half of the property was later sold. It initially served as a production and distribution facility for the National Biscuit Company. Architect William F. Wilmouth, who designed the company's buildings is presumed to be the architect of this four-story Neoclassical building. Benson & Marxer served as the contractors. Des Moines was the third largest sales territory for the company. It was one of a few bakeries in the company that produced the Uneeda Biscuit, and it was one of three that produced a corn cracker in the mid-1920s.

Wikipedia: National Biscuit Company Building (Des Moines, Iowa) (EN), Heritage Website

39. Albert Baird Cummins House

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The Albert Baird Cummins House, also known as Terrace Tower, is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. This 21/2-story stone and stucco Queen Anne was built in 1893. It is significant because of its association with Albert Baird Cummins who lived here from the time it was built until 1920. A Republican, Cummins served as Governor of Iowa from 1902 to 1908 and as United States Senator from 1908 until his death in 1926. He was a Progressive who supported the "Iowa Idea," which sought to destroy trusts by removing tariffs from trust made products. As a senator he sponsored the Esch-Cummins Act that returned the railroads to private control after the government took them over during World War I. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Wikipedia: Albert Baird Cummins House (EN), Heritage Website

40. Walnut Tire and Battery Co./Globe Publishing Company Building

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The Walnut Tire and Battery Co. Globe Publishing Company Building is a historic building located on the west side of downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. The two-story brick commercial building features two mirror-image sections that were completed four years apart. The western section of the Late Gothic Revival structure was completed in 1924 and the eastern section in 1928. Between the two sections is an interior staircase and a lightwell. The building is located on Des Moines' historic Auto Row, and it housed automobile-related businesses. Walnut Tire and Battery Co. built the original section for their own use and to rent space to tenants. They built the second section to increase the tenant space. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017.

Wikipedia: Walnut Tire and Battery Co.-Globe Publishing Company Building (EN)

41. Iowa Ford Tractor Company Repair and Warehouse Building

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The Iowa Ford Tractor Company Repair and Warehouse Building is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. The single-story, 15,000-square-foot (1,400 m2) building was built in 1949. It was used by the Iowa Ford Tractor Company as a tractor repair and storage facility. In 1977 the building was acquired by the H.B. Leiserowitz Company. They were mostly a photography supply company but they were also a general store and they sold wholesale candy, soda, chips, and cigarettes to small grocery stories and gas stations. It closed in 2017 after its owner died. Green Acre Development Company bought the building later the same year and has plans to convert it into offices. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2021.

Wikipedia: Iowa Ford Tractor Company Repair and Warehouse Building (EN)

42. Larnerd Case House

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The Larnerd Case House, also known as Rose Hill, is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. This two-story, frame, Greek Revival structure is the oldest dwelling that is still standing in the city. The second floor dormer and the front porch are not original to the house. This section of Iowa was opened for settlement in 1845 after a treaty with the Sauk and Meskwaki (Fox) tribes. Larnerd Case, an Ohio native, built this house using black walnut cut from the property in 1846. He lived on what was then a 160-acre (65 ha) farm until his death in 1857. The residential area that surrounds the house and the park across the street were once part of the farm. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Wikipedia: Larnerd Case House (EN), Heritage Website

43. Hawthorn Hill Apartments

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The Methodist Deaconess Institute—Esther Hall, also known as Hawthorn Hill Apartments, is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. This building has been known by a variety of titles. They include the Bible Training School, Women's Foreign Missionary Society; Women's Home Missionary Society-Bible Training School; Iowa National Esther Hall & Bidwell Deaconess Home; Hawthorn Hill; and Chestnut Hill. The Women's Home Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church established a Des Moines affiliate in 1896. Part of their responsibilities was to oversee the work of deaconesses of the church. At about the same time a Bible training school was established at Iowa Methodist Hospital's School of Nursing.

Wikipedia: Methodist Deaconess Institute—Esther Hall (EN), Heritage Website

44. William A. and Etta Baum Cottage

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The William A. and Etta Baum Cottage is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Built in 1891, the 1½-story structure features a gable-end facade, brick foundation, and a small front porch with a gable-end roof. It is considered a good example of the gable-on-hip subtype of the Queen Anne cottage. There were only a few that were built with 1½-stories as most were two-stories. Its significance is based on how it demonstrates that a modest-sized dwelling can embrace the picturesque design. The cottage was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. It was included as a contributing property in the Polk County Homestead and Trust Company Addition Historic District in 2016.

Wikipedia: William A. and Etta Baum Cottage (EN), Heritage Website

45. DNR Building

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The Fish and Game Pavilion and Aquarium is located in the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. The structure was erected with financial support from the State of Iowa. It was designed by the Des Moines architectural firm of Proudfoot, Rawson & Souers. It is a masonry building with a steel frame structural system and exhibits eclectic, Italian Renaissance detail. It was originally built from 1926 to 1927 and was expanded in 1929. The building was listed as a contributing property on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987 as a part of the Iowa State Fair and Exposition Grounds and it was individually listed in 1991 as a part of the Conservation Movement in Iowa MPS.

Wikipedia: Fish and Game Pavilion and Aquarium (EN), Heritage Website

46. Hohberger Building

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The Hohberger Building is a historic building located in the East Village of Des Moines, Iowa, United States. The building was built in 1895 and is one of the few remaining examples of a cast-iron column structure in the city. A dry goods store named Dockstader & Co. was the first retail establishment to occupy the building (1899–1915). The building stood empty for several years until it was renovated in 1999. The ground level of the building remains retail space and the upper floors are occupied by offices. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.In 2019 it was included as a contributing property in the East Des Moines Commercial Historic District.

Wikipedia: Hohberger Building (EN), Heritage Website

47. West Chester

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West Chester, also known as the D.S. Chamberlain House and Wesley Acres, is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Designed by Boston architect William George Rantoul, it is considered an excellent example of Jacobethan Revival architecture in the city. It was featured in a couple of publications after its completion. The inspiration for the house's design were the half timbered homes in Chester, England. It features five gables and dormers on the main facade that rise above the ridged roofline and three tall chimneys with separate shafts for each flue. There are two gabled wings on the south elevation of the house. The second floor has six bed & breakfast rooms.

Wikipedia: West Chester (Chamberlain Mansion, Des Moines, Iowa) (EN), Heritage Website

48. Riverpoint Lofts

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The Schmitt and Henry Manufacturing Company is a complex of three historic buildings located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. The complex was built in three stages from 1901 to 1914 by Schmitt-Henry, who manufactured furniture. It was designed by Des Moines architect Harry D. Rawson of the firm Proudfoot, Bird and Rawson. Sealy Mattress Company took over the building in 1973 after Schmitt-Henry moved to West Des Moines. Hubbell Reality purchased the complex in 1994 for $75.000. Plans were approved in 2009 to convert the complex, as well as the Hawkeye Transfer Company Warehouse, into loft apartments. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.

Wikipedia: Schmitt and Henry Manufacturing Company (EN), Heritage Website

49. The Newlawn

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The New Lawn is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. This three-story, brick structure was completed in 1915. It features seven units, an U-shaped plan, a symmetrical facade with projecting wings, polychrome brick veneer, a series of quadruple ribbon windows, and a flat roof. The building is located on Sixth Avenue, which by the turn of the 20th century had become a major route utilized by vehicular traffic and streetcar lines. Its proximity to this transportation corridor illustrates the emergence of higher and denser residential use in this area of Des Moines. The apartment building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.

Wikipedia: The New Lawn (Des Moines, Iowa) (EN), Heritage Website

50. Mack-International Motor Truck Corporation Building

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The Mack-International Motor Truck Corporation Building is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It was built by master builder and general contractor J.E. Lovejoy, who was also its original owner. Lovejoy and other tenants had offices on the second floor, while Mack Trucks occupied the ground floor. The front was used to showcase trucks and an industrial service space was in the back of the building. The two-story brick structure grew to take up a full quarter block after annexes were built in about 1931 and 1940. Located in Des Moines' historic Auto Row, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017.

Wikipedia: Mack-International Motor Truck Corporation Building (EN)

51. Naylor House

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The Naylor House is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Thomas Naylor was born in England and became a prominent grocer in Des Moines. He had this two-story brick Victorian house built in 1869. It is believed to have been designed by Des Moines architect William Foster. The house features an irregular plan, a combination gable-hip roof, two Carpenter Gothic wood porches, a bay window, pre-cast cement window hoods in an Eastlake design, paired roof brackets, and cornice returns on the gable ends. It remained in the Naylor family for almost 100 years. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

Wikipedia: Naylor House (EN), Heritage Website

52. Herndon Hall

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Herndon Hall, also known as the Bergmann Mansion, is an historical residential building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. The house was built in 1881 in the Queen Anne style. It was designed by the Des Moines architectural firm of Foster & Liebbe for attorney Jefferson Polk. He named the house after his wife, Julia Herndon. Over the years it has been the home of three bishops of the Diocese of Des Moines, a clothing store, and it served as the National Headquarters for Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate Service. It now houses a cosmetic & reconstructive surgery practice It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

Wikipedia: Herndon Hall (EN), Heritage Website

53. Terrace Hill

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Terrace Hill Self-created photograph by Jonathunder / GFDL

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 architecture. The home measures 18,000 square feet. It sits on a hill overlooking downtown Des Moines, and has a 90-foot (27 m) tower that offers a commanding view of the city. The building's steeply pitched mansard roof, open verandas, long and narrow and frequently paired windows, and bracketed eaves give this house an irreplaceable design. The house was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2003.

Wikipedia: Terrace Hill (EN), Website, Heritage Website

54. Josiah Andrews House

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The Josiah Andrews House is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It is a 2½-story, rectangular, frame, front gable dwelling. It features Stick Style strips on the gable end, and brackets along the cornice. The property on which it stands is part of one of ten plats that were owned by Drake University. The university sold the lot to J. and H.L. Andrews in 1896, and they built this house at that time. Its significance is attributed to the effect of the university's innovative financing techniques upon the settlement of the area around the campus. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Wikipedia: Josiah Andrews House (EN), Heritage Website

55. Jay Norwood and Genevieve Pendleton Darling House

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The Jay Norwood and Genevieve Pendleton Darling House is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. The residence was the home of cartoonist Ding Darling, who worked for The Des Moines Register and whose cartoons were syndicated in over 100 newspapers across the country. In the early 1930s, he became involved in the conservation movement, especially wildlife conservation. His advocacy was reflected in his cartoons. Part of his conservation legacy in Iowa is the Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit program that he initiated at Iowa State College and the expansion of the research facilities at Iowa Lakeside Laboratory.

Wikipedia: Jay Norwood and Genevieve Pendleton Darling House (EN), Heritage Website

56. William B. Hayes House

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The William B. Hayes House is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. The house is significant for its being one of the best examples in Des Moines of the Swiss chalet style subtype of the Stick Style. It was built in 1886 as a single-family dwelling by local developer Lowry W. Goode. This 1½-story frame structure on a brick foundation features a gable-end facade that is intersected by side gables, and wide eaves that are supported by wood braces. The northern side gable extends over an enclosed front porch. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.

Wikipedia: William B. Hayes House (EN), Heritage Website

57. Edward B. and Nettie E. Evans House

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The Edward B. and Nettie E. Evans House is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It is significant as the best Free Classic Queen Anne style dwelling in the city. It is a transitional architectural style. The 2½-story structure shows elements of both the Queen Anne and the Neoclassical styles. The Queen Anne is found in the asymmetrical plan, the complex roof treatment, the full width and recessed porches, and contrasting shingle patterns. The Neoclassical is found in the window and door trim, the grouped classical porch columns, and the Palladian window in the attic level.

Wikipedia: Edward B. and Nettie E. Evans House (EN), Heritage Website

58. Iowa State Capitol

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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 Offices of the Attorney General, Auditor, Treasurer, and Secretary of State. The building also includes a chamber for the Iowa Supreme Court, although court activities usually take place in the neighboring Iowa Supreme Court building. The building was constructed between 1871 and 1886, and is the only five-domed capitol in the country.

Wikipedia: Iowa State Capitol (EN), Website, Heritage Website

59. Susie P. Turner Double House

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The Susie P. Turner Double House is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. This two-story duplex features a symmetrical facade, brick in various colors, decorative cast stone, and a fullwidth front porch that is supported by three brick columns. Built in 1914, its significance is its combination of Prairie School architecture and American Craftsman styling. At the time it was constructed the double house was still a somewhat uncommon building type in Des Moines. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

Wikipedia: Susie P. Turner Double House (EN), Heritage Website

60. Rocket Transfer Lofts

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The Hawkeye Transfer Company Warehouse, also known as the Rocket Transfer Building, is a historic building located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. The building was built by Frederick Hubbell who founded F.M. Hubbell and Son, which became Hubbell Realty Co. The company has retained ownership of the building since it was built. Plans were approved in 2009 to convert the building, as well as the Schmitt and Henry Manufacturing Company complex, into loft apartments. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.

Wikipedia: Hawkeye Transfer Company Warehouse (EN), Heritage Website

61. Salisbury House

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Salisbury House, in Des Moines, Iowa, is a Tudor, Gothic and Carolean style manor home built on a wooded hill with commanding views. It was built by cosmetics magnate Carl Weeks and his wife, Edith Van Slyke Weeks, between 1923 and 1928. Salisbury House was modeled after the King's House in Salisbury, England, contains 42 rooms and measures just over 22,000 square feet (2,000 m2). The property is owned and operated by the Salisbury House Foundation and is open to the public for tours, public events, and private rentals.

Wikipedia: Salisbury House (Des Moines, Iowa) (EN), Website, Heritage Website

62. Henshie-Briggs Row House

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The Henshie-Briggs Row House is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. While the row house was a popular building form in the 19th century in the city, there are very few examples that remain. The two-story, brick, Italianate structure was completed in 1883. The single-family dwelling features brick load-bearing walls, a flat roof, and a wooden cornice. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. It was moved to its current location on Woodland Avenue in 2008.

Wikipedia: Henshie-Briggs Row House (EN), Heritage Website

63. Hawkeye Insurance Company Building

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The Hawkeye Insurance Company Building is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Completed in 1869, the building housed the first successful casualty insurance company in the city, which grew to be the largest center for insurance companies outside of the east coast. Prominent local architect William Foster designed the building, and it may be the oldest surviving example of his work. It is also the oldest commercial building in the downtown area that maintains its original integrity.

Wikipedia: Hawkeye Insurance Company Building (EN), Heritage Website

64. Murillo Flats

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Murillo Flats is a three story, formerly seven unit brick apartment building in Des Moines, Iowa. Built in 1903, it was originally located at 531-533 14th at the intersection with High Street in the downtown area of the city. On March 1, 2008, in the largest relocation project scheduled for that year and an event covered by both local & national media, the 705-ton building was moved to a new location so that it could be preserved. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.

Wikipedia: Murillo Flats (EN), Heritage Website

65. Liberty Building

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The Liberty Building is a historic building located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It has been a downtown landmark since 1923. The Liberty Building is located at the SW corner of 6th Avenue and Grand Avenue in the heart of downtown Des Moines. The building was originally home to Bankers Life Insurance & WHO (AM) Radio. Designed by the prominent Des Moines architectural firm of Proudfoot, Bird & Rawson, the 12-story building rises to a height of 174 feet (53 m).

Wikipedia: Liberty Building (Des Moines, Iowa) (EN), Heritage Website

66. John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park

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The John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park is a 4.4-acre (1.8 ha) 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 contains works by artists such as Louise Bourgeois, Jaume Plensa, Ai Weiwei, and Barry Flanagan. It is considered "one of the most significant collections of outdoor sculptures in the United States".

Wikipedia: Pappajohn Sculpture Park (EN)

67. Julius Scheibe Cottage

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The Julius Scheibe Cottage at 815 College Ave. in Des Moines, Iowa, United States, was built in 1898. It was a work of architect George E. Hallett. It and the adjacent house split a corner land parcel and both faced south, while all other houses in the area faced the east or west ends of their parcels. The "parcelization of corner lots" this way increased density and the value of their real estate.

Wikipedia: Julius Scheibe Cottage (EN), Heritage Website

68. Southwest Fifth Street Bridge

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Southwest Fifth Street Bridge

The Southwest Fifth St. Bridge is a historic structure located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Built in 1898 after a controversy surrounding the bidding process, it is one of the last Pratt through truss bridges left in an urban setting in Iowa. The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998 as a part of the Highway Bridges of Iowa MPS.

Wikipedia: Southwest Fifth St. Bridge (EN), Heritage Website

69. Southeast Water Trough

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The Southeast Water Trough is a historic structure located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It is one of the last of 15 National Humane Alliance fountains that were placed around the city by the Iowa Humane Alliance. They were also named Ensign fountains after the founder of the National Humane Alliance, Hermon Lee Ensign. This was one of two placed in Des Moines in 1906.

Wikipedia: Southeast Water Trough (EN), Heritage Website

70. Henry Wallace House

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The Henry Wallace House is an historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It was the home of Henry Wallace who was an advocate for agricultural improvement and reform. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing property in the Sherman Hill Historic District in 1979 and it has been individually listed since 1993.

Wikipedia: Henry Wallace House (EN), Website, Heritage Website

71. Rumely Lofts

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The Rumely–Des Moines Drug Company Building at 110 SW. Fourth St. in Des Moines, Iowa is a large brick warehouse block building. It is a work of architects Hallett & Rawson. It has also been known as the Rumely Bldg, as the Federal Machine Corp Bldg, and as the Security File Warehouse Building. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.

Wikipedia: Rumely–Des Moines Drug Company Building (EN), Heritage Website

72. Greek Orthodox Church of St. George

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Greek Orthodox Church of St. George Ben Siepmann (stgeorgedsm) / CC BY-SA 3.0

The Greek Orthodox Church of St. George in Des Moines, Iowa is a parish of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America located in the Drake Neighborhood near Drake University. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 28, 1997, as part of the architectural legacy of Proudfoot and Bird in Iowa.

Wikipedia: Greek Orthodox Church of St. George (Des Moines, Iowa) (EN), Heritage Website

73. Thomas I. Stoner House

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The Thomas I. Stoner House in Des Moines, Iowa, also known as The Highlands, was designed by Wetherell & Harrison and was built in 1931. It includes elements of Spanish Eclectic and Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals architecture. It overlooks the Waveland Golf Course and it has a ceramic tile roof.

Wikipedia: Thomas I. Stoner House (EN), Heritage Website

74. Saint Augustin Catholic Church

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St. Augustin Catholic Church is a Catholic parish in the Diocese of Des Moines located on the west side of Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It was included as a contributing property in the Greenwood Park Plats Historic District and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013.

Wikipedia: St. Augustin Catholic Church (Des Moines, Iowa) (EN), Url

75. Northwestern Hotel

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Northwestern Hotel

The Northwestern Hotel is a historic building located in the East Village of Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. In 2017 it was included as a contributing property in the East Des Moines Industrial Historic District.

Wikipedia: Northwestern Hotel (Des Moines, Iowa) (EN), Heritage Website

76. Basilica of Saint John

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The Basilica of St. John is a Minor Basilica of the Catholic Church in the Drake neighborhood of Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It is also a parish church in the Diocese of Des Moines. The church building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Wikipedia: Basilica of St. John (Des Moines, Iowa) (EN), Website, Heritage Website

77. Iowa Department of the Blind

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The Iowa Commission for the Blind Building is a historic building located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa. The building is a steel-framed structure covered in brick. It is a nine-story state government office building that rises 95 feet (29 m) above the ground.

Wikipedia: Iowa Commission for the Blind Building (EN), Heritage Website

78. Ola Babcock Miller Building

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The Ola Babcock Miller Building, also known as the State Library of Iowa, is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 as the Iowa State Historical Building.

Wikipedia: Ola Babcock Miller Building (EN), Heritage Website

79. Hubbell Tower Condominiums

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The Hubbell Building is a historic building located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. It has been featured on the Discovery Channel show Dirty Jobs.

Wikipedia: Hubbell Building (Des Moines, Iowa) (EN), Heritage Website

80. Hazen Water Tower

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The Allen Hazen Water Tower, also known as the Municipal Water Tower, is a historic structure located on the west side of Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.

Wikipedia: Allen Hazen Water Tower (EN), Heritage Website

81. Humphrey Center

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The Humphrey Center, also known as Old Main, is a historic building located on the campus of Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Wikipedia: Humphrey Center (EN), Heritage Website

82. Saint Anthony's Church

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St. Anthony's Catholic Church is a Catholic parish church in the Diocese of Des Moines located on the south side of Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2021.

Wikipedia: St. Anthony's Catholic Church (Des Moines, Iowa) (EN)

83. William H. and Alice Bailey House

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The William H. and Alice Bailey House is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa. It is a two-story, balloon frame, front gable dwelling. Its significance is attributed to its association with the Baileys.

Wikipedia: William H. and Alice Bailey House (EN), Heritage Website

84. Trinity Las Americas United Methodist Church

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Trinity United Methodist Church is located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998 as Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church, which was its previous name.

Wikipedia: Trinity United Methodist Church (Des Moines, Iowa) (EN), Heritage Website

85. Sylvan Theater

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The Sylvan Theater Historic District, also known as Greenwood Park Outdoor Theater, is located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1995.

Wikipedia: Sylvan Theater Historic District (EN), Website, Heritage Website

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Disclaimer Please be aware of your surroundings and do not enter private property. We are not liable for any damages that occur during the tours.