Des Moines - Iowa - History

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 Trappiest 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.

Settlers began locating almost immediately near the fort, which is now the site of Sec Taylor Stadium. Streets were platted in 1847 and in 1851 the town was officially incorporated. 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 Centre 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. For more information about the Des Moines City Hall building.

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 centre. Other businesses located in Des Moines prospered and the City breezed through the next three decades with a healthy economy.

Des Moines International Airport - history : The year was 1932. It was a typical Iowa spring, but ploughs weren't working the old Jones field. Instead, graders were moving the earth while trucks and cranes and drying machines crawled over the field. 250,000 cubic yards of dirt were moved and two 1800 feet long and 100 feet wide runways were built, surfaced with asphalt and edged with concrete. The old hangar at the Altoona site was dismantled and moved onto the new location where it was reconstructed.

By 1933, the Department of Commerce had granted the Des Moines Airport an A-I-A rating, the highest attainable for a 160-acre airport. In that same year, the Civil Aeronautics Authority, a division of the Department of Commerce was established.

As the 1930's depression deepened, Iowans were jobless. But with the help of the Civil Works Administration, jobs were provided, funds were appropriated, and work at the airport continued. A second story was added to the hangar, making room for the U. S. Weather Bureau and a restaurant. A beacon tower was constructed (for $79) and both existing runways were extended, plus a North-South runway added.

The airport has growing pains
Visitors to the Des Moines Airport in 1937 were impressed by its two hangars, constructed of brick and steel with cement floors. The municipal hangar was an overwhelming 100 x 140 feet and the United Air Lines hangar, though smaller, was still a commodious 80 x 128 feet. However, the runways weren't quite what was required for the bigger, heavier planes of the time. As a matter of fact, United Air Lines cancelled three flights through Des Moines because the field was too small for their 12-ton ships. So the airport underwent another growth spurt.

480 additional acres were purchased and under the WPA, construction on runways began in October, 1938. When this expansion project was finished, the airport had four runways, the longest being the Northwest/Southeast runway at 5200 x 150 feet.

The Forties bow in
With the new and complete lighting system installed in 1940, the CAA gave the Des Moines Airport the first Class 4" rating in the United States, then the highest ranking given by the Federal Government. And though the Des Moines Airport was a leader in its field, things were still rather primitive by today's standards. For instance, a 71 foot tower was constructed of surplus water pipes, utilizing WPA labour. It sported a flashing light, rotating beam and wind sock mounted on top.

As rumblings of war came closer each day and American involvement seemed a likely possibility, the State of Iowa allocated an Air Observation Unit of the Air National Guard. Their relationship to our city and our airport has been a long and important one.
While America was at war, Des Moines airport was becoming more sophisticated. It got its first control tower (an observation deck with a light-beam gun installed), located on top of the United Air Lines hangar.

And shortly after the war, in 1946, Des Moines airport, with government funds, constructed an entirely new Northwest/Southeast runway -- this time 5700 x 150 feet. A concrete loading ramp with a circular taxi strip was also constructed to serve the proposed terminal building.

A futuristic terminal building
The new terminal building was completed in 1950 -- an eye-opening edifice of burnished aluminium and glass. Previously, airlines and federal agencies operated out of four buildings, now they were combined under one gigantic roof.

By 1959, the airport was on the grow again with more major improvements caused by increased air activity. The terminal building gained an addition and the open concourse was enclosed to shelter passengers in inclement weather.