photo by gusto

With a population of 192,000, Des Moines is the capital city of Iowa and the seat of Polk County. Located close to the geographical center of the state, it is situated at the confluence of the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers.

Fort Des Moines was built in 1843, and when the Native Americans surrendered their land rights two years later the area was opened to European settlers. The towns of East Des Moines and Fort Des Moines were merged and incorporated as Des Moines in 1851. The state capital was moved to Des Moines from Iowa City in 1857, and the magnificent Capitol building stands today in the midst of a delightful 80-acre park.

A principal insurance center with several insurance companies having their headquarters here, Des Moines is also the commercial, manufacturing, and transportation center of the state. It is the site of Drake University (1881), Grand View College (1896), and the KRNT theater, one of the largest theaters in the nation. The city’s Sherman Hill Historic District has many turn-of-the-century homes.

The Iowa State Fair, first held in 1878, is an annual Des Moines event that is worth seeing.