ROOTED HERE
Behind the downtown streets.
A whole city’s story.
The East Village, Ingersoll and long-established neighborhoods give Iowa's capital a local scale beyond downtown offices.
People made the city.
These milestones are an introduction, not a complete local history. Follow the linked city and museum sources to explore the people and places behind them.Read the local historical account.
Watch the city’s history
FROM THE ARCHIVES
The history of Des Moines, Iowa
A local history film shared by World History Official tv.
Watch on YouTube ↗- 1843
Fort Des Moines is established
A military fort was established at the meeting of the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers.
City of Des Moines ↗ - 1846
The town is surveyed
After the military post was abandoned, the town of Fort Des Moines was surveyed.
City of Des Moines ↗ - 1851
Town incorporation
Residents incorporated the town of Fort Des Moines.
City of Des Moines ↗ - 1857
The City of Des Moines
Fort Des Moines officially became the City of Des Moines on February 16.
Des Moines Public Library ↗ - 1857
Iowa's capital
State documents officially designated Des Moines as Iowa's capital in October.
Des Moines Public Library ↗
See the history for yourself.
Walk downtown to see surviving commercial architecture, then explore the Historical Preservation Society’s museum and visiting information. Check current opening dates before setting out. Historical Preservation Society.
For deeper research, the Des Moines library resources is a starting point for archival material and research help. Historic photographs have their own permissions; we link to the collection instead of treating every old image as free to reuse.
Selected milestones researched September 13, 2026. This is an introduction, not a complete account of the city’s history.