This building on 4th street was built in 1908 and still stands today. Originally built as a theater, the structure was later part of a Buick automobile dealership. Currently used as a garage.
This view looks south down Sixth Avenue from Locust Street. Automobiles, trolley cars and horse drawn carriages all crowd the road. On the right are housed Higgin’s Pharmacy, the State Insurance Company and Boston Market. Beyond that is Utica…
Looking east down Locust street we see the Clapp Block (with the Iowa Mutual Tornado sign) and the Observatory Building both on the right side of the street. Capital Center is what currently occupies that side of the street. The left side of street,…
Central Church of Christ was founded in 1860 by a group of Des Moines pioneers. Peter T. Russell was the first reverend. The first meetings of the church were held in schools and public halls. Current site of the Principal Financial Campus.
The First Methodist Episcopal Church was originally located on Fifth Street. The building was erected in 1856 but later torn down. A second church was built and the two later combined and moved to the present location in 1908. The architectural style…
Founded in 1865 in an abandoned Lutheran College building, Des Moines College opened as a Baptist institution. After some financial troubles, the school grew, and moved to this new campus in 1884. In 1920, it merged with Central College and Highland…
In 1859 the Des Moines school district, previously one entity, fractioned off into wards. West High School was in the Fourth Ward. On July 1, 1864 the board voted to open the high school. West was the largest high school in Iowa. It moved to the…
This view looks north up 4th street, from just above Court Avenue. The Kirkwood Hotel is on the left. It was replaced with the current building in 1930, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Observatory Building was built…
