25 Facts About Des Moines

Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the U S state of Iowa.

Des Moines is a major center of the US insurance industry and has a sizable financial services and publishing business base.

Des Moines is an important city in U S presidential politics; as the state's capital, it is the site of the first caucuses of the presidential primary cycle.

McCafferty agrees with other linguists that the "Moines" in Des Moines is a French derivation of Moingoana.

One popular interpretation of "Des Moines" ignores Vogel's research, and concludes that it refers to a group of French Trappist monks, who in the 17th century lived in huts built on top of what is known as the ancient Monks Mound at Cahokia, the major center of Mississippian culture, which developed in what is present-day Illinois, east of the Mississippi River and the city of St Louis.

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Soldiers stationed at Fort Des Moines opened the first coal mines in the area, mining coal from the riverbank for the fort's blacksmith.

In 1857, the name "Fort Des Moines" was shortened to "Des Moines", and it was designated as the second state capital, previously at Iowa City.

In 1907, the city adopted a city commission government known as the Des Moines Plan, comprising an elected mayor and four commissioners, all elected at-large, who were responsible for public works, public property, public safety, and finance.

Des Moines suffered major flooding again in June 2008 with a major levee breach.

The Des Moines river is controlled upstream by Saylorville Reservoir.

Today, Des Moines is a member of ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability USA.

World Food Prize Foundation, which is based in Des Moines, completed adaptation and restoration of the former Des Moines Public Library building in October 2011.

At the center of North America and far removed from large bodies of water, the Des Moines area has a hot summer type humid continental climate, with warm to hot, humid summers and cold, dry winters.

Des Moines has been referred to as the "Hartford of the West" and "Insurance Capital" because of this.

City of Des Moines is a cultural center for Iowa and home to several art and history museums and performing arts groups.

The Des Moines Performing Arts routinely hosts touring Broadway shows and other live professional theater.

East Village, on the east side of the Des Moines River, begins at the river and extends about five blocks east to the State Capitol Building, offering an eclectic blend of historic buildings, hip eateries, boutiques, art galleries, and a wide variety of other retail establishments mixed with residences.

Des Moines's died two days later, and her ghost is reputed to haunt the house.

Des Moines has an extensive skywalk system within its downtown core.

Des Moines is home to the main campuses of three four-year private colleges: Drake University, Grand View University, and Mercy College of Health Sciences.

Commercial television stations serving Des Moines include CBS affiliate KCCI channel 8, NBC affiliate WHO-DT channel 13, and Fox affiliate KDSM-TV channel 17.

Des Moines is home to the Drake University Bulldogs, an NCAA Division I member of the Missouri Valley Conference, primarily playing northwest of downtown at the on-campus Drake Stadium and Knapp Center.

Des Moines is home to the Iowa Cubs baseball team of the Triple-A East.

Des Moines has 76 city parks and three golf courses, as well as three family aquatic centers, five community centers and three swimming pools.

The Water Works Park recreational trails link to downtown Des Moines by travelling past Gray's Lake and back across the Raccoon River via either along the Meredith Trail near Principal Park, or along the Martin Luther King Jr.

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