The Hotel Kirkwood, also known as the Kirkwood Civic Center Hotel, is a historic building located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. The building was designed by the Chicago architectural firm of H.L. Stevens & Company and built in 1930. With its completion it became the largest hotel along Fourth Street between Walnut Street and Court Avenue, along Des Moines' "Hotel Row." It also marked the emergence of the skyscraper hotel in the downtown area. The new hotel replaced a previous Hotel Kirkwood that had been built on the same location in 1862. It was located near Union Station and the Rock Island Depot. Developers and owners of the 1930 Hotel Kirkwood were E.F. Tagney and S.F. McGinn. Art Deco details are found in the building's massing, the sleek exterior geometrical detailing, and treatment of the cornice. The 12-story brick structure rises to a height of 133 feet (41 m). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. The building has subsequently been converted into an apartment building called "The Kirkwood."
Trinity United Methodist Church is located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998 as Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church, which was its previous name.
Proudfoot & Bird et al. was an American architectural firm or partnership that designed many buildings in the U.S. Midwest. Partners included Willis Thomas Proudfoot (1860–1928) and George Washington Bird (1854–1953) and Harry Dustan Rawson (1872–1934). At times it was known as Proudfoot, Bird and Rawson, Proudfoot, Rawson & Souers, Proudfoot, Rawson, Souers & Thomas,Monheim, Bird & Proudfoot, Proudfoot, Rawson Brooks & Borg, Brooks - Borg Architects - Engineers, Brooks Borg and Skiles Architects Engineers, and finally BBS Architects|Engineers.
The Syndicate Block, also known as the McCoy Building, is an historic building located in the East Village of Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. In 2019 the building was included as a contributing property in the East Des Moines Commercial Historic District.
The Fleming Building is an historic building located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.
The Teachout Building is an historic building located in the East Village of Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. In 2019 the building was included as a contributing property in the East Des Moines Commercial Historic District.
The United States Post Office is an historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. It became a contributing property of the Civic Center Historic District when it was established in 1988. It now houses administrative offices for Polk County.
The Clemens Automobile Company Building is a historic building located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It was completed in 1916 as an "automotive department store" operated by the Clemens Automobile Company. They sold cars here that were produced by Willys-Overland Motors from 1916 to 1923. There was a claim that this was the largest building in the city that was devoted to automobiles. The first floor was used for the main sales room and offices, the second floor was used for used car sales and the service department, the fourth floor was used for a paint department, and the remaining three floors and the basement were used for storage. The Clemens family was involved in a variety of business enterprises and another one of their companies, the Standard Glass and Paint Company, was housed here from 1924 to 1979. The building is now part of the Hotel Fort Des Moines, and the two buildings were linked across the alley in 1985.
The Schmitt and Henry Manufacturing Company is a complex of three historic buildings located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. The complex was built in three stages from 1901-1914 by Schmitt-Henry, who manufactured furniture. It was designed by Des Moines architect Harry D. Rawson of the firm Proudfoot, Bird and Rawson. Sealy Mattress Company took over the building in 1973 after Schmitt-Henry moved to West Des Moines. Hubbell Reality purchased the complex in 1994 for $75.000. Plans were approved in 2009 to convert the complex, as well as the Hawkeye Transfer Company Warehouse, into loft apartments. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.
The Herring Motor Car Company Building, also known as 10th Street Lofts, is a historic building located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. The building is a six-story brick structure that rises 90 feet (27 m) above the ground. It was designed by the Des Moines architectural firm of Proudfoot, Bird & Rawson in the Classical Revival style. Clyde L. Herring had the building built in 1912 and it was completed the following year. It was originally a four-story building and two more floors were added 18 months after it was originally built. By 1915 the company was building 32 Ford automobiles a day, and had delivered “more automobiles than any other one automobile agency in the United States”. Along with the neighboring Standard Glass and Paint Company Building it is part of the same loft apartment complex. The National Biscuit Company Building on the other side of the building has also been converted into an apartment building. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.
Hallett & Rawson was an architectural partnership in Iowa. George E. Hallett and Harry Rawson were partners. Brooks, Borg & Skiles is the continuing, successor firm; its archives hold plans of the original Hallett & Rawson firm. Works by the individual architects and the firm include a number that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The American Republic Insurance Company Headquarters Building is a historic building located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It was completed in 1965 for the insurance company's headquarters and it continues to serve that purpose. It was designed by the prominent Chicago architect Gordon Bunshaft of the architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP. The Modernist building has no widows on its east and west elevations. The windows on the north and south elevations allow in daylight and keep out radiant heat. The eight-story building rises to the height of 107.34 feet (32.72 m). It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.
West Chester, also known as the D.S. Chamberlain House and Wesley Acres, is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Designed by Boston architect William George Rantoul, it is considered an excellent example of Jacobethan Revival architecture in the city. David S. Chamberlain moved his patent medicine business to Des Moines in 1881, and it grew to become one of the five largest pharmaceutical and toiletry manufacturing firms in the United States. Chamberlain lived in a farmhouse on the property when this house was built from 1901 to 1903. It was featured in a couple of publications after its completion. The inspiration for the house's design were the half timbered homes in Chester, England. It features five gables and dormers on the main facade that rise above the ridged roofline and three tall chimneys with separate shafts for each flue. There are two gabled wings on the south elevation of the house. It was sold in 1949 and converted into a home for the aged. The front yard, drive and the house are that remain of the estate. The rest is taken up by newer construction. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
The Hawkeye Insurance Company Building is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Completed in 1869, the building housed the first successful casualty insurance company in the city, which grew to be the largest center for insurance companies outside of the east coast. Prominent local architect William Foster designed the building, and it may be the oldest surviving example of his work. It is also the oldest commercial building in the downtown area that maintains its original integrity.
The Iowa-Des Moines National Bank Building, also known as the Valley National Bank Building and U.S. Bank, is a historic building located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Designed by the prominent Des Moines architectural firm of Proudfoot, Rawson, Souers & Thomas, it was designed to be a 21- or 22-story building. It is one of the few downtown commercial buildings built in the Art Deco style. It is also thought to be one of the first bank buildings to put the banking room on the second floor while placing retail space on the first floor. Given its location in an area dominated by retail this made sense. This location had a bank on it since 1882 when the Des Moines National Bank built here. The present building was the result when Des Moines National Bank merged with Iowa National Bank and Des Moines Savings Bank and Trust Company in 1929. The original design for the building was a five-story base and a set-back rental office tower on top of it. The base was begun in 1931 and completed a year later. The building is composed of black polished granite on the first floor and the upper floors are Bedford stone. There is a recessed entrance in the center bay of the main facade. The fifth floor was meant to be the base of the office tower that was never built.
The Taft–West Warehouse, also known as the C.C. Taft Company Building, Plumb Supply Company, Ben's Furniture Warehouse, and Nacho Mamma's, is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Completed in 1923, this three-story brick structure was built during a transitional period between the dominance of railroads the emergence of trucks servicing warehouses. It was designed by local architectural firm of Vorse, Kraetsch, & Kraetsch. It features cleans lines of the Commercial style as opposed to the fussiness of late Victorian styling that was dominant in a great deal of the city's commercial architecture. The building was also located in the Court Avenue wholesale district, and now it is only one of only five or six that remain extant. The building was constructed for the C.C. Taft Company. This firm and the O.B. West Company that succeeded it in this building, dealt in wholesale fruits, vegetables, candy and tobacco. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.
The Apperson Iowa Motor Car Company Building, also known as the Garage Building for Rawson Brothers, is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It is significant for its association with the prominent Des Moines architectural firm that designed it, Proudfoot, Bird & Rawson. Completed in 1921, it was designed and built within the period of time the firm was at its most prolific (1910-1925). It is also significant for its association with the rise of the Automobile Industry in the city. Auto dealerships and distributorships leased the building from 1921 to 1951. Architect Harry D. Rawson and his brothers owned the building from 1921 to 1938. The two-story structure is located on a midblock lot in the midst of what was the automobile sales, service, and manufacturing district on the western edge of the downtown area. The first floor housed a showroom in the front with offices on a mezzanine. The back of the first floor and the second floor was used for assembling and servicing automobiles. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.
The G.W. Jones Building, also known as the Electric Farm Lighting Co. and the Laster Motor Company, is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It is significant for its association with the rise of the automobile industry in the city. George W. Jones was a pioneering Des Moines auto dealer and Delco-Light generator distributor who occupied the building from 1920 to 1922. In this building he sold generators and appliances that were manufactured by General Motors, and they were sold by regional distributor-dealers in a similar fashion to automobiles. Jones continued to own the building until 1943 and he leased it to other automobile-related businesses. It is also significant for its association with the prominent Des Moines architectural firm that designed it, Proudfoot, Bird & Rawson. Completed in 1920, it was designed and built within the period of time the firm was at its most prolific (1910-1925). Local contractor A.H. Neumann built the two-story brick structure. It features a symmetrical facade, large square window openings, restrained Neoclassical details, and parapet walls. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.
The Studebaker Corporation Branch Office Building, also known as the Iowa Truck and Tractor Co., Apperson Iowa Motor Car Co., Sears Auto Co., and the Sanders Motor Co., is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. This is actually two adjacent buildings, built four years apart. The building at 1442 Locust Street was completed in 1918 to house a Studebaker dealership, auto repair shop, and a corporate branch office. The addition of the corporate office made this building different from the others on Des Moines' "Auto Row," where it is located. The building was designed by the prominent local architectural firm of Proudfoot, Bird & Rawson, and built for the Hubbell Building Company who leased it out. The first floor was the location for Glass & Patton, the local Studebaker dealer. The second floor was where Studebaker's wholesale business in the state of Iowa was conducted. The third floor was a store room for automobiles. Studebaker's tenure here was short lived, and by 1919 other auto and truck related businesses started to occupy the building.
The Mack-International Motor Truck Corporation Building is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It was built by master builder and general contractor J.E. Lovejoy, who was also its original owner. Lovejoy and other tenants had offices on the second floor, while Mack Trucks occupied the ground floor. The front was used to showcase trucks and an industrial service space was in the back of the building. The two-story brick structure grew to take up a full quarter block after annexes were built in about 1931 and 1940. Located in Des Moines' historic Auto Row, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017.
