Des Moines is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is the county seat of Polk County with parts extending into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines, which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857. It is located on, and named after, the Des Moines River, which likely was adapted from the early French name, Rivière des Moines, meaning "River of the Monks". The city's population was 214,133 as of the 2020 census. The six-county metropolitan area is ranked 81st in terms of population in the United States, with 709,466 residents according to the 2020 census by the United States Census Bureau, and is the largest metropolitan area fully located within the state.
Terry Edward Branstad is an American politician and former diplomat. A member of the Republican Party, he served three terms in the Iowa House of Representatives from 1973 to 1979 before serving as governor of Iowa from 1983 to 1999 and again from 2011 to 2017. He is the longest-serving governor in United States history. Branstad served as the United States Ambassador to China from 2017 to 2020 under President Donald Trump.
Urbandale is a city in Polk and Dallas counties, Iowa, United States. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the city population was 45,580. It is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area.
West Des Moines is a city in Iowa, United States. A majority of the city is located in Polk County, a minority of the city is located in Dallas County, and small portions extend into Warren and Madison Counties.
Oskaloosa is a city in, and the county seat of, Mahaska County, Iowa, United States. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, Oskaloosa was a national center of bituminous coal mining. The population was 11,558 in the 2020 U.S. census.
Ankeny is a city in Polk County, Iowa, United States and a suburb of the state capital of Des Moines, as part of the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metropolitan statistical area. As of the 2020 census, the population of Ankeny was 67,887, making it the seventh most populous city in the state. It is one of the fastest-growing cities in Iowa. Currently, the city's incorporated area totals 29.14 square miles.
Des Moines is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 32,888 as of the 2020 census. The city is located on the east shore of Puget Sound, near the center of the Seattle metropolitan area. It is bordered by the suburbs of Federal Way to the south, Kent to the east, SeaTac to the northeast, Burien to the north, and Normandy Park to the northwest.
City commission government is a form of local government in the United States. In a city commission government, voters elect a small commission, typically of five to seven members, typically on a plurality-at-large voting basis. The prevalence of this form of local government is less than one percent.
Robert Dolph Ray was an American lawyer and Republican politician. He served as the 38th governor of Iowa from January 16, 1969 to January 14, 1983.
Thomas Michael Franklin "Frank" Cownie has been the mayor of Des Moines, Iowa since 2004. He also owns and operates Cownie Furs, a store that has been in his family for generations.
Elaine Eisfelder Szymoniak was a State Senator from the U.S. state of Iowa, a former City Council Member representing the city of Des Moines, Iowa and a retired hearing and speech specialist, counselor, and administrator for the Iowa Department of Vocational Rehabilitation.
The Des Moines City Hall is a government building in Des Moines, Iowa, built in 1909 and 1910. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 10, 1977 as the Municipal Building, and became a contributing property in the Civic Center Historic District in 1988. The building serves as the seat for the government of the city of Des Moines. Beginning April 7, 2016, City Hall offices were temporarily relocated while the building underwent renovation. The construction was necessary to install modern heating, cooling, and sprinkler systems while preserving the historic character of the building. The project was expected to take 18–24 months. During that time, City Hall was closed to the public, and City offices moved to other nearby locations. Between February 26, 2018 and April 9, 2018, city offices moved back to City Hall.
The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Des Moines, Iowa, US.
The Des Moines Building is a historic building located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States built in 1930 and based on the designs of the Des Moines architectural firm of Proudfoot, Rawson, Souers & Thomas. It is a combination of the Art deco and Art Moderne styles. The 14-story structure rises to a height of 190 feet (58 m). The former office building was abandoned and in May 2011 the city of Des Moines declared it a public nuisance so as to acquire it to be redeveloped. In November of the same year they sold the building for $150,000 to Des Moines Apartments, LP who developed it into 146 loft apartments. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013. The basement is home to a recreational room as well as a workout room. The rooftop is accessible via the 14th floor and has a great 360 degree view of Des Moines. The building is also connected to the city's extensive skywalk system.
The Des Moines Water Works (DMWW) is a publicly owned, municipal water utility with its headquarters in Water Works Park. It was founded 1871 southwest of downtown Des Moines, Iowa, along the Raccoon River and provides water to half a million residents of the greater Des Moines metropolitan area. As of 2017, it has three treatment facilities.
Robert Sand is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the 33rd Iowa State Auditor since 2019. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Sand was assistant attorney general of Iowa from 2010 to 2017. In 2018, he ran for state auditor, defeating Republican incumbent Mary Mosiman. After considering a run for governor of Iowa in 2022, Sand opted to run for reelection. Sand was reelected in 2022, becoming the only Democratic statewide officeholder in Iowa.
Indira Sheumaker is a politician and activist who served as a member of the Des Moines, Iowa City Council for Ward 1 from 2022 to 2023.
The Territory of Iowa Legislative Assembly or Legislative Assembly of Iowa Territory was the legislature of Iowa Territory, which operated between the creation of the territory in 1838 and statehood in 1846.
A general election was held in the U.S. state of Iowa on November 8, 2022. All of Iowa's executive officers were up for election, as well as a United States Senate seat, all four of Iowa's seats in the United States House of Representatives, 25 (half) of the seats in the Iowa Senate, and all 100 seats in the Iowa House of Representatives. Primary elections were held on June 7, 2022.
