by Donna Seliger
In July of 2001, several thousand members of the American Council of the Blind will converge on the city of Des Moines to hold its FIVE STAR CONVENTION. The dates for this annual event are June 30 through July 7.
This semester, we will learn some specific and some general information about the capital of Iowa. Let’s get started on our lesson for today.
The rich and fertile land in the central part of Iowa was first occupied by the Sauk and Fox Indian Tribes. In 1843, the federal government established a fort at the confluence of the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers. Two years later, the area around the fort was opened to white settlers, and in 1851, the area was incorporated as the town of Fort Des Moines.
In 1857, the name was changed to Des Moines, and the state capital was moved from Iowa City to Des Moines. It is uncertain how the name “Des Moines” was derived. It may have been the original name the Indians gave the river, or it could have come from the French words “de moyen” (meaning “the middle”) because of the site’s position midway between the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers.
Des Moines has grown rapidly in the 20th century and become a center of commercial, financial and political activity. Employment opportunities in manufacturing include farm machinery, tires, and printing. Food production, processing and distribution add to the area’s economy. Des Moines is the third largest insurance center in the world behind London, England and Hartford, Connecticut.
Higher education opportunities include Drake University, University of Osteopathic Medicine and Health Sciences, and Grandview College.
The arts are a thriving aspect of life in Des Moines, and are the province of the Des Moines Art Center, the Science Center of Iowa, the Des Moines Community Playhouse, the Des Moines Civic Center for live Broadway shows, the Des Moines Botanical Center, and the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra. Each June, Des Moines hosts an Arts Festival, where artists from around the country can display their works. This event is held on two of the bridges that span the Des Moines River.
The Iowa State Capitol Complex is located in a park-like setting on a hill which looks over the city. Its 23-carat gold leaf dome which is refurbished about every 30 years is the focal point of the complex.
Attractions include the State Capitol, Terrace Hill (the Governor’s Mansion), Living History Farms (spanning 300 years of progress), Salisbury House (a reproduction of the King’s House in Salisbury, England), the Des Moines Botanical Center and the Iowa State Historical Museum.
Since the ACB national convention will be held in the downtown area, I would like to point out that many of the buildings are over 100 years old and stand side by side with the modern glass and steel structures. Among the buildings on the National Register of Historical Places are the Fort Des Moines, Savery and Kirkwood Hotels which are three of the five hotels that make up the FIVE STAR CONVENTION.
The Des Moines area boasts a variety of entertaining and fun attractions. Some of those are Adventureland Amusement Park; White Water University Water Park; Iowa Cubs Baseball; and Prairie Meadows Race Track (horses) and Casino (slots).
Before class ends today, I would like to take this opportunity to invite each of you to visit Des Moines next July to confirm the above information because there most likely will be a test.
Class dismissed!