Stories by author "DMPL Team": 42
Stories
The University of Lawsonomy
In 1943, Alfred Lawson, former professional baseball player, manager, and owner, aviation pioneer, and more recently economic philosopher, purchased the six buildings and 14 acre grounds of the former University of Des Moines campus (closed since…
Greenwood Park
The 81 acre lot to the west of Des Moines that would become Greenwood Park had begun to be developed as a private park by the original owner, T.E. Brown – believing that the location and the landscape was perfect for a park, he had cleared the…
Early Des Moines Bicycle History
At the end of the 19th century, technology was on the move - literally. After the emergence and dominance of railroads in the middle of the 19th century, the next major transportation revolution was smaller-scale, and much more personal. The…
DMPL Outreach Vehicles
Whether they wanted to check out books about dinosaurs, listen to the strum of a guitar played by a library staff member, or simply get a break from the summer heat, Des Moines citizens flocked to the library’s bookmobiles. What began in 1937 as a…
The Flood of 1993
Des Moines was one of many locations in Iowa affected by record flooding during the summer of 1993. Heavy snows earlier in the year, followed by a series of major rainstorms in the summer, led to higher water levels than were predicted by the…
Iowa State Capitol Fire of 1904
On January 4, 1904 the Capitol Building caught fire. According to an article in the Des Moines Register and Leader the House Legislative Chamber and adjacent rooms were gutted by the fire. The cause of the fire was unknown at the time the article…
Was the First Professional Night Baseball Game Played in Des Moines?
Much debate has been held over where the first night professional baseball game was played. In the late 1920s, minor league baseball attendance was slowly declining and night baseball was viewed as a way to rejuvenate interest in the…
Iowa: The Home for Immigrants
In 1870 the Iowa Board of Immigration published "Iowa: The Home for Immigrants..." This 96-page guide was printed in English, German, Norwegian, Swedish, and Dutch and included statistics and other information to educate potential immigrants about…
Streetcars, Trolleys, Curbliners, and Buses in Des Moines
The Dart D-Line downtown shuttle is just the latest chapter in the history of public transportation in Des Moines. Here's a timeline of past events:1867 - The Des Moines Street Railway is established by Dr. M.P. Turner.December 19, 1888 - The first…
When Des Moines was in Keokuk County
Were your ancestors so amazing that they lived in two different states in the same house? Probably not, it’s more likely the culprit of changing land boundaries.Between 1836 and 1855 most all 99 Iowa counties were officially formed. Many of these…