The story
from WikipediaRead it all ↗What was to become Des Moines was first explored by Europeans on May 26, 1792, during the exploration of British naval Captain George Vancouver on his flagship HMS Discovery. The first Americans to visit the area were part of Charles Wilkes' Expedition.
The first known settler was John Moore, who probably arrived circa 1867. His homestead claim certificate (#285) was granted on July 2, 1872.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Start Des Moines’s collection
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Des Moines’s history is told.
0 of 10 decades since 1900 have photos 📦Share a family photoSign in to add one+10Famous people from Des Moines
See all 1 →Des Moines, decade by decade
2000
Nothing in Des Moines is on the National Register yet
That’s true of most small towns. It doesn’t mean Des Moines has no history, only that no one has written up a nomination. The closest listed place is Covenant Beach Bible Camp in Normandy Park, 1.4 miles away.
Des Moines and the nearest listed places
How a place gets listed
Then & now
When neighbors add old photos, retakes from the same spot appear here side by side.
Stories next door
nearby towns’ historyFrom Wikimedia Commons (1). Images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.