Located at the center of the great state of Iowa – known to many as the corncob state because of the many miles of sprawling cornfields – you will find the clean and pristine, bustling city of Des Moines. Originally founded in mid-1800s as a fort for the US military, this city has grown proportionally ever since and now is the largest city in the state. Aside from being an epicenter for American farmers, Iowa is actually one of the insurance company capitols of the world, sitting in third place next to London and Hartford, Connecticut, respectively. There is much to see here aside from flashy insurance company buildings and cornfields, however. If you are planning on traveling to Des Moines in the near future, then make sure that you add a few of these top five must-see destinations and attractions to your list before embarking on your trip.
Iowa State Capitol
Originally constructed during the late 1800s, this building represents the very best of the early 1900s architectural designs. The steel and brick dome is coated with a thick layer of gold leaf that really makes it stand out on a bright and sunny day. The city offers free daily and guided tours of this amazing capitol building. Make sure that you don’t miss this structure when you travel to Des Moines.
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I spent a week in beautiful Des Moines, IA. We took a twenty-six mile side trip to Perry to see Henry Nelson’s amazing electric machine. The cabinetry is a work of art. Unfortunately no one knows how the machine produces electricity. Henry Nelson died unexpectedly before unveiling his invention. Currently, the current does not flow. While at the museum, we asked for recommendation about a place to eat in town. We were given a few, but chose Carla’s Cafe. It consisted of a dining counter with a few booths and tables. The cook was in the middle of it all and continually chatted with the customers. Both the food and the atmosphere were a delightful experience.
Directly outside of DeMoines there is a living history farm and town. Three working farms show life in the 1700, 1800s, and early 1900s. The 1700 farm shows how the Ioway people lived and what crops they grew. Their wigwams were covered with layers of thatch, keeping the interior temperatures at a comfortable 50º F even during the coldest winter night. The 1800 farm demonstrated the pioneers who settled Iowa. They had planned to live in their log cabin houses for only a few years, but many extended their stay.
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Way back in the mid-1960’s, 1966 in fact, the state of Iowa entered into my consciousness. As a five year old at the time, it wasn’t much of a consciousness. All I really knew was Dad took a temporary job transfer and we’d be leaving Chicago to live in Iowa for a year.
Over the next 15 months, we made several long car trips to and from western Iowa to Chicago. I remember always wanting to see the Mississippi River from the big window of our station wagon.
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