Overview of Des Moines

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It is known as the insurance capital of the United States and somewhat comically for its mispronunciation by some, as New Orleans locals might also attest to those mistaking the pronunciation of their home. It also serves as a hotbed of political dreams every four years when presidential candidates endlessly tour the state and have several debates in the city.

The meaning of 'Des Moines' itself is not clear as local Native Americans, the Moingona, had already been using a term (which meant 'river of the mounds') due to the number of burial mounds which were popular in the area. French Trappist Monks (Moines de la Trappe) called their settlement areas at the mouth of the Des Moines River 'La Riviere des Moines' which, in English, translates to 'the river of the monks.' "De Moyn," which means "middle," may have been used on the map of explorer Jacques Marquette to help others locate the Des Moines River-area (equidistant between the larger Mississippi and Missouri rivers). "Des Moines," today pronounced "duh MOIN," also benefits from the Raccoon River (and as the locals might tell you, is the reason why the city is saved from tornadoes even though the rest of the state is not). Fort Des Moines was settled in 1843 by a group of dragoons from the Sac and Fox Agency (Fort Sanford) led by Captain James Allen. Originally, Allen was going to name the area Fort Raccoon but was instructed by the War Department to use the name Fort Des Moines. In 1846, the Fort dissolved and the city was officially created.

In 2006, U.S. Census Bureau data estimated the population of Des Moines proper to be at 193,886; Polk County, in which the city lies, 401,006.