West Des Moines, Iowa
Encyclopedia
West Des Moines is a city in Polk
, Dallas
, and Warren counties in the U.S. state
of Iowa
. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 46,403; a special census taken in the spring of 2005 counted 51,744 residents and the United States Census Bureau
estimated that 53,889 residents lived there in 2008. West Des Moines is the second-largest city in the Des Moines metropolitan area
and the tenth-largest city in Iowa. It ranked 94th in Money
magazine's list of the "100 Best Places to Live and Launch" in 2008. It is one of Iowa's
largest and wealth
iest cities and one of Des Moines's
richest
suburbs.
and Fox tribes. Near the stroke of midnight on 11 October 1845 a gunshot was fired by a cattle farmer, James Cunningham Jordan (born 1813; died 1893) and the tribes left. His residence, the Jordan House, has been restored and is now home to the West Des Moines Historical Society. In West Des Moines' early years, the town was a trading and shipping junction. West Des Moines incorporated as the city of Valley Junction on October 9, 1893.
In its early days Valley Junction was home to the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad
's switching facilities and repair shops due to its location at the junction of several railroad lines. The Rock Island's facilities moved out of Valley Junction and back into Des Moines in 1936.
The speed limit of ten miles (16 km) an hour had existed in Valley Junction since 1911 for all automobiles. But in 1915 an Englishman named Jack Prince built a one-mile (1.6 km) oval race track, designed to let race cars break that speed limit ten times over. The wooden track was made of 980000 feet (298,704 m) of 2x4's laid on edge. It was one of 24 such tracks nation-wide; with seating for over 10,000 people. On 1915-08-07, the eyes of the auto world were on Valley Junction in anticipation of the fastest 300 miles (482.8 km) auto race in history. Ralph DePalma
, winner of the Indianapolis 500
that year, was one of at least a dozen drivers vying for the $10,000 purse. Before a crowd of 7,000 people, a tire blew, lunging Joe Cooper's car over the rail. Later while rounding a curb, a wheel of Billy Chandler's Duesenberg
failed, cartwheeling the car into the infield and fatally injuring his mechanic, Morris Keller. Chandler was seriously injured. Smiling Ralph Mulford
won the race with DePalma a close 2nd. This baptism by blood left a bad taste in the mouth of the locals, and the track was closed two years later. The wood was salvaged and then used to construct buildings in Valley Junction.
The serious dilemma of school overcrowding was partially addressed in 1916. The bond issue to build a new high school for $50,000 was approved by a 2 to 1 vote. The similar new grade school issue was defeated soundly. Building commenced and by September of the following year, the doors of the new Valley High School were opened. As a part of schoolboard policy, only first class college-educated teachers were hired. By 1919, the rooms of the new high school were filled. A new junior high school was proposed, approved, and completed by the fall of 1923.
The new school was the only bright spot in the otherwise uncertain dreary years of 1922 and 1923. The very foundations of the city were shaken by a 22-month-machinist strike at the Rock Island shops. Starting 1922-07-01, 600 workers were idled. The railroad company reacted by bringing replacement workers, scabs, into town to break the strike. The replacements were mostly Mexican
and African-American laborers brought up from Oklahoma
by R. C. Hyde, the master mechanic at the shops. For their own protection they lived in boxcars and tiny houses in an area located south of Railroad Avenue and west of the main rail yards. The area was dubbed "Hyde Park" by the strikers. The resulting hardships suffered by the idled workers eventually led the most desperate to choose between breaking the strike or letting their family starve. It was a time which pitted neighbor against neighbor, tearing at the very fabric of the community. Two men shot themselves in desperation before the strike finally ended.
Although the 1920s was the era of prohibition for the rest of the country, Valley Junction had officially become a dry town in 1915. The '20s were not all doom and gloom for Valley Junction. The businessmen of the community dress in drag for a play called "The Womenless Wedding". Simple joys of small town life were reflected in the faces of the children: having a part in the school play, flying the first kite, dressing up for the May Day
pageant, or riding in the Fourth of July Parade. The older kids enjoyed the chance to take the trolley to Des Moines
for an afternoon of shopping and maybe lunch along the river. The notion of the moble society was embraced by the youth. A joy ride in a fast jalopy to Greenwood Park for a game of tennis, or off to the country for a picnic mirrored the infatuation that America had for the car. By the close of the decade, however, the picnic was over. The Depression was especially hard for the workers of Valley Junction because the railroads had finished pulling out by 1936, and the Keystone Coal Factory had to close because of flooding in the tunnels.
By 1937, only two trains stopped daily; the sagging business climate needed a boost. Members of the commercial club believed that the only way to attract new industry would be to change the name of the city. They thought the name "Valley Junction" conveyed the image of an old-fashioned and backwards town to prospective employers and residents. The name of "West Des Moines" would give it the respectibility and prestige that the town desperately needed. There was a precedent by way of an editorial in the Valley Junction Express in 1905 that suggested dropping "Junction" from the name, but nothing came of it. The opposition feared that the change to West Des Moines would cause property owners to be taxed the same as Des Moines
. It was also declared as a step toward annexation
by Des Moines. A third and final election was held on December 7, 1937.
On January 1, 1938, the name "Valley Junction" was relegated to the past, and the new city of West Des Moines took the first steps to a new identity. Helping to establish this new identity, the most identifiable trait was the suspension of all property taxes between 1936 and 1938. This was due to the profits of the water department. Today the original business district of West Des Moines has been preserved as Historic Valley Junction. It features many locally-owned specialty shops and restaurants as well as a weekly farmers' market
.
Though the name was changed, the community's commitment to education was bolstered by funds from the Public Works Administration. Despite the Depression, a new elementary school and football stadium were built and then dedicated in 1939. The venerable Lincoln School was razed in 1938 to make way for the new building. Longfellow was retired in 1939 and then sold in 1940 for $1000. In 1955, West Des Moines Elementary School was renamed "Nellie Phenix Elementary" in honor of the former principal. The late 30's were very good years in the school's athletic teams, producing memorable names: True, Gavin, Swink, and Sherbo. Charles Swink was a multi-record holder in track and field. His record at the Drake Relays stood for twenty years.
An overgrown concrete eyesore on Ashworth Road soon became the musical mecca for the surrounding area on June 6, 1939, when Tom Archer opened the Val Air Ballroom. The site was originally the location of the stillborn Wilson Rubber company factory. Intended to bolster World War I
tire production, the end of the war in 1918 left only a large concrete slab. Patrons of the Val Air could dance under a canopy of stars to the melodious sounds of Guy Lombardo
, Benny Goodman
, Glenn Miller
, and other big bands. The war years brought new vitality to the community without a cost.
Then and now, flooding constantly dampens, but has not broken the residents' spirits. Unpredictable waters of the Raccoon River
and Walnut Creek have often exceeded their banks due to large amounts of rain in the summer and snowmelt in the spring, filling the streets and damaging homes and businesses.
In 1950 West Des Moines had a population of 5,615, but the city began to grow as many new housing subdivisions were built in the decades ahead. West Des Moines annexed the neighboring community of Clover Hills in 1950, the town of Ashawa, a former Rock Island railroad stop, in 1957, and the town of Commerce, along the Raccoon River
, in 1960. To keep up with the town's growth, city government grew as well. The venerable city hall lacked the capacity to keep up with the city's expansion, so in 1954 a new municipal building was opened. With the influx of new students, the school district's ever-expanding borders continually compromised classroom capacity. Children attended school in former homes near Phenix, with classes in hallways and living rooms. Space was even rented from the new Catholic grade school. In 1959 alone, 150–200 new homes were built, adding to the population's growth. The construction of Interstate 35
, Interstate 80
, and Interstate 235
in the 1960s brought more people and businesses to West Des Moines. Several retail and office complexes opened along the I-235 corridor after the freeway's completion, including Valley West Mall
, which opened in 1975. West Des Moines' population jumped from 11,964 in 1960 to 31,702 in 1990.
West Des Moines expanded into Dallas County during the 1990s and 2000s, punctuated by the opening of the Jordan Creek Town Center
shopping mall
in 2004. Major commercial construction is underway around the area, including the opening of many additional hotels, shopping centers, and office buildings, including a new Wells Fargo
corporate campus. In 2007 construction started on the Village of Ponderosa, an urban-inspired and pedestrian friendly community. In 2005 West Des Moines annexed land in Warren County for the first time. Seeing the land to the south of Des Moines as extremely valuable, especially with the completion of a major "South-Belt Freeway" system, the cities of Norwalk
and West Des Moines are actively competing for land in the northern part of Warren County. West Des Moines is currently the fastest growing city in Iowa according to land mass.
During the 1990s a new city/school campus emerged near the intersection of South 35th Street and Mills Civic Parkway. West Des Moines' new police station
opened in April 1992. This was followed by the opening of a new public library
in 1996; the library served as temporary home for West Des Moines' city hall
until a new building was dedicated in late 2002. The campus also features a new stadium
for Valley High School
that also opened in 2002. On the same property, the West Des Moines School district operates Valley Southwoods, a freshman high school with over 600 students that opened in 1996. Major renovation and additions were completed at Valley High in 2007 and more are planned for 2012.
form of government with a city manager
appointed by the city council. The council consists of the mayor, two at-large members, and three members from each of the city's three wards. The mayor and all council members serve four-year terms. Rick Messerschmidt served as the interim mayor of the city following former mayor Eugene Meyer's resignation in January 2007; On April 17 Steve Gaer was elected mayor during a special election. Greg Sparks is the city manager of West Des Moines.
, the city has a total area of 27.6 square miles (71.5 km²), of which, 26.8 square miles (69.4 km²) of it is land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²) of it (2.87%) is water. West Des Moines' location in the Raccoon River valley has left parts of the city, particularly the Valley Junction area, prone to flood
ing. After the Great Flood of 1993
, a floodwall was constructed along Walnut Creek (near the boundary with Des Moines) to protect that area.
(Köppen climate classification
Dfa).
, Urbandale
, and Windsor Heights
use the same street numbers for north-south streets that Des Moines uses, West Des Moines uses its own street numbering system. Thus, 86th Street in Clive and Urbandale becomes 22nd Street in West Des Moines. Iowa Highway 28, which forms most of the boundary between Des Moines and West Des Moines, is 63rd Street in Des Moines but 1st Street in West Des Moines. Many of the east-west streets share the same name with Des Moines, although the numbering of these east-west streets starts over in West Des Moines.
of 2000, there were 46,403 people, 19,826 households, and 11,915 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,732.5 people per square mile (669.0/km²). There were 20,815 housing units at an average density of 777.1 per square mile (300.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.66% White, 1.87% African American, 0.13% Native American, 2.76% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.26% from other races
, and 1.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.03% of the population.
There were 19,826 households out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples
living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.9% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 35.5% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 92.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $54,139, and the median income for a family was $70,600 (in a 2008 estimate, these figures had risen to $61,256 and $83,800 respectively, in 2008 inflation-adjusted dollars). Males had a median income of $45,185 versus $31,555 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $31,405. 2.8% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.3% of those under the age of 18 and 3.0% of those 65 and older.
, Iowa Foundation for Medical Care
, and the Kum & Go
convenience store
chain are headquartered in West Des Moines. Other large employers include Wells Fargo
's Card Services and Home Mortgage divisions. Wells Fargo has recently completed its corporate campus south of Jordan Creek Town Center that is the home of their Home Mortgage and Consumer Finance divisions. Aviva USA opened its US Headquarters here in 2010.
s, two junior high schools, and one high school
(Valley), with a second high school for freshmen only (Valley Southwoods) and an alternative high school (Walnut Creek Campus). Parts of Clive, Urbandale, and Windsor Heights are also in the West Des Moines School District. The Dallas County portion of West Des Moines is part of the Waukee
School District; one of that district's four elementary schools is located in West Des Moines. Private school
s in West Des Moines include Dowling Catholic High School
and Iowa Christian Academy. Valley High School moved to its present location in 1967. Before that it was located in a three story brick building at 8th and Hillside. It was built in 1917 and torn down in 1979.
Polk County, Iowa
Polk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 430,640 in the 2010 census, an increase from 374,601 in the 2000 census. The county seat is Des Moines, which is also the capital city of Iowa...
, Dallas
Dallas County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 66,135 in the county, with a population density of . There were 27,260 housing units, of which 25,240 were occupied.-2000 census:...
, and Warren counties in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 46,403; a special census taken in the spring of 2005 counted 51,744 residents and the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
estimated that 53,889 residents lived there in 2008. West Des Moines is the second-largest city in the Des Moines metropolitan area
Des Moines metropolitan area
The Des Moines metropolitan area, officially known as the Des Moines-West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area , consists of five counties in central Iowa, United States: Polk, Dallas, Warren, Madison, and Guthrie...
and the tenth-largest city in Iowa. It ranked 94th in Money
Money (magazine)
Money is published by Time Inc. Its first issue was published in October 1972. Its articles cover the gamut of personal finance topics ranging from investing, saving, retirement and taxes to family finance issues like paying for college, credit, career and home improvement...
magazine's list of the "100 Best Places to Live and Launch" in 2008. It is one of Iowa's
Iowa locations by per capita income
Iowa is the thirty-first richest state in the United States of America, with a per capita income of $19,674 .-Iowa Places by Per Capita Income:...
largest and wealth
Wealth
Wealth is the abundance of valuable resources or material possessions. The word wealth is derived from the old English wela, which is from an Indo-European word stem...
iest cities and one of Des Moines's
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
richest
Wealth
Wealth is the abundance of valuable resources or material possessions. The word wealth is derived from the old English wela, which is from an Indo-European word stem...
suburbs.
History
The West Des Moines area used to be home to the SacSac (tribe)
The Sacs or Sauks are a group of Native Americans of the Eastern Woodlands culture group. Their autonym is The Sacs or Sauks are a group of Native Americans of the Eastern Woodlands culture group. Their autonym is The Sacs or Sauks are a group of Native Americans of the Eastern Woodlands culture...
and Fox tribes. Near the stroke of midnight on 11 October 1845 a gunshot was fired by a cattle farmer, James Cunningham Jordan (born 1813; died 1893) and the tribes left. His residence, the Jordan House, has been restored and is now home to the West Des Moines Historical Society. In West Des Moines' early years, the town was a trading and shipping junction. West Des Moines incorporated as the city of Valley Junction on October 9, 1893.
In its early days Valley Junction was home to the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad
The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was also known as the Rock Island Line, or, in its final years, The Rock.-Incorporation:...
's switching facilities and repair shops due to its location at the junction of several railroad lines. The Rock Island's facilities moved out of Valley Junction and back into Des Moines in 1936.
The speed limit of ten miles (16 km) an hour had existed in Valley Junction since 1911 for all automobiles. But in 1915 an Englishman named Jack Prince built a one-mile (1.6 km) oval race track, designed to let race cars break that speed limit ten times over. The wooden track was made of 980000 feet (298,704 m) of 2x4's laid on edge. It was one of 24 such tracks nation-wide; with seating for over 10,000 people. On 1915-08-07, the eyes of the auto world were on Valley Junction in anticipation of the fastest 300 miles (482.8 km) auto race in history. Ralph DePalma
Ralph DePalma
Ralph De Palma was an Italian-American racecar driving champion, most notably winner of the 1915 Indianapolis 500. His entry at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame estimates that he won about 2000 races...
, winner of the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
that year, was one of at least a dozen drivers vying for the $10,000 purse. Before a crowd of 7,000 people, a tire blew, lunging Joe Cooper's car over the rail. Later while rounding a curb, a wheel of Billy Chandler's Duesenberg
Duesenberg
Duesenberg was an Auburn, Indiana based American luxury automobile company active in various forms from 1913 to 1937, most famous for its high-quality passenger cars and record-breaking racing cars.-History:...
failed, cartwheeling the car into the infield and fatally injuring his mechanic, Morris Keller. Chandler was seriously injured. Smiling Ralph Mulford
Ralph Mulford
Ralph Mulford was an American racecar driver active during the formative years of the auto racing....
won the race with DePalma a close 2nd. This baptism by blood left a bad taste in the mouth of the locals, and the track was closed two years later. The wood was salvaged and then used to construct buildings in Valley Junction.
The serious dilemma of school overcrowding was partially addressed in 1916. The bond issue to build a new high school for $50,000 was approved by a 2 to 1 vote. The similar new grade school issue was defeated soundly. Building commenced and by September of the following year, the doors of the new Valley High School were opened. As a part of schoolboard policy, only first class college-educated teachers were hired. By 1919, the rooms of the new high school were filled. A new junior high school was proposed, approved, and completed by the fall of 1923.
The new school was the only bright spot in the otherwise uncertain dreary years of 1922 and 1923. The very foundations of the city were shaken by a 22-month-machinist strike at the Rock Island shops. Starting 1922-07-01, 600 workers were idled. The railroad company reacted by bringing replacement workers, scabs, into town to break the strike. The replacements were mostly Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and African-American laborers brought up from Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
by R. C. Hyde, the master mechanic at the shops. For their own protection they lived in boxcars and tiny houses in an area located south of Railroad Avenue and west of the main rail yards. The area was dubbed "Hyde Park" by the strikers. The resulting hardships suffered by the idled workers eventually led the most desperate to choose between breaking the strike or letting their family starve. It was a time which pitted neighbor against neighbor, tearing at the very fabric of the community. Two men shot themselves in desperation before the strike finally ended.
Although the 1920s was the era of prohibition for the rest of the country, Valley Junction had officially become a dry town in 1915. The '20s were not all doom and gloom for Valley Junction. The businessmen of the community dress in drag for a play called "The Womenless Wedding". Simple joys of small town life were reflected in the faces of the children: having a part in the school play, flying the first kite, dressing up for the May Day
May Day
May Day on May 1 is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday; it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures....
pageant, or riding in the Fourth of July Parade. The older kids enjoyed the chance to take the trolley to Des Moines
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
for an afternoon of shopping and maybe lunch along the river. The notion of the moble society was embraced by the youth. A joy ride in a fast jalopy to Greenwood Park for a game of tennis, or off to the country for a picnic mirrored the infatuation that America had for the car. By the close of the decade, however, the picnic was over. The Depression was especially hard for the workers of Valley Junction because the railroads had finished pulling out by 1936, and the Keystone Coal Factory had to close because of flooding in the tunnels.
By 1937, only two trains stopped daily; the sagging business climate needed a boost. Members of the commercial club believed that the only way to attract new industry would be to change the name of the city. They thought the name "Valley Junction" conveyed the image of an old-fashioned and backwards town to prospective employers and residents. The name of "West Des Moines" would give it the respectibility and prestige that the town desperately needed. There was a precedent by way of an editorial in the Valley Junction Express in 1905 that suggested dropping "Junction" from the name, but nothing came of it. The opposition feared that the change to West Des Moines would cause property owners to be taxed the same as Des Moines
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
. It was also declared as a step toward annexation
Annexation
Annexation is the de jure incorporation of some territory into another geo-political entity . Usually, it is implied that the territory and population being annexed is the smaller, more peripheral, and weaker of the two merging entities, barring physical size...
by Des Moines. A third and final election was held on December 7, 1937.
On January 1, 1938, the name "Valley Junction" was relegated to the past, and the new city of West Des Moines took the first steps to a new identity. Helping to establish this new identity, the most identifiable trait was the suspension of all property taxes between 1936 and 1938. This was due to the profits of the water department. Today the original business district of West Des Moines has been preserved as Historic Valley Junction. It features many locally-owned specialty shops and restaurants as well as a weekly farmers' market
Farmers' market
A farmers' market consists of individual vendors—mostly farmers—who set up booths, tables or stands, outdoors or indoors, to sell produce, meat products, fruits and sometimes prepared foods and beverages...
.
Though the name was changed, the community's commitment to education was bolstered by funds from the Public Works Administration. Despite the Depression, a new elementary school and football stadium were built and then dedicated in 1939. The venerable Lincoln School was razed in 1938 to make way for the new building. Longfellow was retired in 1939 and then sold in 1940 for $1000. In 1955, West Des Moines Elementary School was renamed "Nellie Phenix Elementary" in honor of the former principal. The late 30's were very good years in the school's athletic teams, producing memorable names: True, Gavin, Swink, and Sherbo. Charles Swink was a multi-record holder in track and field. His record at the Drake Relays stood for twenty years.
An overgrown concrete eyesore on Ashworth Road soon became the musical mecca for the surrounding area on June 6, 1939, when Tom Archer opened the Val Air Ballroom. The site was originally the location of the stillborn Wilson Rubber company factory. Intended to bolster World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
tire production, the end of the war in 1918 left only a large concrete slab. Patrons of the Val Air could dance under a canopy of stars to the melodious sounds of Guy Lombardo
Guy Lombardo
Gaetano Alberto "Guy" Lombardo was a Canadian-American bandleader and violinist.Forming "The Royal Canadians" in 1924 with his brothers Carmen, Lebert, and Victor and other musicians from his hometown, Lombardo led the group to international success, billing themselves as creating "The Sweetest...
, Benny Goodman
Benny Goodman
Benjamin David “Benny” Goodman was an American jazz and swing musician, clarinetist and bandleader; widely known as the "King of Swing".In the mid-1930s, Benny Goodman led one of the most popular musical groups in America...
, Glenn Miller
Glenn Miller
Alton Glenn Miller was an American jazz musician , arranger, composer, and bandleader in the swing era. He was one of the best-selling recording artists from 1939 to 1943, leading one of the best known "Big Bands"...
, and other big bands. The war years brought new vitality to the community without a cost.
Then and now, flooding constantly dampens, but has not broken the residents' spirits. Unpredictable waters of the Raccoon River
Raccoon River
The Raccoon River is a tributary of the Des Moines River in central Iowa in the United States. As measured using the longest of its three forks, its length increases to...
and Walnut Creek have often exceeded their banks due to large amounts of rain in the summer and snowmelt in the spring, filling the streets and damaging homes and businesses.
In 1950 West Des Moines had a population of 5,615, but the city began to grow as many new housing subdivisions were built in the decades ahead. West Des Moines annexed the neighboring community of Clover Hills in 1950, the town of Ashawa, a former Rock Island railroad stop, in 1957, and the town of Commerce, along the Raccoon River
Raccoon River
The Raccoon River is a tributary of the Des Moines River in central Iowa in the United States. As measured using the longest of its three forks, its length increases to...
, in 1960. To keep up with the town's growth, city government grew as well. The venerable city hall lacked the capacity to keep up with the city's expansion, so in 1954 a new municipal building was opened. With the influx of new students, the school district's ever-expanding borders continually compromised classroom capacity. Children attended school in former homes near Phenix, with classes in hallways and living rooms. Space was even rented from the new Catholic grade school. In 1959 alone, 150–200 new homes were built, adding to the population's growth. The construction of Interstate 35
Interstate 35
Interstate 35 is a north–south Interstate Highway in the central United States. I-35 stretches from Laredo, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border to Duluth, Minnesota, at Minnesota Highway 61 and 26th Avenue East. Many interstates used to have splits or spurs indicated with suffixed letters , but I-35...
, Interstate 80
Interstate 80
Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, following Interstate 90. It is a transcontinental artery running from downtown San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey in the New York City Metropolitan Area...
, and Interstate 235
Interstate 235 (Iowa)
Interstate 235 in Iowa is an auxiliary Interstate Highway that runs just north of downtown Des Moines through the heart of the Des Moines metropolitan area. I-235 runs from the junction of Interstate 35 and Interstate 80 in West Des Moines to the separation of the same two interstates in Ankeny...
in the 1960s brought more people and businesses to West Des Moines. Several retail and office complexes opened along the I-235 corridor after the freeway's completion, including Valley West Mall
Valley West Mall
Valley West Mall is an enclosed super-regional shopping mall in West Des Moines, Iowa.-History:Frederick Watson, a developer from Minneapolis, Minnesota, first unveiled plans for Valley West Mall in 1971...
, which opened in 1975. West Des Moines' population jumped from 11,964 in 1960 to 31,702 in 1990.
West Des Moines expanded into Dallas County during the 1990s and 2000s, punctuated by the opening of the Jordan Creek Town Center
Jordan Creek Town Center
Jordan Creek Town Center is a super-regional shopping mall and lifestyle center in the American city of West Des Moines, Iowa. It is the largest shopping complex in the state of Iowa with a total gross leasable area of . It is also the fourth largest shopping complex in the Midwest, and the 23rd...
shopping mall
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
in 2004. Major commercial construction is underway around the area, including the opening of many additional hotels, shopping centers, and office buildings, including a new Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational diversified financial services company with operations around the world. Wells Fargo is the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by assets and the largest bank by market capitalization. Wells Fargo is the second largest bank in deposits, home...
corporate campus. In 2007 construction started on the Village of Ponderosa, an urban-inspired and pedestrian friendly community. In 2005 West Des Moines annexed land in Warren County for the first time. Seeing the land to the south of Des Moines as extremely valuable, especially with the completion of a major "South-Belt Freeway" system, the cities of Norwalk
Norwalk, Iowa
Norwalk is a city in Polk and Warren counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 6,884 at the 2000 census. The city is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located just south of the Des Moines International Airport.-History:The first log cabin...
and West Des Moines are actively competing for land in the northern part of Warren County. West Des Moines is currently the fastest growing city in Iowa according to land mass.
During the 1990s a new city/school campus emerged near the intersection of South 35th Street and Mills Civic Parkway. West Des Moines' new police station
Police station
A police station or station house is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, along with locker rooms, temporary holding cells and interview/interrogation rooms.- Facilities...
opened in April 1992. This was followed by the opening of a new public library
Public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...
in 1996; the library served as temporary home for West Des Moines' city hall
City hall
In local government, a city hall, town hall or a municipal building or civic centre, is the chief administrative building of a city...
until a new building was dedicated in late 2002. The campus also features a new stadium
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
for Valley High School
Valley High School (Des Moines, Iowa)
Valley High School is a three-year public high school in West Des Moines, Iowa, United States. The school hosts grades 10-12. It is run by the West Des Moines Community School District...
that also opened in 2002. On the same property, the West Des Moines School district operates Valley Southwoods, a freshman high school with over 600 students that opened in 1996. Major renovation and additions were completed at Valley High in 2007 and more are planned for 2012.
Government
West Des Moines uses the mayor-councilMayor-council government
The mayor–council government system, sometimes called the mayor–commission government system, is one of the two most common forms of local government for municipalities...
form of government with a city manager
City manager
A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a council-manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief executive officer or chief administrative officer in some municipalities...
appointed by the city council. The council consists of the mayor, two at-large members, and three members from each of the city's three wards. The mayor and all council members serve four-year terms. Rick Messerschmidt served as the interim mayor of the city following former mayor Eugene Meyer's resignation in January 2007; On April 17 Steve Gaer was elected mayor during a special election. Greg Sparks is the city manager of West Des Moines.
Geography
West Des Moines is located at 41°34′25"N 93°45′1"W (41.573739, −93.750359). According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 27.6 square miles (71.5 km²), of which, 26.8 square miles (69.4 km²) of it is land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²) of it (2.87%) is water. West Des Moines' location in the Raccoon River valley has left parts of the city, particularly the Valley Junction area, prone to flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
ing. After the Great Flood of 1993
Great Flood of 1993
The Great Mississippi and Missouri Rivers Flood of 1993 occurred in the American Midwest, along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers and their tributaries, from April to October 1993. The flood was among the most costly and devastating to ever occur in the United States, with $15 billion in damages...
, a floodwall was constructed along Walnut Creek (near the boundary with Des Moines) to protect that area.
Climate
West Des Moines has a humid continental climateHumid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold winters....
(Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Dfa).
Street numbering
While nearby CliveClive, Iowa
Clive is a city in Dallas and Polk counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2010 Census the population is at 15,447. It is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area. Clive is known for its outstanding Greenbelt Park and trail system running through the entire...
, Urbandale
Urbandale, Iowa
Urbandale is a city in Polk and Dallas counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 29,072; a special census taken by the city in 2005 counted 35,904 residents and the United States Census Bureau estimated that 38,369 residents lived there in 2008...
, and Windsor Heights
Windsor Heights, Iowa
Windsor Heights is a city in Polk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 4,805 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:Windsor Heights incorporated as a city on July 19, 1941...
use the same street numbers for north-south streets that Des Moines uses, West Des Moines uses its own street numbering system. Thus, 86th Street in Clive and Urbandale becomes 22nd Street in West Des Moines. Iowa Highway 28, which forms most of the boundary between Des Moines and West Des Moines, is 63rd Street in Des Moines but 1st Street in West Des Moines. Many of the east-west streets share the same name with Des Moines, although the numbering of these east-west streets starts over in West Des Moines.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 46,403 people, 19,826 households, and 11,915 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,732.5 people per square mile (669.0/km²). There were 20,815 housing units at an average density of 777.1 per square mile (300.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.66% White, 1.87% African American, 0.13% Native American, 2.76% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.26% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.03% of the population.
There were 19,826 households out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.9% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 35.5% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 92.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $54,139, and the median income for a family was $70,600 (in a 2008 estimate, these figures had risen to $61,256 and $83,800 respectively, in 2008 inflation-adjusted dollars). Males had a median income of $45,185 versus $31,555 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $31,405. 2.8% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.3% of those under the age of 18 and 3.0% of those 65 and older.
Economy
Farm Bureau Financial Services, Hy-VeeHy-Vee
Hy-Vee is an employee-owned chain of supermarkets located in the Midwestern United States. Over 100 of its supermarkets are located in Iowa, with additional stores in Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and now Madison, Wisconsin...
, Iowa Foundation for Medical Care
Iowa Foundation for Medical Care
Iowa Foundation for Medical Care is a non-profit organization which provides services in health care quality improvement and medical information management. IFMC is based in West Des Moines, Iowa and has offices in Illinois, Maryland and Oklahoma. Annual revenues are approximately US $100 million...
, and the Kum & Go
Kum & Go
Kum & Go is a convenience store chain primarily located in the Midwestern United States. The company, based in West Des Moines, Iowa, operates over 400 stores in 11 states—primarily in its home state of Iowa. Kum & Go was ranked as the 23rd-largest convenience store chain in the United States by...
convenience store
Convenience store
A convenience store, corner store, corner shop, commonly called a bodega in Spanish-speaking areas of the United States, is a small store or shop in a built up area that stocks a range of everyday items such as groceries, toiletries, alcoholic and soft drinks, and may also offer money order and...
chain are headquartered in West Des Moines. Other large employers include Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational diversified financial services company with operations around the world. Wells Fargo is the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by assets and the largest bank by market capitalization. Wells Fargo is the second largest bank in deposits, home...
's Card Services and Home Mortgage divisions. Wells Fargo has recently completed its corporate campus south of Jordan Creek Town Center that is the home of their Home Mortgage and Consumer Finance divisions. Aviva USA opened its US Headquarters here in 2010.
Education
The West Des Moines School District has nine elementary schoolElementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
s, two junior high schools, and one high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
(Valley), with a second high school for freshmen only (Valley Southwoods) and an alternative high school (Walnut Creek Campus). Parts of Clive, Urbandale, and Windsor Heights are also in the West Des Moines School District. The Dallas County portion of West Des Moines is part of the Waukee
Waukee, Iowa
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,126 people, 1,927 households, and 1,445 families residing in the city. The population density was 610.9 people per square mile . There were 2,087 housing units at an average density of 248.7 per square mile...
School District; one of that district's four elementary schools is located in West Des Moines. Private school
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
s in West Des Moines include Dowling Catholic High School
Dowling Catholic High School
Dowling Catholic High School is a Catholic secondary school in West Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Des Moines.-Background:...
and Iowa Christian Academy. Valley High School moved to its present location in 1967. Before that it was located in a three story brick building at 8th and Hillside. It was built in 1917 and torn down in 1979.
History of West Des Moines education
- 1893: Valley Junction School District formed.
- October 1895: First school opens at 415 7th Street.
- 1900: Longfellow Grade School was built, and the school at 415 7th st. becomes high school.
- May 31, 1901: first graduating class of Valley Junction High School.
- January 13, 1917: cornerstone of Valley Junction High School on 8th and Hillside laid.
- September 10, 1917: Valley Junction High School opens on 8th and Hillside, while the old high school becomes Lincoln Grade School.
- 1923: Valley Junction Junior High is opened next to the high school, and Longfellow and Lincoln become grade schools.
- 1938: Valley Junction renamed West Des Moines. The high school and junior high dropped to "Valley".
- Fall 1938: Lincoln Elementary demolished.
- September 16, 1938: first football game played at Valley Stadium. Valley loses to DM Dowling 13–0.
- 1939: West Des Moines Elementary School was built and opened at the site of the Lincoln Elementary. Longfellow Grade School is retired.
- 1940: Longfellow is sold for $1,000.
- 1951: Clover Hills Elementary School opens.
- 1956: West Des Moines Elementary was renamed Phenix Elementary School.
- 1958: Fairmeadows and Clegg Park open.
- 1960: Stilwell Junior High School opens.
- 1962: the West Des Moines school district merges with Clive School district, acquiring Clive and Crestview schools.
- September 12, 1962: it is announced that land is purchased for a new high school at 35th and Ashworth.
- May 27, 1963: bond issue passed for the first phase of construction for Valley High School.
- March 1964: construction begins on the new Valley High School
- September 1965: the first phase of construction at the new Valley is completed with the freshman moving in
- September 1967: the 10, 11, and 12th graders move into the new Valley High School while the freshman move out to the old high school.
- October 1967: Western Hills Elementary opens.
- 1969: 336 graduate from Valley.
- 1970: 374 graduate from Valley.
- 1970: Clover Hills Elementary renamed Rex Mathes Elementary.
- 1971: 391 graduate from Valley.
- Fall 1971: freshman move into the new Valley. Enrollment is 1,905. The old high school campus is renamed Hillside Junior High and will hold the 8th graders. Stilwell becomes a school solely for 7th graders.
- 1973: 451 graduate from Valley.
- Mid-1970s: enrollment at Valley peaks at 2,300 students.
- 1975–1982 enrollment decreased by nearly 800 students in the West Des Moines school district.
- 1977: 485 graduate from Valley.
- 1977: the Longfellow School is demolished.
- November 1977: Crossroads Elementary and Indian Hills Junior High open. Stilwell becomes a 7–8 school. The old Hillside Junior High is abandoned.
- 1979: the Hillside Junior High demolished.
- 1979: 520 graduate from Valley. It will be a record for over 22 years.
- Fall 1988: enrollment reaches an all-time high.
- Fall 1990: Westridge Elementary opens.
- Fall 1992: Jordan Creek Elementary opens.
- Fall 1997: Valley Southwoods Freshman High School opens.
- 2001: Des Moines Area Community CollegeDes Moines Area Community CollegeThe Des Moines Area Community College is a community college in Iowa that offers classes in Ankeny, Boone, Carroll, Des Moines , Newton, and West Des Moines The Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) is a community college in Iowa that offers classes in Ankeny, Boone, Carroll, Des Moines (the...
opened its West Campus in West Des Moines. Upper Iowa UniversityUpper Iowa UniversityEstablished in 1857, Upper Iowa University is a private institution of higher education with its residential campus located in northeast Iowa near the Volga River in the rural community of Fayette, where around 900 students are enrolled....
, Simpson CollegeSimpson CollegeSimpson College is a four-year, coeducational liberal arts institution situated in Indianola, Iowa, USA, and affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Simpson, which has been fully accredited by North Central Association since 1913, is a small school with approximately 1,400 full-time students...
, and William Penn UniversityWilliam Penn UniversityWilliam Penn University is a private, liberal arts university in Oskaloosa, Iowa, United States. It was founded by members of the Religious Society of Friends in 1873 as Penn College...
also operate classroom facilities there. - September 13, 2002: first football game played at the new VHS stadium with a 21–10 victory over Indianola.
- November 2002: old Valley Stadium is demolished to make way for a new elementary school (Hillside)
- August 2004: Hillside Elementary School opens
- 2005: 582 graduate from Valley
External links
- Official City Website
- West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce
- West Des Moines School District
- West Des Moines Historical Society
- Historic Valley Junction
- City-Data Comprehensive Statistical Data and more about West Des Moines