West Des Moines is a city in Polk, Dallas, and Warren counties in the US state of Iowa. At the 2010 census, the city's population was 56,609. West Des Moines is the second largest city in the Des Moines metropolitan area and the 10th largest city in Iowa. It ranked 94th in the Money magazine list of the "100 Best Places for Live and Launch" in 2008, 77 and 57 in 100 Best Places to Live in 2014 and 2015, respectively, and 18 in Hipster Cities 2015.
Video West Des Moines, Iowa
Histori
The West Des Moines area was once home to the Sac and Fox tribes. By midnight on October 11, 1845, a shot was fired by a cattle farmer, James Cunningham Jordan (1813-1893) and the remaining tribes. His residence, Jordan House, has been restored and is now home to the West Des Moines Historical Society. In the early years of West Des Moines, the city was a crossroads of trade and delivery. West Des Moines was incorporated as Valley Junction on October 9, 1893.
In the early days of Valley Junction was home to Chicago's switching and repair facilities, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad for its location at the intersection of several railroad lines. Rock Island facilities moved from Valley Junction and returned to Des Moines in 1936.
The ten mile (16 km) per hour speed limit has been in the Junction Valley since 1911 for all cars. But in 1915 an Englishman named Jack Prince built a one mile (1.6 km) racing track, designed to let the race car break the speed limit tenfold. The wood track is made of 980,000 feet (300,000 m) of 2x4 placed on the edge. It is one of 24 such tracks nationally; with seating for more than 10,000 people. In 1915-08-07, the eyes of the automotive world were in Valley Junction in anticipation of the fastest 300-mile auto race (480 km) in history. Ralph DePalma, the 500-year-old Indianapolis winner, is one of a dozen drivers racing for a $ 10,000 purse. In front of a crowd of 7,000 people, a tire exploded, crashing Joe Cooper's car on the tracks. Then when rounded the sidewalk, Billy Chandler's Duesenberg wheels failed, putting the car into the field and fatally injuring his mechanic, Morris Kessler. Chandler was badly injured. Smiling Ralph Mulford won the race with DePalma the second. This baptism with blood left a bad taste in the mouths of the locals, and the trajectory was closed two years later. The wood was rescued and then used to build buildings in Valley Junction.
The serious dilemma of school density was partly aimed at 1916. The issue of bonds to build a new high school for $ 50,000 was approved by 2 to 1 votes. A similar new class school problem is well defeated. The building began and in September of the following year, the doors of the Valley High School just opened at 8 and Hillside. As part of the school policy, only first-grade teachers with college education are employed. In 1919, the new secondary school spaces were filled. New junior high schools were proposed, approved, and completed in the fall of 1923.
The new school was the only bright spot in uncertain gloomy years in 1922 and 1923. The city's grounds were shaken by a 22-machinist strike at Rock Island stores. Beginning 1922-07-01, 600 unemployed workers. The railway company reacted by bringing replacement workers to the city to break the strike. His successors were mostly Mexican and African-American workers raised from Oklahoma by R. C. Hyde, the main mechanic in the stores. For their own protection they lived in small carriages and small houses in the area south of Railroad Avenue and west of the main railway bases. The area was dubbed "Hyde Park" by strikers. The difficulties experienced by unemployed workers end up leading the most desperate to choose between strikes or letting their families go hungry. It was a time that pitted neighbors with neighbors, tearing up the fabric of society. Two people shot themselves in despair before the strike finally ended.
Although the year 1920 was a ban for the rest of the country, Valley Junction was officially a dry city in 1915. The 20's was not all the catastrophe and gloom for Valley Junction. The entrepreneur from a dressed-up society to play called "The Womenless Wedding". The simple excitement of a small town life is reflected in the faces of children: play in school games, fly first kites, dress up for the May Day contest, or ride the Fourth of July. Older children enjoy the opportunity to bring trolleys to Des Moines for afternoon shopping and may have lunch along the river. The idea of ​​mobile society is embraced by youth. A fun trip with fast jalopi to Greenwood Park to play tennis, or go to the country for a picnic reflecting the American madness for the car. The richer, older, and more established are also not left behind. By purchasing land from Ashworth's family farms, Des Moines Golf and Country Club leaves Des Moines in 1923 for a more beautiful setting along White Pole Road on 8th Street which allows a relaxing and exciting High Society of Des Moines. from hussle and bussle town to playing golf in the Valley. However, by the end of the decade, the picnic was over. Depression was particularly difficult for workers in the Junction Valley because the railroad had been completed in 1936, and the Keystone Coal Plant had to be shut down due to floods in the tunnel.
In 1937, only two trains stopped every day; a tiring business climate needs encouragement. Commercial club members believe that the only way to attract new industries is to change the name of the city. They thought the name "Valley Junction" conveyed the image of the ancient city and retreated to prospective employers and residents. The name "West Des Moines" will give him the honor and prestige that the city desperately needs. There was an editorial precedent in Valley Junction Express in 1905 that suggested dropping the "Junction" of the name, but nothing came of it. The opposition is worried that a change to West Des Moines will cause the property owner to be taxed equal to Des Moines. It was also declared a step towards annexation by Des Moines. The third and final election was held on 7 December 1937.
On January 1, 1938, the name "Lembah Junction" was relegated to the past, and the new town of West Des Moines took the first step into a new identity. By helping to build this new identity, the most identifiable trait is the postponement of all property taxes between 1936 and 1938. This is due to the advantages of the water department. Today the original West Des Moines business district has been preserved as the Junction of the Historical Valley. It features many local specialty shops and restaurants as well as a weekly farmer's market.
Although the name was changed, the community's commitment to education was supported by funds from the Public Works Administration. Despite the Depression, new elementary schools and the Old Dude Football Stadium were built and dedicated on May 24, 1939, at 8 and Hillside. The glorious Lincoln School was destroyed in 1938 to build a new building. Longfellow retired in 1939 and then sold in 1940 for $ 1000. In 1955, West Des Moines Elementary School in Walnut and 6 was named "Nellie Phenix Elementary" in honor of the former principal. The late 30s were really good years on the school athletics team, producing impressive names: True, Gavin, Swink, and Sherbo. Charles Swink is a multi-record holder on track and field. His records in Drake Relays stood for twenty years.
An overhead concrete overgrown at Ashworth Road soon became a musical mecca for the surrounding area on June 6, 1939, when Tom Archer opened the Val Air Ballroom. This site was originally the site of Wilson Rubber's newborn factory. Intended to increase the production of World War I tires, the end of the war in 1918 left only a large concrete slab. Pembina Val Air can dance under the canopy of the stars with the melodious sounds of Guy Lombardo, Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, and other big bands. The war years bring a new vitality to society at no cost.
Then and now, the floods often muffle, but do not spoil the spirit of the inhabitants. The unpredictable waters of the Raccoon and Walnut Creek rivers often over the edge due to the massive amounts of rainfall in the summer and the snow melt in spring, filling the streets and destroying 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 next few decades. West Des Moines annexed the neighboring communities of Clover Hills in 1950, the city of Ashawa, the former Rock Island railway stop, in 1957, and the city of Commerce, along the Raccoon River, in 1960. To keep pace with city growth, the city government also grew. The esteemed town hall lacked the capacity to keep up with the city, so in 1954 a newly opened municipal building. With the influx of new students, district borders that continue to grow in schools continue to disrupt the capacity of the classroom. The children attend a former home near Phenix, with classes in the halls and living rooms. Space is even rented from the new Catholic primary school. In 1959 alone, 150-200 new homes were built, adding to population growth. The construction of Interstate 35, Interstate 80, and Interstate 235 in 1960 brought more people and businesses to West Des Moines. The construction also caused Des Moines Golf and Country Club to sell its location along Ashworth Road and 8th Street and then move to its current location in Dallas County. In 1966, Catholic High School/St. Joseph Educational Center purchased a 55-acre (22 ha) from Des Moines Golf and Country Club and, later, moved from Des Moines and opened at its current location, 1400 Buffalo Road, in the fall of 1972. Several retail and office complexes were opened along the corridor I-235 after the completion of the highway, including the 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 to Dallas County during the 1990s and 2000s, once again placing the premier golf course of Des Moines Golf and Country Club at the border of its city and punctuated by the opening of one of Iowa's best golf courses at Glen Oaks Country Club along with West Glen Town Center and the largest in the state of Iowa, Jordan Creek Town Center and shopping malls in 2004. Major commercial constructions are underway around the area, including the opening of many additional hotels, shopping centers and office buildings, including Wells Fargo corporate campus new. In 2007 construction began in Ponderosa Village, an urban-friendly and pedestrian-friendly community. In 2005 West Des Moines annexed land in Warren County for the first time. Seeing the land south of Des Moines is very valuable, especially with the completion of the "South-Belt Fast Track" system, the Norwalk and West Des Moines cities are actively competing for land in northern Warren County. From 1990 to 2015, West Des Moines is currently the fastest growing city in Iowa by land area.
During the 1990s a new city/school campus opened 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 a temporary home for West Des Moines town hall until a new building was dedicated at the end of 2002. The campus also has a new stadium for the Valley High School which also opened in 2002. At the same property, the West Des Moines School district operates Valley Southwoods, a junior high school with over 600 students opened in 1996. Turning the West Des Moines Community School into two unacceptable high school districts. In 2004, August Hillside Elementary opened at former Hillside Junior High and Old Valley Stadium, which was destroyed in 2001. In 2012, Clegg Park Elementary was renovated and opened as a new Walnut Creek Campus which is an alternative high school in the district. Major renovations and additions were completed at Valley High in 2007 and again in 2015.
Maps West Des Moines, Iowa
Government
West Des Moines uses the mayor's council form with a city manager appointed by the city council. The council consists of mayors, two large members, and three members from each of the three city wards. The mayor and all members of the council serve four years. Rick Messerschmidt served as city's temporary mayor after former mayor Eugene Meyer resigned in January 2007; On April 17, Steve Gaer was elected mayor during a special election. Tom Hadden is the city manager of West Des Moines.
Geography
West Des Moines is located on 41Ã, Â ° 34? 25? N 93Ã, Â ° 45? 1? W (41.573739, -93.750359). According to the US Census Bureau, the city has a total area of ​​39.48 square miles (102.25 km 2 ), where, 38.59 square miles (99.95 km 2 ) is the mainland and 0.89 square miles (2.31 km 2 ) is water. The West Des Moines' location in the valley of the Raccoon River has left parts of the city, especially the Junction Valley area, prone to flooding. After the Great Flood of 1993, a flood wall was constructed along Walnut Creek (near the border with Des Moines) to protect the area. Climate
West Des Moines has a humid continental climate (Climatic classification KÃÆ'¶ppen Dfa ).
Street numbering
While Clive, Urbandale, and nearby Windsor Heights use the same street number for the north-south roads used by Des Moines, West Des Moines uses its own numbering system. Thus, 86th Street in Clive and Urbandale became 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 east-west roads have the same name as Des Moines, although the numbering of these east-west streets begins in West Des Moines.
Demographics
The average income for households in the city is $ 54,139, and the average income for families is $ 70,600 (in 2008 estimates, these figures have increased to $ 61,256 and $ 83,800 respectively, in 2008 adjusted inflation dollars ). Men have an average income of $ 45,185 compared to $ 31,555 for women. The per capita income for the city is $ 31,405. 2.8% of families and 4.5% of the population are below the poverty line, including 4.3% of those under the age of 18 and 3.0% of those aged 65 and older.
census 2010
At the 2010 census, there were 56,609 people, 24,311 households, and 14,201 families living in the city. Population density is 1,466.9 inhabitants per square mile (566.4/km 2 ). There are 26,219 housing units with an average density of 679.4 per square mile (262.3/km 2 ). City's racial makeup is 88.4% White, 3.3% African American, 0.2% Native Americans, 4.8% Asian, 1.5% of other races, and 1.9% of two or more races. Hispanic or Latino from any race is 5.2% of the population.
There are 24,311 households that 30.6% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.4% are married couples living together, 8.6% have unmarried female households present, 3.4% have homes male ladder without wife presence, and 41.6% are not family. 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.4% had someone living alone 65 or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.98.
The average age in the city is 33.5 years. 24.1% of the population is under 18 years of age; 9.2% were between 18 and 24; 32.6% are from 25 to 44; 23.4% is from 45 to 64; and 10.6% are 65 years old or older. The city gender makeup is 48.3% male and 51.7% female.
census 2000
In the 2000 census, there were 46,403 people, 19,826 households, and 11,915 families living in the city. Population density is 1,732.5 people per square mile (669.0/km ²). There are 20,815 housing units with an average density of 777.1 per square mile (300.1/km²). City's racial makeup is 92.66% White, 1.87% African American, 0.13% Native American, 2.76% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Island, 1.26% of other races, and 1.29% % of two or more races. Hispanic or Latin of any race is 3.03% of the population.
There are 19,826 households from which 30.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% married couples live together, 7.7% have unmarried female households present, and 39.9% are not family. 30.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 7.1% have someone living alone 65 or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.98.
Age span: 24.7% under age 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 35.5% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% 65 years or older old. The mean age is 33 years. For every 100 women, there are 92.0 men. For every 100 women age 18 and over, there are 87.9 men.
Economy
Hy-Vee, Financial Services Agricultural Bureau, Kum & amp; Go, GuideOne Insurance, American Equity, Sammons Financial Group, ITA Group, Windsor Windows & amp; Doors and the Iowa Foundation for Medical Care is headquartered in West Des Moines. Other large entrepreneurs include ADP, Goodrich and Wells Fargo Service Cards and the Home Mortgage division. Wells Fargo recently completed its corporate campus south of Jordan Creek Town Center which houses the division of Home Mortgage and Consumer Finance.
Top entrepreneurs
According to Desfines 2011 West Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the top companies in the city are:
Education
The West Des Moines Community School District has nine primary schools, two junior high schools, and one high school (Valley), with a second high school for new students (Valley Southwoods) and an alternative high school (Walnut Creek Campus). Parts of Clive, Urbandale, and Windsor Heights are also located in the District Des Moines West School. The Dallas County West Des Moines section is part of the Waukee School District; three of the county's seven primary schools are located in West Des Moines. Private schools in West Des Moines include Dowling Catholic High School and Iowa Christian Academy. Valley High School moved to its present location in 1967. Before it was located in a three-story brick building at 8 and Hillside. It was built in 1917 and demolished in 1979.
Mathes Rex School
Rex Mathes , or Youth Center, formerly known as Clover Hills. The youth center is closed in 2017. Elementary School, currently used by home-schooled children of all ages, as well as by children from Stilwell Junior High. Rex Mathes School is populated by homeschooled children on Tuesday and Thursday morning and during the afternoon. The school also hosts sports events for the neighboring Stilwell Jr school.
Famous people
- Matt Bullard, basketball player
- Corwin Clatt, soccer player
- Jared Clauss, football player
- Liang Chow, head coach of the US women's gymnastic team at the 2008 Olympics
- Gabby Douglas, gymnast and 2012 gold medalist
- Johnny Gosch, missing child
- Jerry Groom, football player
- Peter Hedges, novelist, screenwriter, director
- And Jennings, baseball player
- Shawn Johnson, gymnast and Olympic gold medalist of 2008
- Karlos Kirby, bobsledder
- Mike McCoy, amateur golfer
- Mason Mitchell, racer
- Carl Pohlad, a billionaire businessman, owns the Minnesota Twins.
- Scott Pose, baseball player
- Tyson Smith, football player
See also
- Hy-Line International
Note
References
- Frederickson, TL, and AD Post (eds.), West Des Moines: From Railroad to Crossroads, 1893-1993 , West Des Moines: West Des Moines Centennial, Inc. , 1993.
External links
- Official City Website
- West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce
- West Des Moines School District
- West Des Moines Public Library
- Des Moines Western Historical Society
- Historic Valley Junction
- Comprehensive Data Statistical Data City and more about West Des Moines
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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