1907 Map of Des Moines

About this map

Des Moines serves as the focal point of this early twentieth-century landscape, appearing here as a dense hub of industry and transport at the confluence of the Des Moines River and the Raccoon River. The city’s core is surrounded by an extensive network of iron, with lines such as the Chicago Great Western RR, Wabash RR, and the Inter-Urban Electric RR connecting the capital to outlying settlements like Valley Junction and Saylorville. This era reveals a county defined by rural education and community spaces, where family-named landmarks like the Red Brick School and Hammer School dot the townships, and recreational areas such as the Chautauqua Grounds and State Fairgrounds suggest a growing urban culture. To the south, Fort Des Moines stands near the edge of the developing grid, while numerous small mining or rail stops like Carbondale and Oralabor highlight the region's diverse economic foundations before modern expansion.