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1956 Map of Des Moines

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Des Moines
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1959
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1959

About this map

The confluence of the Des Moines River and Raccoon River anchors this 1950s portrait of Iowa's capital and its surrounding townships. Post-war expansion is evident in the burgeoning residential grids of Urbandale, Windsor Heights, and West Des Moines, while the city core remains defined by institutional landmarks such as the State Capitol and Drake University. The map documents a dense network of educational and religious infrastructure, featuring dozens of sites like Dowling High Sch, All Saints Sch, and Sacred Heart Sch.

Military and transport history are deeply integrated into the landscape, from the Camp Dodge Military Reservation in the northwest to the sprawling Municipal Airport in the south. The rail-heavy industrial corridors of the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific and Wabash railroads contrast with the recreational spaces of Walnut Woods State Park and the State Fairgrounds, capturing the transition between urban industry and the suburban growth of the mid-century era.