The Attorney General of Iowa is the chief legal officer of the State of Iowa , United States .
113-726: The office was created February 9, 1853. The Office of the Attorney General is housed in the Lucas State Office Building in Des Moines ; the attorney general also has a room in the Iowa State Capitol to prepare legislation. As stated in Iowa law, the powers and duties of the office include: Representing the departments and agencies of state government; taking action for citizens in consumer protection and other areas; enforcing
226-405: A council-manager government, with the council members elected at-large. In 1967, the city changed its government to elect four of the seven city council members from single-member districts or wards, rather than at-large. This enabled a broader representation of voters. As with many major urban areas, the city core began losing population to the suburbs in the 1960s (the peak population of 208,982
339-630: A storm suddenly destroyed his fleet. On 20 September 1565 the Spaniards, commanded by Menéndez de Avilés, attacked and massacred all the Fort Caroline occupants including Jean Ribault. The French interest in Canada focused first on fishing off the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. However, at the beginning of the 17th century, France was more interested in fur from North America. The fur trading post of Tadoussac
452-507: A 5-foot-thick (1.5 m) coal bed. By 1876, this mine employed 150 men and shipped 20 carloads of coal per day. By 1885, numerous mine shafts were within the city limits, and mining began to spread into the surrounding countryside. By 1893, 23 mines were in the region. By 1908, Des Moines' coal resources were largely exhausted. In 1912, Des Moines still had eight locals of the United Mine Workers union, representing 1,410 miners. This
565-484: A France Équinoxiale further North, in what is today French Guiana , in 1626, 1635 (when the capital, Cayenne , was founded) and 1643. Twice a Compagnie de la France équinoxiale was founded, in 1643 and 1645, but both foundered as a result of misfortune and mismanagement. It was only after 1674, when the colony came under the direct control of the French crown and a competent Governor took office, that France Équinoxiale became
678-532: A French expedition departed from Cancale , Brittany, France, under the command of Daniel de la Touche, Seigneur de la Ravardière, and François de Razilly , admiral. Carrying 500 colonists, it arrived in the Northern coast of what is today the Brazilian state of Maranhão . De la Ravardière had discovered the region in 1604 but the death of the king postponed his plans to start its colonization. The colonists soon founded
791-428: A female householder with no husband present, 5.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.6% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.11. The median age in the city was 33.5 years. 24.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.9% were between
904-526: A great military disadvantage against the British. The war between the colonies resumed in 1744, lasting until 1748. A final and decisive war began in 1754. The Canadiens and the French were helped by numerous alliances with Native Americans, but they were usually outnumbered on the battlefield. On May 17, 1673, explorers Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette began exploring the Mississippi River, known to
1017-615: A haven for the Huguenots , and was ultimately destroyed by the Portuguese in 1567 . On November 1, 1555, French vice-admiral Nicolas Durand de Villegaignon (1510–1575), a Catholic knight of the Order of Malta , who later would help the Huguenots to find a refuge against persecution, led a small fleet of two ships and 600 soldiers and colonists, and took possession of the small island of Serigipe in
1130-488: A nephew of Villegagnon. They were joined by 14 Calvinists from Geneva, led by Philippe de Corguilleray , including theologians Pierre Richier and Guillaume Chartrier. The new colonists, numbering around 300, included 5 young women to be wed, 10 boys to be trained as translators, as well as 14 Calvinists sent by Calvin, and also Jean de Léry, who would later write an account of the colony. They arrived in March 1557. The relief fleet
1243-511: A peak in the warmer months. Winters are slightly colder than Chicago , but still warmer than Minneapolis , with summer temperatures being very similar between the Upper Midwest metropolitan areas. The city has the largest African American population in Iowa. The 2020 United States census counted 214,133 people, 87,958 households, and 48,599 families in Des Moines. The population density
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#17328757908111356-528: A population of 1,700 people), Newfoundland and Hudson Bay . Under the Sovereign Council, the population of the colony grew faster. However, the population growth was far inferior to that of the British Thirteen Colonies to the south. In the middle of the 18th century, New France accounted for 60,000 people while the British colonies had more than one million people. This placed the colony at
1469-410: A project to provide local employment and improve infrastructure. The ornamental fountains that stood along the riverbank were buried in the 1950s when the city began a postindustrial decline that lasted until the late 1980s. The city has since rebounded, transforming from a blue-collar industrial city to a white-collar professional city. In 1907, the city adopted a city commission government known as
1582-530: A rich and complex History as well as proud descendants far beyond Québec and Acadia original heartlands. A major French settlement lay on the island of Hispaniola , where France established the colony of Saint-Domingue on the western third of the island in 1664. Nicknamed the "Pearl of the Antilles", Saint-Domingue became the richest colony in the Caribbean due to slave plantation production of sugar cane. It had
1695-549: A series of floods resulted in Bienville ordering that the settlement be relocated in 1711 several miles downriver to its present location at the confluence of the Mobile River and Mobile Bay . A new earth-and-palisade Fort Louis was constructed at the new site during this time. By 1712, when Antoine Crozat was appointed to take over administration of the colony, its population had reached 400 persons. The capital of La Louisiane
1808-530: A village, which was named "Saint-Louis", in honor of the French king Louis IX . This later became São Luís in Portuguese,[1] the only Brazilian state capital founded by France. On 8 September, Capuchin friars prayed the first mass, and the soldiers started building a fortress. An important difference in relation to France Antarctique is that this new colony was not motivated by escape from religious persecutions to Protestants (see French Wars of Religion). The colony did not last long. A Portuguese army assembled in
1921-516: Is a member of ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability USA . Through ICLEI, Des Moines has implemented "The Tomorrow Plan", a regional plan focused on developing central Iowa in a sustainable fashion, centrally-planned growth, and resource consumption to manage the local population. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has an area of 90.65 square miles (234.78 km ), of which 88.93 square miles (230.33 km )
2034-496: Is an overseas department of France, while St. Barthélemy and St. Martin each became an overseas collectivity of France in 2007. France Antarctique (formerly also spelled France antartique) was a French colony south of the Equator , in Rio de Janeiro , Brazil , which existed between 1555 and 1567, and had control over the coast from Rio de Janeiro to Cabo Frio . The colony quickly became
2147-530: Is at the juncture of the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers. It is mostly a level prairie with a few swells or hills around it. We have a court house of "brick" and one church, a plain, framed building belonging to the Methodists. There are two taverns here, one of which has a most important little bell that rings together some fifty boarders. I cannot tell you how many dwellings there are, for I have not counted them; some are of logs, some of brick, some framed, and some are
2260-452: Is land and 1.73 square miles (4.48 km ) is covered by water. It is 850 feet (260 m) above sea level at the confluence of the Raccoon and Des Moines Rivers. In November 2005, Des Moines voters approved a measure that allowed the city to annex parcels of land in the northeast, southeast, and southern corners of Des Moines without agreement by local residents, particularly areas bordering
2373-681: Is now known as Montreal . Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette founded Sault Sainte Marie (1668) and Saint Ignace (1671) and explored the Mississippi River . At the end of the 17th century, René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle established a network of forts going from the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Lakes and the Saint Lawrence River . Fort Saint Louis was established in Texas in 1685, but
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#17328757908112486-570: Is today the province of Quebec, Canada, and for a very short period (12 years) also Antarctic France (France Antarctique, in French), in present-day Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. All of these settlements were in violation of the papal bull of 1493, which divided the New World between Spain and Portugal. This division was later defined more exactly by the Treaty of Tordesillas . France équinoxiale started in 1612, when
2599-585: The Captaincy of Pernambuco , under the command of Alexandre de Moura, was able to mount a military expedition, which defeated and expelled the French colonists in 1615, less than four years after their arrival in the land. Thus, it repeated the disaster spelt for the colonists of France Antarctique, in 1567. A few years later, in 1620, Portuguese and Brazilian colonists arrived in number and São Luís started to develop, with an economy based mostly in sugar cane and slavery. French traders and colonists tried again to settle
2712-466: The Guanabara Bay , in front of present-day Rio de Janeiro, where they built a fort named Fort Coligny . The fort was named in honor of Gaspard de Coligny (then a Catholic statesman, who about a year later would become a Huguenot), an admiral who supported the expedition and would use the colony in order to protect his fellow believers. To the still largely undeveloped mainland village, Villegaignon gave
2825-714: The Huron and Ottawa against their traditional enemies, the Iroquois . Champlain and other French travelers then continued to explore North America, with canoes made from birch bark , to move quickly through the Great Lakes and their tributaries. In 1634, the Normand explorer Jean Nicolet pushed his exploration to the West up to Wisconsin. Following the capitulation of Quebec by the Kirke brothers,
2938-485: The Iowa Highway 5 / U.S. 65 bypass. The annexations became official on June 26, 2009, as 5,174 acres (20.94 km ) and around 868 new residents were added to the city of Des Moines. An additional 759 acres (3.07 km ) were voluntarily annexed to the city over that same period. The skyline of Des Moines changed in the 1970s and the 1980s, when several new skyscrapers were built. Additional skyscrapers were built in
3051-508: The Lesser Antilles at various times. Islands that came under French rule during part or all of this time include Dominica , Grenada , Guadeloupe , Marie-Galante , Martinique , St. Barthélemy , St. Croix , St. Kitts , St. Lucia , St. Martin , St. Vincent and Tobago . Control of many of these islands was contested between the French, the British and the Dutch; in the case of St. Martin,
3164-547: The Mobile River , as the first capital of the French colony of La Louisiane . It was founded by French Canadian brothers Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville and Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville , to establish control over France's claims to La Louisiane . Bienville was appointed as royal governor of French Louisiana in 1701. Mobile's Roman Catholic parish was established on July 20, 1703, by Jean-Baptiste de la Croix de Chevrières de Saint-Vallier , Bishop of Quebec . The parish
3277-656: The Secretary of State of the Navy to give him the command of Louisiana . He believed that it was close to New Spain by drawing a map on which the Mississippi seemed much further west than its actual rate. He set up a maritime expedition with four ships and 320 emigrants, but it ended in disaster when he failed to find the Mississippi Delta and was killed in 1687. In 1698, Pierre LeMoyne d'Iberville left La Rochelle and explored
3390-624: The Treaty of Rijswijk until 1701, when the two parties agreed on peace. Then, the war against the English took over in the War of the Spanish Succession . In 1690 and 1711, Quebec City had successfully resisted the attacks of the English navy and then British army. Nevertheless, the British took advantage of the second war. With the signing of the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, France ceded to Britain Acadia (with
3503-858: The United States , with 709,466 residents according to the 2020 census by the United States Census Bureau , and is the largest metropolitan area fully located within the state. Des Moines is a major center of the United States insurance industry and has a sizable financial-services and publishing business base. The city is the headquarters for the Principal Financial Group , Ruan Transportation, TMC Transportation, EMC Insurance Companies, and Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield . Other major corporations such as Wells Fargo , Cognizant , Voya Financial , Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company , ACE Limited , Bayer , and Corteva have large operations in or near
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3616-784: The Valley of Ohio , migrated into the Spanish territory West of the Mississippi and were instrumental in pushing further West toward the Pacific through their longer experience of the new continent and its native inhabitants. Only the islands of Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon are still in French hands. In 1802 Spain returned Louisiana to France, but Napoleon sold it to the United States in 1803. The French and their descendants left many toponyms ( Illinois , Vermont , Bayous ...) and ethnonyms ( Sioux , Coeur d'Alene , Nez Percé ...) in North America along with
3729-496: The 1990s, including Iowa's tallest. Before then, the 19-story Equitable Building , from 1924, was the tallest building in the city and the tallest building in Iowa. The 25-story Financial Center was completed in 1973 and the 36-story Ruan Center was completed in 1974. They were later joined by the 33-story Des Moines Marriott Hotel (1981), the 25-story HUB Tower and 25-story Plaza Building (1985). Iowa's tallest building, Principal Financial Group 's 45-story tower at 801 Grand
3842-741: The Americas France began colonizing the Americas in the 16th century and continued into the following centuries as it established a colonial empire in the Western Hemisphere . France established colonies in much of eastern North America, on several Caribbean islands, and in South America. Most colonies were developed to export products such as fish, rice, sugar, and furs. The first French colonial empire stretched to over 10,000,000 km (3,900,000 sq mi) at its peak in 1710, which
3955-642: The Boroughs Queens and Brooklyn from the upper and lower parts of the harbor until 1609 when the British and the Dutch came to take control of it from the French Verrazzano. He would later give the names Francesca and Nova Gall to that land between New Spain and English Newfoundland, thus promoting French interests. In 1534, Francis I of France sent Jacques Cartier on the first of three voyages to explore
4068-541: The British occupied the city of Quebec and Canada from 1629 to 1632. Samuel de Champlain was taken prisoner and there followed the bankruptcy of the Company of One Hundred Associates . Following the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye , France took possession of the colony in 1632. The city of Trois-Rivières was founded in 1634. In 1642, the Angevin Jérôme le Royer de la Dauversière founded Ville-Marie (later Montreal ) which
4181-470: The Des Moines Plan, comprising an elected mayor and four commissioners, all elected at-large , who were responsible for public works, public property, public safety, and finance. Considered progressive at the time, it diluted the votes of ethnic and national minorities, who generally could not command a majority to elect a candidate of their choice. That form of government was scrapped in 1950 in favor of
4294-588: The Des Moines Public Library, designed by renowned architect David Chipperfield of London, opened on April 8, 2006. The World Food Prize Foundation, which is based in Des Moines, completed adaptation and restoration of the former Des Moines Public Library building in October 2011. The former library now serves as the home and headquarters of the Norman Borlaug /World Food Prize Hall of Laureates. At
4407-717: The Des Moines River. Based on archaeological evidence, the junction of the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers has attracted humans for at least 7,000 years. Several prehistoric occupation areas have been identified by archaeologists in downtown Des Moines . Discovered in December 2010, the " Palace " is an expansive 7,000-year-old site found during excavations prior to construction of the new wastewater treatment plant in southeast Des Moines. It contains well-preserved house deposits and numerous graves. More than 6,000 artifacts were found at this site. State of Iowa archaeologist John Doershuk
4520-546: The French and Indians were usually peaceful. As the 19th-century historian Francis Parkman stated: "Spanish civilization crushed the Indian; English civilization scorned and neglected him; French civilization embraced and cherished him." To boost the French population, Cardinal Richelieu issued an act declaring that Indians converted to Catholicism were considered "natural Frenchmen" by the Ordonnance of 1627: "The descendants of
4633-575: The French who have accustomed to this country [New France], together with all the Indians who will be brought to the knowledge of the faith and will profess it, shall be deemed and renowned natural Frenchmen, and as such may come to live in France when they want, and acquire, donate, and succeed and accept donations and legacies, just as true French subjects, without being required to take no letters of declaration of naturalization." Louis XIV also tried to increase
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4746-563: The Gulf of Mexico and established a fort at Mobile in 1702. From 1699 to 1702, Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville was governor of Louisiana. His brother succeeded him in that post from 1702 to 1713. He was again governor from 1716 to 1724 and again 1733 to 1743. In 1718, Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville commanded a French expedition in Louisiana. He founded the city of New Orleans, in homage to Regent Duke of Orleans . The architect Adrian de Pauger drew
4859-626: The Illinois River, along with 23 French and 18 Native Americans. In April 1682, they arrived at the mouth of the Mississippi; they planted a cross and a column bearing the arms of the king of France. In 1686 de Tonti left 6 men near the Quapaw village of Osotouy, creating the settlement of Arkansas Post. De Tonti's Arkansas Post would be the first European settlement in the Lower Mississippi River valley. La Salle returned to France and won over
4972-474: The Mississippi River to Britain. This area was made a part of the expanded British West Florida colony. The British changed the name of Fort Condé to Fort Charlotte , after Queen Charlotte . The French were eager to explore North America but New France remained largely unpopulated. Due to the lack of women, intermarriages between French and Indians were frequent, giving rise to the Métis people . Relations between
5085-464: The New World as travelers seeking a route to the Pacific Ocean and wealth. Major French exploration of North America began under the rule of Francis I, King of France . In 1524, Francis sent Italian-born Giovanni da Verrazzano to explore the region between Florida and Newfoundland for a route to the Pacific Ocean. He would find parts of New York Harbor . The French would take narrow land ports of
5198-681: The Polk County Administrative Building, with a newer addition); and the City Hall are surviving examples of the 1900–1910 buildings. They form the Civic Center Historic District . The ornate riverfront balustrades that line the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers were built by the federal Civilian Conservation Corps in the mid-1930s, during the Great Depression under Democratic President Franklin D. Roosevelt , as
5311-739: The Sioux as does Tongo, or to the Miami-Illinois as missisipioui ( the great river ). They reached the mouth of the Arkansas and then up the river, after learning that it flowed into the Gulf of Mexico and not to the California Sea (Pacific Ocean). In 1682, the Normand Cavelier de la Salle and the Italian Henri de Tonti came down the Mississippi to its Delta. They left from Fort Crevecoeur on
5424-442: The Spanish from St. Augustine . An attempt to settle convicts on Sable Island off Nova Scotia in 1598 failed after a short time. In 1599, a sixteen-person trading post was established in Tadoussac (in present-day Quebec ), of which only five men survived the first winter. In 1604 Pierre Du Gua de Monts and Samuel de Champlain founded a short-lived French colony, the first in Acadia , on Saint Croix Island , presently part of
5537-424: The State of Iowa Historical Museum (1987). The Des Moines skywalk also began to take shape during the 1980s. The skywalk system is 4 miles (6.4 km) long and connects many downtown buildings. In the early 21st century, the city has had more major construction in the downtown area. The new Science Center of Iowa and Blank IMAX Dome Theater and the Iowa Events Center opened in 2005. The new central branch of
5650-533: The age of 18 living with them, 43.7% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.04. The age distribution was 24.8% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 31.8% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
5763-476: The ages of 18 and 24; 29.4% were from 25 to 44; 23.9% were from 45 to 64; and 11% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.9% male and 51.1% female. As of the 2000 census, there were 198,682 people, 80,504 households, and 48,704 families in the city. The population density was 2,621.3 inhabitants per square mile (1,012.1/km ). There were 85,067 housing units at an average density of 1,122.3 per square mile (433.3/km ). The racial makeup of
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#17328757908115876-412: The area around the mouth of the Mississippi. He stopped between Isle-aux-Chats (now Cat Island) and Isle Surgeres (renamed Isle-aux-Vascular or Ship Island) on February 13, 1699, and continued his explorations to the mainland, with his brother Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville to Biloxi . He built a precarious fort, called 'Maurepas' (later 'Old Biloxi'), before returning to France. He returned twice in
5989-420: The area, mining coal from the riverbank for the fort's blacksmith. Settlers occupied the abandoned fort and nearby areas. On May 25, 1846, the state legislature designated Fort Des Moines as the seat of Polk County. Arozina Perkins, a school teacher who spent the winter of 1850–1851 in the town of Fort Des Moines, was not favorably impressed: This is one of the strangest looking "cities" I ever saw... This town
6102-734: The center of North America and far removed from large bodies of water, the Des Moines area has a hot summer type humid continental climate ( Köppen Dfa ), with warm to hot, humid summers and cold, dry winters. Summer temperatures can often climb into the 90 °F (32 °C) range, occasionally reaching 100 °F (38 °C). Humidity can be high in spring and summer, with frequent afternoon thunderstorms . Fall brings pleasant temperatures and colorful fall foliage . Winters vary from moderately cold to bitterly cold, with low temperatures venturing below 0 °F (−18 °C) quite often. Snowfall averages 36.5 inches (93 cm) per season, and annual precipitation averages 36.55 inches (928 mm), with
6215-719: The city for unincorporated areas not merged with the city proper was 66.2% White , 15.5% African Americans , 0.5% Native American , 4.0% Asian , and 2.6% from Two or more races . People of Hispanic or Latino origin, of any race, made up 12.1% of the population. The city's racial make up during the 2010 census was 76.4% White , 10.2% African American , 0.5% Native American , 4.4% Asian (1.2% Vietnamese, 0.9% Laotian, 0.4% Burmese, 0.3% Asian Indian, 0.3% Thai, 0.2% Chinese, 0.2% Cambodian, 0.2% Filipino, 0.1% Hmong, 0.1% Korean, 0.1% Nepalese), 0.1% Pacific Islander , 5.0% from other races , and 3.4% from two or more races. People of Hispanic or Latino origin, of any race, formed 12.0% of
6328-432: The city included 252 people incarcerated in adult correctional facilities and 2,378 people in student housing. Of the 87,958 households, 28.0% had children under the age of 18; 35.5% were married couples living together; 31.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 35.3% of households consisted of individuals and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size
6441-401: The city of Rio de Janeiro on March 1, 1565, and fought the Frenchmen for two more years. Helped by a military reinforcement sent by his uncle, on January 20, 1567, he imposed final defeat on the French forces and decisively expelled them from Brazil, but died a month later from wounds inflicted in the battle. Coligny's and Villegaignon's dream had lasted a mere 12 years. Equinoctial France was
6554-407: The city was 82.3% white , 8.07% Black , 0.35% American Indian , 3.50% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander , 3.52% from other races , and 2.23% from two or more races. 6.61% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 20.9% were of German , 10.3% Irish, 9.1% "American" and 8.0% English ancestry, according to Census 2000 . There were 80,504 households, out of which 29.5% had children under
6667-443: The coast of Newfoundland and the St. Lawrence River . He founded New France by planting a cross on the shore of the Gaspé Peninsula . The French subsequently tried to establish several colonies throughout North America that failed, due to weather, disease, or conflict with other European powers. Cartier attempted to create the first permanent European settlement in North America at Cap-Rouge (Quebec City) in 1541 with 400 settlers but
6780-418: The colony by calling for more colonists in 1556. He sent one of his ships, the Grande Roberge , to Honfleur, entrusted with letters to King Henry II, Gaspard de Coligny and according to some accounts, the Protestant leader John Calvin. After one ship was sent to France to ask for additional support, three ships were financed and prepared by the king of France and put under the command of Sieur De Bois le Comte,
6893-531: The condition that they marry prostitutes and go with them to Louisiana. The newly married couples were chained together and taken to the port of embarkation. In May 1720, after complaints from the Mississippi Company and the concessioners about this class of French immigrants, the French government prohibited such deportations. However, there was a third shipment of prisoners in 1721. The Mississippi Company arranged for hundreds of German immigrants to move to Louisiana by ships in 1721. Charles Frederick d'Arensbourg
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#17328757908117006-421: The construction of a fort on the site where the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers merge. Allen wanted to use the name Fort Raccoon; however, the U.S. War Department preferred Fort Des Moines. The fort was built to control the Sauk and Meskwaki peoples, whom the government had moved to the area from their traditional lands in eastern Iowa. The fort was abandoned in 1846 after the Sauk and Meskwaki were removed from
7119-453: The contemporary name given to the colonization efforts of France in the 17th century in South America, around the line of Equator, before "tropical" had fully gained its modern meaning: Equinoctial means in Latin "of equal nights", i.e., on the Equator, where the duration of days and nights is nearly the same year round. The French colonial empire in the New World also included New France (Nouvelle France) in North America, particularly in what
7232-418: The entire country east of the Des Moines River. Crops were utterly destroyed, houses and fences swept away." The city started to rebuild from scratch. On September 22, 1851, Des Moines was incorporated as a city; the charter was approved by voters on October 18. In 1857, the name "Fort Des Moines" was shortened to "Des Moines", and it was designated as the second state capital, previously at Iowa City . Growth
7345-448: The highest slave mortality rate in the western hemisphere. A 1791 slave revolt, the only ever successful slave revolt, began the Haitian Revolution , led to freedom for the colony's slaves in 1794 and, a decade later, complete independence for the country, which renamed itself Haiti . France briefly also ruled the eastern portion of the island, which is now the Dominican Republic . During the 17th and 18th centuries, France ruled much of
7458-446: The island was divided in two, a situation that persists to this day. Great Britain captured some of France's islands during the Seven Years' War and the Napoleonic Wars . Following the latter conflict, France retained control of Guadeloupe , Martinique , Marie-Galante , St. Barthélemy , and its portion of St. Martin ; all remain part of France today. Guadeloupe (including Marie-Galante and other nearby islands) and Martinique each
7571-444: The leadership of Admiral Gaspard de Coligny sent Jean Ribault and a group of Huguenot settlers in an attempt to colonize the Atlantic coast and found a colony on a territory which would take the name of the French Florida . They discovered the sound and Port Royal Island, which would be called Parris Island in South Carolina , on which he built a fort named Charlesfort . The group, led by René Goulaine de Laudonnière , moved to
7684-421: The lowest insurance premium taxes in the nation at 1%, and does not charge any premium taxes on qualified life insurance plans, making the state attractive to insurance business. Des Moines has been referred to as the "Hartford of the West" and "Insurance Capital" because of this. Principal is one of two Fortune 500 companies with headquarters in Iowa (the other being Casey's General Stores ), ranking 201st on
7797-487: The magazine's list in 2020. As a center of financial and insurance services, other major corporations headquartered outside of Iowa have a presence in the Des Moines Metro area, including Wells Fargo , Voya Financial , and Electronic Data Systems (EDS). The Meredith Corporation , a leading publishing and marketing company, was also based in Des Moines prior to its acquisition by IAC and merger with Dotdash in 2021. Meredith published Better Homes and Gardens , one of
7910-512: The metropolitan area. In recent years, Microsoft , Hewlett-Packard , and Facebook have built data-processing and logistical facilities in the Des Moines area. Des Moines is an important city in U.S. presidential politics; as the state's capital, it is the site of the first caucuses of the presidential primary cycle. Many presidential candidates set up campaign headquarters in Des Moines. A 2007 article in The New York Times said, "If you have any desire to witness presidential candidates in
8023-431: The monks". One popular interpretation of "Des Moines" concludes that it refers to a group of French Trappist monks , who in the 17th century lived in huts built on top of what is now known as the ancient Monks Mound at Cahokia , the major center of Mississippian culture , which developed in what is present-day Illinois, east of the Mississippi River and the city of St. Louis . This was some 200 miles (320 km) from
8136-471: The most close-up and intimate of settings, there is arguably no better place to go than Des Moines." Des Moines takes its name from Fort Des Moines (1843–46), which was named for the Des Moines River . This was adopted from the name given by French colonists . Des Moines ( pronounced [de mwan] ; formerly [de mwɛn] ) translates literally to either "from the monks" or "of
8249-430: The most widely circulated publications in the United States. Des Moines was also the headquarters of Golf Digest magazine. Other major employers in Des Moines include UnityPoint Health , Mercy Medical Center , MidAmerican Energy Company , CDS Global , UPS , Firestone , Lumen Technologies , Drake University , Titan Tire , The Des Moines Register , Anderson Erickson , EMCO . French colonization of
8362-516: The name of Henriville, in honour of Henry II , the King of France , who also knew of and approved the expedition, and had provided the fleet for the trip. Villegaignon secured his position by making an alliance with the Tamoio and Tupinambá Indians of the region, who were fighting the Portuguese. Unchallenged by the Portuguese, who initially took little notice of his landing, Villegaignon endeavoured to expand
8475-540: The new Governor-General of Brazil, received from the Portuguese government the command to expel the French. With a fleet of 26 warships and 2,000 soldiers, on 15 March 1560, he attacked and destroyed Fort Coligny within three days, but was unable to drive off their inhabitants and defenders, because they escaped to the mainland with the help of the Native Brazilians, where they continued to live and to work. Admiral Villegaignon had returned to France in 1558, disgusted with
8588-452: The occasion of the importation of the first African slaves , transported aboard a French supply ship from the French colony of Saint-Domingue in the Caribbean , where they had first been held. The population of the colony fluctuated over the next few years, growing to 279 persons by 1708, yet shrinking to 178 persons two years later due to disease. These additional outbreaks of disease and
8701-748: The orthogonal plane of the Old Square . In 1718, there were only 700 Europeans in Louisiana. The Mississippi Company arranged for ships to bring 800 more, who landed in Louisiana in 1718, doubling the European population. John Law encouraged Germans , particularly Germans of the Alsatian region who had recently fallen under French rule , and the Swiss to emigrate. Prisoners were set free in Paris in September 1719 onwards, under
8814-477: The other 50 states, the attorney general is a member of the executive branch. Republican Brenna Bird has been Attorney General since 2023. Democratic (7) Republican (26) Des Moines, Iowa Des Moines ( / d ə ˈ m ɔɪ n / də- MOYN ) is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa . It is the county seat of Polk County with parts extending into Warren County . It
8927-429: The population (9.4% Mexican, 0.7% Salvadoran, 0.3% Guatemalan, 0.3% Puerto Rican, 0.1% Honduran, 0.1% Ecuadorian, 0.1% Cuban, 0.1% Spaniard, 0.1% Spanish). Non-Hispanic Whites were 70.5% of the population in 2010. Des Moines also has a sizeable South Sudanese community. There were 81,369 households, of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.9% were married couples living together, 14.2% had
9040-564: The population by sending approximately 800 young women nicknamed the " King's Daughters ". However, the low density of the population in New France remained a very persistent problem. At the beginning of the French and Indian War (1754–1763), the British population in North America outnumbered the French 20 to 1. France fought a total of six colonial wars in North America, (see the four French and Indian Wars as well as Father Rale's War and Father Le Loutre's War ). In 1562, Charles IX , under
9153-582: The population, Louis XIV sent between 800 and 900 ' King's Daughters ' to become the wives of French settlers. The population of New France reached subsequently 7,000 in 1674 and 15,000 in 1689. From 1689 to 1713, the French settlers were faced with almost incessant war during the French and Indian Wars . From 1689 to 1697, they fought the British in the Nine Years' War . The war against the Iroquois continued even after
9266-412: The poverty line, including 14.9% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those ages 65 or over. Many insurance companies are headquartered in Des Moines, including the Principal Financial Group , EMC Insurance Group, Fidelity & Guaranty Life , Allied Insurance , GuideOne Insurance , Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Iowa, FBL Financial Group , and American Republic Insurance Company. Iowa has one of
9379-478: The racial counts and placed in their own category) was 60.99% (130,599) White alone (non-Hispanic) , 11.46% (24,538) Black alone (non-Hispanic) , 0.28% (597) Native American alone (non-Hispanic) , 6.70% (14,348) Asian alone (non-Hispanic) , 0.06% (124) Pacific Islander alone (non-Hispanic) , 0.38% (817) Other Race alone (non-Hispanic) , 4.50% (9,630) Multiracial or Mixed Race (non-Hispanic) , and 15.64% (33,480) Hispanic or Latino . The 2020 census population of
9492-484: The religious tension that existed between French Protestants and Catholics, who had come also with the second group (see French Wars of Religion). Urged by two influential Jesuit priests who had come to Brazil with Mem de Sá, named José de Anchieta and Manuel da Nóbrega , and who had played a big role in pacifying the Tamoios, Mem de Sá ordered his nephew, Estácio de Sá to assemble a new attack force. Estácio de Sá founded
9605-457: The remains of the old dragoon houses... The people support two papers and there are several dry goods shops. I have been into but four of them... Society is as varied as the buildings are. There are people from nearly every state, and Dutch, Swedes, etc. In May 1851, much of the town was destroyed during the Flood of 1851 . "The Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers rose to an unprecedented height, inundating
9718-530: The scale of vice and degradation, than all their intercourse with the whites for the ten years previous". After official removal , the Meskwaki continued to return to Des Moines until around 1857. Archaeological excavations have shown that many fort-related features survived under what is now Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and First Street. Soldiers stationed at Fort Des Moines opened the first coal mines in
9831-402: The settlement was abandoned the next year after bad weather and attacks from Native Americans in the area. A small group of French troops were left on Parris Island, South Carolina in 1562 to build Charlesfort , but left after a year when they were not resupplied by France. Fort Caroline established in present-day Jacksonville, Florida , in 1564, lasted only a year before being destroyed by
9944-620: The south where they founded the Fort Caroline on the Saint John's river in Florida on June 22, 1564. This irritated the Spanish who claimed Florida and opposed the Protestant settlers for religious reasons. In 1565, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés led a group of Spaniards and founded Saint Augustine , 60 kilometers south of Fort Caroline. Fearing a Spanish attack, Ribault planned to move the colony but
10057-455: The spring of 1604, conducted by Pierre Du Gua de Monts . It helped the foundation of a settlement on Saint Croix Island , the first French settlement in the New World, which would be given up the following winter. The expedition then founded the colony of Port-Royal . In 1608, Champlain founded a fur post that would become the city of Quebec , which would become the capital of New France. In Quebec, Champlain forged alliances between France and
10170-545: The state and shifted to the Indian Territory. The Sauk and Meskwaki did not fare well in Des Moines. The illegal whiskey trade, combined with the destruction of traditional lifeways, led to severe problems for their society. One newspaper reported: "It is a fact that the location of Fort Des Moines among the Sac and Fox Indians (under its present commander) for the last two years, had corrupted them more and lowered them deeper in
10283-591: The state of Maine , which was much plagued by illness, perhaps scurvy. The following year the settlement was moved to Port Royal , located in present-day Nova Scotia . Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec (1608) and explored the Great Lakes . In 1634, Jean Nicolet founded La Baye des Puants (present-day Green Bay ), which is one of the oldest permanent European settlements in America. In 1634, Sieur de Laviolette founded Trois-Rivières. In 1642, Paul de Chomedey, Sieur de Maisonneuve , founded Fort Ville-Marie which
10396-433: The state's environmental protection laws; playing a central role in the criminal justice system; and providing assistance and advocacy for the victims of crime. The attorney general also issues legal opinions on questions of law submitted by elected or appointed state officials and defends all tort claim actions against the state. Iowa is unique in that its attorney general belongs to the judicial branch of government; in 48 of
10509-593: The turn of the 20th century, encouraged by the Civic Committee of the Des Moines Women's Club , Des Moines undertook a " City Beautiful " project in which large Beaux Arts public buildings and fountains were constructed along the Des Moines River. The former Des Moines Public Library building (now the home of the World Food Prize ); the United States central Post Office , built by the federal government (now
10622-506: Was $ 33,699 (+/- $ 740). Approximately, 12.1% of families and 16.0% of the population were below the poverty line , including 24.3% of those under the age of 18 and 9.8% of those ages 65 or over. As of the census of 2010, there were 203,433 people, 81,369 households, and 47,491 families residing in the city. Population density was 2,515.6 inhabitants per square mile (971.3/km ). There were 88,729 housing units at an average density of 1,097.2 per square mile (423.6/km ). The racial makeup of
10735-605: Was 2,428.4 per square mile (937.6/km ). There were 95,082 housing units at an average density of 1,078.3 per square mile (416.3/km ). The racial makeup (including Hispanics in the racial counts) was 64.54% (138,200) white or European American (60.99% non-Hispanic white ), 11.68% (25,011) black or African-American , 0.69% (1,474) Native American or Alaska Native , 6.76% (14,474) Asian , 0.06% (135) Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian , 6.62% (14,178) from other races , and 9.65% (20,661) from two or more races . The racial and ethnic makeup (where Hispanics are excluded from
10848-441: Was 2.5 and the average family size was 3.3. The percent of those with a bachelor's degree or higher was estimated to be 19.9% of the population. Of the population age 25 and over, 86.7% were high school graduates or higher and 27.9% had a bachelor's degree or higher. 23.5% of the population was under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% were 65 years of age or older. The median age
10961-405: Was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 38,408, and the median income for a family was $ 46,590. Males had a median income of $ 31,712 versus $ 25,832 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 19,467. About 7.9% of families and 11.4% of the population were below
11074-473: Was 34.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 104.4 males. The 2016-2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $ 54,843 (with a margin of error of +/- $ 1,544) and the median family income was $ 66,420 (+/- $ 1,919). Males had a median income of $ 38,326 (+/- $ 1,405) versus $ 29,855 (+/- $ 1,327) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old
11187-539: Was a leader of the settlement called the German Coast . By the end of 1720, the Mississippi Company failed. Later, more Germans immigrated to Louisiana during the 1750s and 1770s. The last French and Indian War resulted in the dissolution of New France , with Canada going to Great Britain and Louisiana going to Spain , although mainly absent. French colonists descendants or "Canadiens" that had settled in
11300-558: Was about 1.7% of the city's population in 1910. By 1880, Des Moines had a population of 22,408, making it Iowa's largest city. It displaced the three Mississippi River ports: Burlington, Dubuque, and Davenport, that had alternated holding the position since the territorial period. Des Moines has remained Iowa's most populous city. In 1910, the Census Bureau reported Des Moines' population as 97.3% white and 2.7% black, reflecting its early settlement pattern primarily by ethnic Europeans. At
11413-504: Was assisted by University of Iowa archaeologists at this dig. At least three Late Prehistoric villages, dating from about AD 1300 to 1700, stood in or near what developed later as downtown Des Moines. In addition, 15 to 18 prehistoric Native American mounds were observed in the area by early settlers. All have been destroyed during development of the city. Des Moines traces its origins to May 1843, when Captain James Allen supervised
11526-477: Was at that time, a fort as protection against Iroquois attacks (the first great Iroquois war lasted from 1642 to 1667). Despite this rapid expansion, the colony developed very slowly. The Iroquois wars and diseases were the leading causes of death in the French colony. In 1663 when Louis XIV provided the Royal Government , the population of New France was only 2,500 European inhabitants. That year, to increase
11639-611: Was built in 1991, and the 19-story EMC Insurance Building was erected in 1997. During this time period, the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines (1979) was developed; it hosts Broadway shows and special events. Also constructed were the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden (1979), a large city botanical garden/greenhouse on the east side of the river; the Polk County Convention Complex (1985), and
11752-645: Was composed of: Doctrinal disputes arose between Villegagnon and the Calvinists, especially in relation to the Eucharist, and in October 1557 the Calvinists were banished from Coligny island as a result. They settled among the Tupinamba until January 1558, when some of them managed to return to France by ship together with Jean de Léry , and five others chose to return to Coligny island where three of them were drowned by Villegagnon for refusing to recant. In 1560 Mem de Sá ,
11865-493: Was founded in 1600. Four years later, Champlain made his first trip to Canada on a trade mission for fur. Although he had no formal mandate on this trip, he sketched a map of the St. Lawrence River and in writing, on his return to France, a report entitled Savages (relation of his stay in a tribe of Montagnais near Tadoussac). Champlain needed to report his findings to Henry IV . He participated in another expedition to New France in
11978-500: Was gone by 1688. Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac founded Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit (modern-day Detroit ) in 1701 and Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville founded La Nouvelle Orléans ( New Orleans ) in 1718. Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville founded Baton Rouge in 1719. The European settlement of Mobile, Alabama began with French colonists, who in 1702 constructed Fort Louis de la Louisiane , at Twenty-seven Mile Bluff on
12091-456: Was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines , which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857. It is located on, and named after, the Des Moines River , which likely was adapted from the early French name, Rivière des Moines, meaning "River of the Monks ". The city's population was 214,133 as of the 2020 census . The six-county metropolitan area is ranked 81st in terms of population in
12204-468: Was moved in 1720 to Biloxi , leaving Mobile to serve as a regional military and trading center. In 1723 the construction of a new brick fort with a stone foundation began and it was renamed Fort Condé in honor of Louis Henri, Duke of Bourbon . In 1763, the Treaty of Paris was signed, ending the Seven Years' War , which Britain won, defeating France. By this treaty, France ceded its territories east of
12317-526: Was recorded in 1960), as highway construction led to new residential construction outside the city. The population was 198,682 in 2000 and grew slightly to 200,538 in 2009. The growth of the outlying suburbs has continued, and the overall metropolitan-area population is over 700,000 today. During the Great Flood of 1993 , heavy rains throughout June and early July caused the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers to rise above flood stage levels. The Des Moines Water Works
12430-628: Was slow during the Civil War period, but the city exploded in size and importance after a railroad link was completed in 1866. In 1864, the Des Moines Coal Company was organized to begin the first systematic mining in the region. Its first mine, north of town on the river's west side, was exhausted by 1873. The Black Diamond mine, near the south end of the West Seventh Street Bridge, sank a 150-foot (46 m) mine shaft to reach
12543-487: Was submerged by floodwaters during the early morning hours of July 11, 1993, leaving an estimated 250,000 people without running water for 12 days and without drinking water for 20 days. Des Moines suffered major flooding again in June 2008 with a major levee breach. The Des Moines River is controlled upstream by Saylorville Reservoir . In both 1993 and 2008, the flooding river overtopped the reservoir spillway. Today, Des Moines
12656-502: Was the first French Catholic parish established on the Gulf Coast of the United States . In 1704 the ship Pélican delivered 23 French women to the colony; passengers had contracted yellow fever at a stop in Havana . Though most of the " Pélican girls" recovered, numerous colonists and neighboring Native Americans contracted the disease in turn and many died. This early period was also
12769-1022: Was the second largest colonial empire in the world, after the Spanish Empire . As they colonized the New World, the French established forts and settlements that would become such cities as Quebec , Trois-Rivières and Montreal in Canada; Detroit , Green Bay , St. Louis , Cape Girardeau , Mobile , Biloxi , Baton Rouge and New Orleans in the United States; and Port-au-Prince , Cap-Haïtien (founded as Cap-Français ) in Haiti , Saint-Pierre and Fort Saint-Louis (formerly as Fort Royal ) in Martinique , Castries (founded as Carénage ) in Saint Lucia , Cayenne in French Guiana and São Luís (founded as Saint-Louis de Maragnan ) in Brazil. The French first came to
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