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Free Traveling Guides » States » Iowa » DestinationsDes Moines
Des Moines, the county seat of the Polk County, is the capital of Iowa. Incorporated on September 22, 1851, Des Moines was named after the spectacular Des Moines River. Today, this city is the hub of insurance industry and has a substantial base of publishing business and financial services. It is home to the headquarters of major corporations, including the Principal Financial Group, the Meredith Corporation, the Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, Wells Fargo, and the ING Group.
Des Moines is considered to be the ‘Best Place for Business’, the ‘Hippest City of U. S. A.’, and an important city in presidential politics. It is home to Iowa Caucus, the first major electoral event in Presidential elections. The City has also become a major tourist destination in Iowa. The main places of tourist interest in the city include the Iowa State Fair and Grounds, Des Moines Art Center, the Blank Park Zoo, the Lilac Arboretum and Children’s Forest, Arie den Boer Arboretum, Terrace Hill, and Adventure Land. The Merle Hay Mall is the oldest and the largest shopping mall in the state. Fort Des Moines Museum is dedicated to the establishment of the first Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC's) in 1942.
The Jordan Creek Town Center, a super-regional shopping mall; the Living History Farms, a farm and restaurant related to Iowa’s agricultural history; Prairie Meadows, a casino and raceway in Altoona; the Valley West Mall; the South Ridge Mall; the Recreational Trail System; Gray’s Lake Park; and the Saylorville Lake are among other points of interest in Des Moines. Downtown Des Moines also attracts millions of visitors every year. The main downtown attraction include the Iowa State Capitol, Des Moines Civic Center, Hoyt Sherman Place, East Village Shopping Area, and Science Center of Iowa & IMAX Theater. The historic Sherman Hill Neighborhood is situated just northwest of downtown.
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