Good morning, Historic West Des Moines! Friendly reminder that our next steering committee meeting will be taking place tomorrow, Wednesday, July 20th at 4:30pm, with virtual and in-person participation welcome. The primary focus of this meeting will be on reviewing the Draft Guidelines for the Commercial District, which include existing commercial areas located along Grand Avenue and 1st Street. Please click the button below to view the upcoming presentation slides that include the Draft Commercial Design Guidelines. As a reminder, all Steering Committee meetings are open to the public. Community members can patch in virtually or attend in-person at the Human Services Building, 139 6th Street. All meetings are posted to the City Calendar.
Recent Press
If you subscribe to the Des Moines Register, an article was published on July 6th, 2022 highlighting how Historic West Des Moines came to be and the work underway to preserve and celebrate that history and legacy moving forward. Stories and quotes by residents, businesses, and Steering Committee members shine light on local history and the rich diversity of families that came together to help establish the area and make it what it is today. New housing programs and initiatives aimed at strengthening opportunities for first time homeowners and incentivizing improvements for property maintenance are also highlighted.
Thanks to all who contributed to this article and for the detailed reporting by Sarah Kay LeBlanc of the Des Moines Register.
“The thing that was so special about Valley Junction is it was a place where people came from lots of different places. They came to live here and they raised families, and a lot of them worked for the railroads.”
– Vincent Valdez, HWDM Steering Committee Member
Article in the Des Moines Register
Video Resource
Iowa Files Presents: Latino Lives in Valley Junction
West Des Moines Historical Society · November 2021
Video Overview Provided by the WDM Historical Society’s Facebook Page
“Vince Valdez, a lifelong West Des Moines resident, has spent decades researching and recording the history of Latinos in Valley Junction. Many families immigrated to Iowa to work on the railroads and stayed to raise families and contributed to our rich and diverse community! Vince will share photographs and interviews he’s collected from families who’ve been living in Valley Junction for generations.”