A group of men in uniforms holding rifles - historic forts

Self-guided · principal city, Iowa

Historic Forts in West Des Moines, IA

Forts, blockhouses, batteries and stockades near you, from the frontier to the coastal defenses.

Most residents could not tell you which local buildings are on the National Register. West Des Moines is one of the cities the Des Moines–West Des Moines, IA metro area is officially named after. The record can, and the closest listings to West Des Moines, IA are below.

A person and a child walking on a path between stone buildings - historic forts — Photo: Levi Meir Clancy on Unsplash

Fortress surrounded by clear turquoise water under a blue sky - historic forts — Photo: RP C O N C I E R G E on Unsplash

Long brick corridor with arched doorways and old cannons - historic forts — Photo: Mick Kirchman on Unsplash

On the record near West Des Moines, IA

The 7 nearest

7 listed sites on the record match historic forts within 200 miles of West Des Moines, IA, out of 219 listed sites of every kind within 25 miles.

Walnut Tire and Battery Co.--Globe Publishing Company Building3.9 miles from the center of West Des Moines · Building · Des Moines · listed 2017National Register of Historic Places
Hotel Fort Des Moines4.3 miles from the center of West Des Moines · Building · Des Moines · listed 1982National Register of Historic Places
Fort Armstrong Hotel162 miles from the center of West Des Moines · Building · Rock Island · listed 1984National Register of Historic Places
Fort Armstrong Theatre162 miles from the center of West Des Moines · Building · Rock Island · listed 1980National Register of Historic Places
Fort Crawford Military Hospital166 miles from the center of West Des Moines · Site · Prairie du Chien · listed 1966National Register of Historic Places
Triangle Battery and Service Company Building179 miles from the center of West Des Moines · Building · Kansas City · listed 2003National Register of Historic Places
Apple River Fort Site187 miles from the center of West Des Moines · Site · Elizabeth · listed 1997National Register of Historic Places

Distances are straight-line from the center of West Des Moines, IA. Many sites are private property or working buildings - view them from the public way. See them on the map.

Historic Forts in West Des Moines, step by step

1
See every listed site of this kind in the area
2
Sort by distance and pick the closest few
3
Read the record for the year, the builder and the use
4
View from the public way and note what has changed
5
Collect the set and move on to the next county

What people in West Des Moines, IA ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in West Des Moines, IA?

Most listed sites can be seen from a public road or sidewalk at no cost, and the app is free to use. Some sites are private homes, working churches or museums with their own hours and fees. The record for each one says what it is, so you know before you go.

Where does the information on these sites come from?

From published records: the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program, and the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Department of Natural Resources marker program. Every site on the page names its source.

Are these buildings open to the public?

Some are, many are not. Churches, courthouses and libraries usually keep regular hours. Houses, barns and mills are often private and best seen from the road. The record for each site tells you which kind it is.

What does it mean when a site is on the National Register?

It means the property was documented and accepted as historically significant. Listing honors the site, it does not open it to visitors or stop an owner from using it.

How a visit works in West Des Moines

Step 1
Find the place
Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In West Des Moines, IA the map shows what is listed around you and how far each one is, so the first decision is where to go, and it takes a few seconds.
Step 2
Read the story
The record behind each marker is kept whole: what happened there, when, who was involved, and why it was worth a sign. You read it standing where it happened, which is the part a textbook cannot give you.
Step 3
Get there under your own power
Walk it, run it, hike it, ride it or drive it. Stops in West Des Moines, IA are chained into routes that fit the way you move, so a lunch break, a long run or a Saturday drive can all pass through history.
Step 4
Collect it and come back
Each stop you reach counts toward a badge, and a photo or a correction you send makes the record better for the next person. The map remembers where you have been, so the next trip starts where the last one ended.