Des Moines, Iowa Trivia Quiz

Answer: Des Moines River and Raccoon River

The Des Moines River is a tributary of the Mississippi River and originates in southern Minnesota. The Raccoon River is a tributary of the Des Moines River. This confluence made the site very attractive to John Dougherty who recommended in 1834 that a settlement be established. The Grand, Mississippi, Missouri, and Wolf Creek all flow through or border Iowa.

Answer: September 1851

In May 1843, James Allen built a fort in this area to serve as a military post for defense against hostile Native Americans. Des Moines was incorporated as a city 22 September 1851. Remains of the old fort are still present.

Answer: Iowa City

Iowa City was the first State capital. Des Moines was given that distinction in 1857. The Old Capitol Building in Iowa City now stands on the University of Iowa campus.

Answer: Tornados and floods

Des Moines and much of Iowa lie in Tornado Alley. Threats from tornados and severe thunderstorms are common, especially in spring and early summer. The nearby Des Moines River and Raccoon River have flooded on occasion. In 1993 the Des Moines Water Works was submerged by flood leaving many of the city residents without drinking water.

Answer: French explorers

The French were the first Europeans to explore this area. The explorers James Marquette and Louis Joliet were there in 1678. Later, Trappist monks lived there in huts.

Answer: 955 feet / 291 meters

The Weather Underground gives the elevation as 955 feet(http://www.wunderground.com/US/IA/Des_Moines.html), however there are other sources have measurements that vary slightly. Des Moines is often thought of as being a flat place in a "flat lands" state, but the variation in elevations throughout the metropolitan area attest to the fact that it does have some hills.

Answer: Polk

There are 99 counties in the state of Iowa. Polk County was formed in 1846, the same year that Iowa attained statehood. Iowa, Decatur, and Des Moines are all Iowa counties. Des Moines County with Dubuque County were the two earliest counties in the area prior to statehood.

Answer: Ronald Reagan

Ronald Wilson Reagan, the 40th President of the United States, was a disc jockey at WHO in Des Moines in the 1930s. He went on to a career in acting and politics.

Answer: Moingonas

There is some dispute as the true origin of the name "Des Moines" but most historians believe that it is French for "River of the Moingonas". It has also been suggested that the name is derived from the Trappist monks who were early settlers there (Moines de la Trappe), and another possible theory is that it is an Indian word for "river mounds" referring to ancient burial sites.
(See http://www.ci.des-moines.ia.us/departments/AC/Information/AChistoricalinfo.htm for more historical information on this topic.)

Answer: The Iowa Star

The Iowa Star was found in 1849. The Iowa Citizen started in 1855 and in 1860 became the Iowa State Register. The Des Moines Register and Des Moines Tribune are both present day newspapers in the city.