Des Moines, Iowa, the state capital, has an economy that is mainly focused on manufacturing, distribution, government, and insurance.  Manufactured products of the city include publishing, food-processing, machinery, metals, plastics, and textiles.  Des Moines has a major insurance industry with about sixty insurance companies in the city making it the third largest insurance center in the world, drawing people to move here and keeping local Des Moines movers busy.  Major companies headquartered in the city include Principal Financial Group, Allied Insurance and Equitable of Iowa. 

History: John Dougherty led the initial establishment of a fort where the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers met.  The fort was built in 1843 by Captain Allen and his group and named Fort Des Moines.  The area quickly grew in population; streets were laid out in 1847 and the city was officially incorporated in 1851.  In 1857, it was agreed upon that Des Moines would be the new capital of Iowa.  Around the turn of the century, a handful of city buildings were built in the center of the city.  The city suffered economic slowdowns during both World Wars, but a major revitalization effort was launched after World War II that led to a prosperous economy in the years to come.            

Tourism: Des Moines International Airport is located five miles outside of the city.  There are several minor-league and collegiate sports teams that reside in the city.  Museums in the city include the Des Moines Art Center, the Center of Science and Industry, and the Iowa Museum of Agriculture.  Other attractions include the state fairgrounds, the Blank Park Zoo, the Des Moines Botanical Center and the capitol building. 

Colleges/Universities:
Drake University
Grand View College
Des Moines University – Osteopathic Medical Center
American Institute of Business
Des Moines Community College (10 Miles)
Iowa State University (33 Miles)

Interesting Facts:
-The state capitol building in Des Moines has a gold-covered dome, which makes it one of only a handful of capitol buildings to have it
-Des Moines has a council-manager city council which is composed of one mayor and six representatives, four of which represent each of the city’s wards and two of which are at-large members.
-The downtown business area of the city has a skywalk system that stretches over 3 ½ miles which allows navigation between buildings without going outside.

Helpful links:

Des Moines Moving Companies