Hotel Fort Des Moines facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Hotel Fort Des Moines
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | 10th and Walnut Sts. Des Moines, Iowa |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1918-1919 |
| Architect | Proudfoot, Bird & Rawson |
| NRHP reference No. | 82002636 |
| Added to NRHP | September 16, 1982 |
The Hotel Fort Des Moines is a historic building in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It was added to the important National Register of Historic Places list in 1982. This means it's a special place recognized for its history and architecture.
A Look Back: Hotel Fort Des Moines' Story
The idea for the Hotel Fort Des Moines came from four businessmen in Des Moines. They were Richard R. Rollins, Frederick C. Hubbell, Clyde Herring, and Norman M. Wilchinski. They wanted to create a grand hotel for the city.
A well-known architecture company, Proudfoot, Bird & Rawson, designed the building. The hotel first opened its doors in 1919. Since then, many famous people have stayed there.
- Twelve different U.S. Presidents have been guests. These include Woodrow Wilson, Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, and George H. W. Bush.
- Other famous visitors include actress Mae West and aviator Charles Lindbergh. Even Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev stayed at the hotel.
- The singer Tiny Tim lived at the hotel for several years in the early 1990s.
The hotel closed for updates on November 13, 2015. It is set to reopen as a Curio Collection Hilton Worldwide hotel.
Building Design: Hotel Fort Des Moines' Architecture
The Hotel Fort Des Moines is an eleven-story building. It stands about 140 feet (43 m) tall. There are also two floors located underground. The building has three elevators to help guests move between floors.
The hotel rooms are in a nine-story section shaped like the letter "H". This design helps more rooms get natural light and fresh air. This "H" shaped part sits on top of a two-story base. This base holds the public areas and shops.
You can think of the building's outside like a classic column. It has three main parts:
- A strong base at the bottom.
- A tall, mostly plain middle section, like the shaft of a column.
- A decorated top part, just below the roofline, called a cornice.
Most of the fancy decorations are found on the lower floors and near the very top of the building.
