The Des Moines Heritage Trust, a nonprofit organization dedicated to saving historic buildings in the city of Des Moines, has purchased the 1909 train depot located in the Historic East Village. The former East Des Moines Union Depot will be renovated and renamed the Des Moines Heritage Center. The depot itself will become a museum to house Des Moines artifacts and create a new meeting space for local historical organizations. A second building will be constructed next to the depot to serve as an event center. It will be available for weddings, corporate meetings, and other public events in the summer of 2019.
Revised DM Heritage Center drawing.
You can be a part of this. Purchase an engraved brick for the plaza area, which may include 3 lines of your choice. Go the the website - http://desmoinesheritagetrust.org/buy-custom-engraved-paving-brick/
The restoration and construction officially BEGINS!!!
A video from Matthew Davenport https://www.facebook.com/DSMHeritageCenter/posts/1126077504258896
The current DMHT Board is: Tim Waddell, Chair, John Brown, Vice-Chair, Ann Schmid, Treas.; Pat Meiners, Sec'y.; Tim Hielkema, Derek Lord, Jeff Geerts, Tim Rypma and Connie Boesen Board Members.
Donations may be made online through the website - www.desmoinesheritagetrust.org or mail to DMHT, PO Box 175, Des Moines, IA 50301.
Des Moines Heritage Trust is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of historic properties in the Des Moines metropolitan area.
The Editorial Board of the Register gave the DM Heritage Trust a ROSE for the preservation of the East Union Depot.
https://tenor.com/view/rose-emoji-sparkle-flowers-gif-11486783
A rose to the Des Moines Heritage Trust for rescuing one of the city's most endangered historic buildings: the Union Depot at 5th and Court. The nonprofit lobbied to save it from demolition and raised $3 million to restore it. The 110-year-old building was once the main east-side train depot and is one of only two Flemish Renaissance-style depots in the United States.
Industrial warehouses have hidden the depot from view for years. Once restored, it will house offices for the Trust, historical documents, photographs and other mementos. A new building constructed next to it will be an events center available for rentals and for historical organizations to provide educational and cultural programming.
Just as exciting, the organization plans to leverage the property to establish a line of credit allowing the purchase and rehabilitation of other historic properties. That is truly long-term dedication to preserving our history.
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/editorials/2019/06/12/des-moines-city-council-discrimination-housing-reynolds-miller-depot-prison/1416237001/?fbclid=IwAR1snADlA33x0OTxOTCsnytwIstee47UUdSpRLop8jNErIjc8TMfHTezW_o
The news just keeps on coming as we count down to groundbreaking! Our construction manager, Hildreth Construction did a test hole in the concrete cap (which is 3 feet above the original floor) and found the original floor of the depot is red clay pavers!!!! How exciting is that. Check it out below!
Adding some the new final renderings of the Event Center! Stay tuned for information on Groundbreaking coming soon! Enjoy!
Come down to the Iowa Tap Room, enjoy a flight of Peace Tree beers and support the Des Moines Heritage Center!
Thank you to everyone who purchased our January Charity Flight for BIKEIOWA.com. We have partnered with Peace Tree Brewing Company for the month of February and $2 from each Charity Flight sold during February will be donated to Des Moines Heritage Trust! To learn more about Des Moines Heritage Trust's mission, please visit their page or www.desmoinesheritagetrust.org!
The Charity Flight this month consists of Peace Tree Brewing Company Blonde Fatale, Cold Brew Coffee Stout, Grapefruit No Coast, and I Can't Believe It's Not Bitter. Stop in anytime during the month of February, purchase a Charity Flight, and help us raise money for Des Moines Heritage Trust!
The attached map is a close up of the East Des Moines Union Depot site in the early 20th century. It’s exciting to see the area to the south was completely paved with bricks on both sides of the tracks to accommodate both east and west bound travelers. We are grateful to Dana Grefe who owns the larger version of this Des Moines Railroad map and allowed us to photograph it! Thanks to Chris Goepel for the great photography. Enjoy!
The search is finally over! Thanks to a generous donation from Christian Goepel, Des Moines Heritage Trust acquired the original blueprint for the East Des Moines Union Depot. It is dated June 1909! The depot served as a passenger station from 1910 to 1950.
Very excited to announce the Des Moines Heritage Center has received a $100,000 Legacy Grant from Prairie Meadows as part of their 2018 grants! A big thank you to Prairie Meadows Board and staff! http://boothpic.co/k8nxu
Thanks to Michael R. Callison for this great shot of the depot! We love seeing support from our community in a variety of ways.
We are very excited to announce that we've been awarded a Bravo Greater Des Moines Captial Campaign Grant. Thank you for your partnership!
DES MOINES, Iowa -- Bravo Greater Des Moines awarded $450,000 of capital campaign and project grants to 12 central Iowa arts, culture and heritage organizations. The biggest grant this year is $90,000 for the Des Moines Heritage Trust. They are using the money to restore a 99-year-old railroad depot...
Thanks to the everyone who came today for the Depot Work Day! Thistles all dug, 15 yard and waste bags filled, 12 huge garbage bags filled, low tree branches cut, yard area de-rocked for mowing, sidewalks scraped and leveled. It looks great and ready for mowing and usual maintenance! Great job everyone!!!
Iowa Culture
After decades of serving Des Moines' East Village, this 1909 train depot was in danger of being demolished. Thanks to the efforts of the Des Moines Heritage Trust, it will instead be preserved and continue to serve the community for years to come.
Learn more about preservation projects like this from here in Iowa and across the country at FORUM 2018 this July in Des Moines: napcommissions.org/forum
To-MAY-to, to-MAH-to. However you say it, the depot was converted to store ‘em in the 1950s.
Here's a throwback to an old article. By working to restore the depot, we've already checked one building off this list! We're excited to be making progress in preserving Des Moines history.
A local preservation group has named its most endangered buildings in the city
Want to know more about our vision for the depot renovation? Check out this video from our friends at the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines!
How much do you know about our neighboring historic East Village? Check out these photos!
From Then Till Now: East Village Located on the east side of the Des Moines River in downtown Des Moines, the East Village begins at the Des Moines River and extends east to the Iowa Capitol Complex (East 14th Street). The northern edge of the neighborhood is Interstate I-235, and the southern borde...
We’re sweet on you this Valentine’s Day. Thank you to all our supporters and Market District neighbors for helping us revitalize the depot!
Now here's something we don't mind about the snow . . . postcard views of our favorite depot! Thank you, Tim Waddell, for the photo.
Check this out! The folks in Eldon, Iowa also restored their train depot to be a railroad museum and community meeting place.
Chartered in 1853, for the express purpose of building a rail route through southeastern Iowa, connecting Keokuk on the Mississippi with Fort Des Moines in the center of the state, the Keokuk, Fort Des Moines and Minnesota Rail Road Company reached Ashland Crossing in 1859. After an additional seven...
Did you know? The depot architecture was inspired by the Flemish Renaissance style. We think it looks great!
We’re proud to be a part of revitalizing the Market District by saving the depot!
The East Des Moines Union Depot is a historical gem set for a big transformation.
Today we found an early photo of the East Des Moines Union Depot after its conversion but not completely changed. Lots of early features still show up including the tile roof!
Did you make a New Year’s resolution to support your community? To preserve the past? Or even to buy cooler gifts in 2018? Act on it now! Buy a brick to support the depot.
Buy a custom-engraved paving brick Help support Des Moines Heritage Trust by purchasing a custom-engraved paving brick dedicated to you, your business or a loved one. Paving bricks can be engraved with your personal inscription by making a $125 donation to Des Moines Heritage Trust. Instructions: Co...
Did you know? The Depot was originally built for $7,500 in 1909. That’s $194,377.45 today!
We're making things festive on our own for the new year! The future is bright for the depot in 2018!
We love the Depot, and we know you do too. Share the reasons why you want to see the Depot preserved in the comments!
Did you know the depot is technically located in the Market District? The district is defined as the area between East Court Avenue and East Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and between the Des Moines River and the State Capitol grounds.
Sitting to the south of Downtown Des Moines' (DSM's) Historic East Village, the Market District is one of the youngest neighborhoods in the city.
We're decking the halls for the holidays!
This Giving Tuesday, consider buying a brick or donating to the restoration efforts of the East Union Depot. Either follow the link below or click the "Donate" button on our page.
Thank you to all of our donors who are helping us revive a community landmark! #GivingTuesday
These two early newspaper articles were found by Pat Meiners today! They give great information about the controversy to build the depot, cost of the depot and that they would build a depot with architectural significance. Enjoy a story from 1908 and the infancy of our depot.
The East Union Depot is in good company. There are more than 60 beautifully restored former railroad depots in use across Iowa. Check them out!
attractions
Demolition officially began earlier this week! Talk about a transformation — this is the first time the whole depot has been visible since the warehouse was built in 1951.
THINGS ARE PROGRESSING! MidAmerican disconnected the gas lines today in preparation for removal of the gray block building on the north. The survey stakes are in for the reconfigured lot. YES, IT'S REALLY HAPPENING! (Not sure how the camera date got changed, it should be 10/2/17.)
We're excited to kick off the renovations and start the next phase in the long, historic life of the old East Union Depot!
Thank you to everyone in the community who celebrated with us on September 20, 2017. We're excited to kickoff the renovations and start the next phase in the long, historic life of the old East Union Depot.
Thank you to everyone in the community who celebrated with us on September 20, 2017. We're excited to kickoff the renovations and start the next phase in the long, historic life of the old East Union Depot.
Use this web page to order bricks for the Courtyard. http://desmoinesheritagetrust.org/buy-custom-engraved-paving-brick/
Buy a custom-engraved paving brick Help support Des Moines Heritage Trust by purchasing a custom-engraved paving brick dedicated to you, your business or a loved one. Paving bricks can be engraved with your personal inscription by making a $125 donation to Des Moines Heritage Trust. Instructions: Co...
Des Moines Heritage Center
Thanks to our savvy Des Moines friends for finding the depot during our social media scavenger hunt! We're excited to see how the renovated space will bring the community together.
"It's exciting because none of these historical organizations have had a home before." — Tim Waddell, vice-chair of the Des Moines Heritage Trust.
DES MOINES - A historic East Village building will soon have a new purpose.
Des Moines Heritage Center's cover photo
Don't forget! We'll be at the Des Moines' Downtown Farmers' Market tomorrow. Stop by our photo booth to hear the newest renovation details, ways to get involved, and to say hey!
120 E. 5th St.
Des Moines, IA
50309
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State Historical Society of Iowa
600 E Locust StState Historical Museum of Iowa
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100 Locust StScience Center of Iowa & Blank IMAX Dome Thea
401 W Martin Luther King Jr PkwyGreater Des Moines Botanical Garden
909 Robert D Ray DrItalian - American Cultural Center of Iowa
1961 Indianola AveDrake University Campus Historic District
2701 Carpenter AveAnderson Gallery, Drake University
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1310 25th St.
State Historical Museum of Iowa
600 E Locust St
State Historical Society of Iowa
600 E Locust St
World Food Prize Hall of Laureates
100 Locust St
