Self-guided Sightseeing Tour #8 in Des Moines, United States

The Sylvan Theater Historic District, also known as Greenwood Park Outdoor Theater, is located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1995.

Wikipedia: Sylvan Theater Historic District (EN), Website, Heritage Website

The Byron and Ivan Boyd House, also known as Boyd Cottage, is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Built in 1924, the 2½-story Tudor Revival half-timbered cottage is located in an up-scale neighborhood. The neighborhood is composed of large private residential lots with numerous mansions built in the first half of the 20th century for the city's prominent citizens. Its significance is its association with Byron Bennett Boyd. He was a local architect, and a nationally recognized artist and painter. Boyd was the architect that designed this house, and lived here from 1924 to 1945. He began practicing architecture at the prominent Des Moines firm of Proudfoot, Bird and Rawson before setting up his own practice in 1916 with Herbert Moore. His work includes Salisbury House (1923), Fred W. Hubbell mansion, known as Helfred Farms (1928), and the Ralph Rollins House (1926). Boyd's wife, Ivan Bloom Hardin, owned her own publishing company.

Wikipedia: Byron and Ivan Boyd House (EN), Heritage Website

St. Augustin Catholic Church is a Catholic parish in the Diocese of Des Moines located on the west side of Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It was included as a contributing property in the Greenwood Park Plats Historic District and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013.

Wikipedia: St. Augustin Catholic Church (Des Moines, Iowa) (EN), Url

Plymouth Place is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Construction of the building was initiated by Plymouth Congregational Church, which faces Plymouth Place on the opposite side of Ingersoll Avenue. Ground-breaking occurred on June 12, 1966. Completed in 1968, the 12-story structure rises to a height of 161.01 feet (49.08 m). This circular residential building was designed by local architect Raymond Hueholt. It has an unusual interior plan where a common central living room area is surrounded by peripheral living units. The building is also significant for providing quality affordable senior housing for low-income people regardless of religion or creed. At the time the Greenwood Park Plats Historic District was nominated for the National Register of Historic Places in 2013 it was considered a non-contributing property in the district, but it was considered significant on its own. The building was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.

Wikipedia: Plymouth Place (EN), Heritage Website

West Chester, also known as the D.S. Chamberlain House and Wesley Acres, is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Designed by Boston architect William George Rantoul, it is considered an excellent example of Jacobethan Revival architecture in the city. It was featured in a couple of publications after its completion. The inspiration for the house's design were the half timbered homes in Chester, England. It features five gables and dormers on the main facade that rise above the ridged roofline and three tall chimneys with separate shafts for each flue. There are two gabled wings on the south elevation of the house. The second floor has six bed & breakfast rooms.

Wikipedia: West Chester (Chamberlain Mansion, Des Moines, Iowa) (EN), Heritage Website

The Mahnke House is an historical residential building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. The house was built by prolific Des Moines builder Fred W. Weitz in 1909 in the Prairie School style. The exterior is covered in Flemish bond brick veneer. It features a hip roof, a single-story west side solarium, a rear porch and a flat-roofed centered front portico with a raised entrance and square paned window lights. George and Emma Mahnke owned the house between 1909 and 1952 when they transferred the property to the Des Moines Annual Conference of the Methodist Church. The house then became the residence of the organization's superintendents. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, and it was included as a contributing property in the Ingersoll Place Plat Historic District in 2000.

Wikipedia: Mahnke House (EN), Heritage Website

The Mary A. and Caleb D. Scott House is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. This 2½-story dwelling features a hipped roof with gablets, various gables, reeded panels along cornice and base, and a shed-roofed porch with brackets, turned columns, and an open grill. The property on which it stands is one of ten plats that were owned by Drake University. The house's significance is attributed to the effect of the University's innovative financing techniques upon the settlement of the area around the campus. Charles H. Atkins and R.T.C. Lord owned the property between 1887 and 1888. Mary A. Scott bought the property in 1888 and the house was built the following year. She lived here in 1889 with Caleb D. Scott, a streetcar conductor, and James L. Scott, who was retired. The Scotts lived here until 1899. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Wikipedia: Mary A. and Caleb D. Scott House (EN), Heritage Website

The Anson O. Reynolds House is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. This 2½-story dwelling features a hipped roof with a gablet, various gables, sunburst patterns, reeded panels, fishscale shingles, and bargeboards. The property on which it stands is one of ten plats that were owned by Drake University. The house's significance is attributed to the effect of the University's innovative financing techniques upon the settlement of the area around the campus. The University Land Company sold the property to S.B. Tuttle who was one of the first directors of the University Land Company. He sold it to the Reynolds in 1888, and they owned it until at least 1925. The house, built in 1890, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Wikipedia: Anson O. Reynolds House (EN), Heritage Website

The Nellie and Thomas Knotts House is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. This two-story dwelling is a gabled-ell type house that features a chamfered front section with gable-end detail, fishscale shingles, and a hipped porch. The property on which it stands is one of ten plats that were owned by Drake University. The University sold this lot and two others to Adam Howell in 1886. He sold this lot to Harold R. Howell in 1891. Nellie J. and Thomas H. Knotts acquired the property in 1893, and the house was built the following year. Knotts was president of Iowa Printing Company and then became a manager of the Union Mutual Life Insurance Company. He and his wife resided here until at least 1907. Its significance is attributed to the effect of the University's innovative financing techniques upon the settlement of the area around the campus. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Wikipedia: Nellie and Thomas Knotts House (EN), Heritage Website

The Lampson P. Sherman House is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. This 2½-story frame dwelling features crossed gables that create a cross shape, shingles in the gable ends, porch and gable end brackets, and turned porch columns. The property on which it stands is one of ten plats that were owned by Drake University. The house's significance is attributed to the effect of the University's innovative financing techniques upon the settlement of the area around the campus. Hoyt Sherman bought the property from the University Land Company in 1885. The house was built in 1888 and Sherman sold it to his brother Lampson, who was a student at Drake, two years later. The house remained in the Sherman family until 1904. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Wikipedia: Lampson P. Sherman House (EN), Heritage Website

The Mrs. Marian D. Vail-Prof. Charles Noyes Kinney House is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. This 2½-story frame dwelling follows an irregular plan and features a truncated hipped roof, various gables, a shed-roofed front porch with turned columns, fishscale shingles, and reeded panels along the gable ends. The property on which it stands is one of ten plats that were owned by Drake University. The house's significance is attributed to the effect of the University's innovative financing techniques upon the settlement of the area around the campus. Marian Vail acquired the property in 1884, and the house was built in 1889. Her daughter Jennie was a Drake student at that time. Charles Noyes Kinney, who bought the house in 1914, taught chemistry at the University for 30 years and served as the State Chemist for around 15 years. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Wikipedia: Mrs. Marian D. Vail-Prof. Charles Noyes Kinney House (EN), Heritage Website

The Hill McClelland Bell House is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Built 1902, the 2½-story structure features a rectangular plan, a gable front, and a wrap-around porch. Decorative elements include wood shingles in the gable end, and some of the windows have a diamond mullion pattern. The house's significance is derived from its association with Hill McClelland Bell, president of Drake University from 1902 to 1918. This was a period of dramatic growth for the college. It was during his tenure that the institution was accredited with the North Central Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges, the establishment of a faculty pension, an increase in the school's endowment, a decrease in its debts, eminent professors joined the faculty, and several colleges were reorganized. Enrollment increased during this period of time, and five significant buildings were built on campus. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Wikipedia: Hill McClelland Bell House (EN), Heritage Website

The Professor Charles O. Denny House is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It is a 2½-story dwelling that follows an irregular plan. It features a hipped roof with gablets and additional gables, fishscale shingles, bargeboards, reeded panels that form the cornice, and a wraparound porch with a pedimented entry. The property on which it stands is one of ten plats that were owned by Drake University. The University sold the lot to C.O. Denny in 1892, and he had the house built the following year. Denny was a Latin professor at Drake and lived nearby. He seems to have bought the property for speculative purposes. Its significance is attributed to the effect of the University's innovative financing techniques upon the settlement of the area around the campus. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Wikipedia: Professor Charles O. Denny House (EN), Heritage Website

The Dr. Richard and Paulina Stuart House is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. This 2½-story frame dwelling follows an irregular plan and features a hipped roof, gablet, and various gables. The property on which it stands is one of ten plats that were owned by Drake University. The house's significance is attributed to the effect of the university's innovative financing techniques upon the settlement of the area around the campus. The property was bought by Mary A. Scott and her husband in 1889 from E.N. Curl, a stockholder in the University Land Company. They sold part of the lot in 1891 to Dr. Richard and Paulina D. Stuart. The house was built by 1895. The Stuarts continued to own the property until 1907. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Wikipedia: Dr. Richard and Paulina Stuart House (EN), Heritage Website

The Richard T.C. Lord and William V. Wilcox House is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. This 2½-story dwelling follows a crossed gable plan that features elements of both the Colonial Revival and Queen Anne styles. The Colonial Revival influence includes grouped round porch columns and a pedimented porch entry. The Queen Anne influences include its massing, the brackets at the gable end, the second story corner porch, bargeboards, shingles, and the large porch. The property on which it stands is one of ten plats that were owned by Drake University. The house's significance is attributed to the effect of the university's innovative financing techniques upon the settlement of the area around the campus. Lord was a realtor, one of the organizers of the University Land Company, and he was a member of the first board of trustees of the university. He lived here from 1888 to around 1890 when he sold it to W.V. Wilcox, an insurance agent for Hawkeye Insurance Company. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Wikipedia: Richard T.C. Lord and William V. Wilcox House (EN), Heritage Website

The Francis M. Kirkham House is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It is a two-story dwelling that follows an irregular plan. It features a hipped roof with gablets, decorative wood shingles in the gable end, bargeboards, reeded panels that form the cornice, a gabled bay placed at an angle, bracketed eaves, and decorative window surrounds. The property on which it stands is a part of one of ten plats that were owned by Drake University. The University sold the lot to Francis M. Kirkham in 1886, and he had the house built by 1888 and resided in it. Kirkham was a Disciples of Christ minister and editor of the Christian Oracle. He was also one of the first trustees of Drake University. Its significance is attributed to the effect of the University's innovative financing techniques upon the settlement of the area around the campus. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Wikipedia: Francis M. Kirkham House (EN), Heritage Website

Cottage Grove Avenue Presbyterian Church is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.

Wikipedia: Cottage Grove Avenue Presbyterian Church (EN), Website, Heritage Website

The George B. Peak House, also known as New Life Eternity House, is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It is a 2½-story brick dwelling that features a hipped roof with a flat deck, pedimented dormers, and a portico with freestanding columns. It was built for George M. Peak who came to Des Moines in 1888 from Kentucky. He worked as the local manager of the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the U.S. before he organized the Central Life Assurance Society of the U.S. in 1896. He served as president of the later until his death. He also promoted the Insurance Exchange building in Des Moines, and advocated for the construction of Keosauqua Way. After Peak died in 1923 the house was acquired for use as a fraternity and then a sorority house for Drake University. It has since been converted into a multi-family dwelling. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Wikipedia: George B. Peak House (EN), Heritage Website