Des Moines Public Library offers databases, city directories and more

Des Moines Public Library
A screenshot of the library’s new Project Des Moines local history website.

The Des Moines Public Library offers research tools, databases, and more for local history buffs or anyone interested in digging into the past. 

Not only do we have hundreds of books and directories in our physical collection, but our local history resources online continue to expand. Find them by going to dmpl.org and clicking on the Research menu at the top of the page. Here’s part of what we have to offer online.

Histories and Images 

The Research section of dmpl.org hosts a large collection of images and histories digitized for easy access. This includes everything from historic publications and programs celebrating historic milestones, to photos showing Des Moines at night in the early 20th century, to postcards, old city street plans, and more. 

Our Flickr collections also offer a great look at the past. Colored prints show scenes from the old Riverview Park, the old Central Library, and the way Walnut Street used to look when automobiles just started coming off assembly lines. There are 10 different albums, each with dozens of photos and prints. (These can be found by visiting the Research pages at dmpl.org.)

An archived digital image of Riverview Park (1928) from the Des Moines Public Library’s special collection.

Directories 

An easy way to get started on local history research is to view our collection of city directories. The directories contain an alphabetically arranged list of businesses, firms, and private citizens, and their historic address when available. Those items are also sorted by street address and number, making it easy to learn what past businesses or homes stood at current addresses. The Des Moines Public Library has digitized historic directories from 1860-1922 available online, as well as print directories from 1910-present and phone books from 1957-present available to view in person at the Central Library.

Project Des Moines

For an in-depth look at some niche local stories, check out our new digital resource, Project Des Moines. Each Project Des Moines “story” gives information about a special person, place or event in Des Moines’ history and includes great photos. You can quickly discover the history of streetcars and trolleys in Des Moines, including when they spanned the rivers downtown. You can learn why that one apartment building on Martin Luther King, Jr. Parkway has “BREWERY” painted across the front of it. Relive the blizzard of 1973 that dumped a foot of snow on the metro and, find out more about the life of Hoyt Sherman (yes, he is related to the famous Civil War general William Tecumseh Sherman).

Check it out at projectdesmoines.dmpl.org.

High School Yearbooks

Take a peak back at your own history by checking out our digital collection of yearbooks from Des Moines high schools. The library has digitized hundreds of yearbooks from all current Des Moines high schools, as well as now defunct high schools, like West High and Technical High. Discover the past at dmpl.org/yearbooks.
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2021/03/26/des-moines-public-library-offers-databases-city-directories-and-more/6980471002/
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