Historic East Village, the compact commercial and residential neighborhood directly east of Downtown Des Moines, spreads out in front of you. This district is bounded by Interstate 235 on the north, the Des Moines River to your west and south, and East 14th Street to the east, and sits adjacent to the Historic Court District across the river. Part of this area forms a nationally recognized historic district that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2019.
The neighborhood was platted in 1854, and its built landscape tells a layered story: three periods of construction shaped these blocks, the first running from the 1840s to the 1890s. Several of the 40 buildings that make up the historic district are tied to European immigrants — especially Scandinavians and Eastern European Jews — who began settling the city's near east side in the 1870s and 1880s. You can also find many state and municipal buildings here, including the Iowa State Capitol complex, the Iowa Supreme Court, the State of Iowa Historical Museum, and the Des Moines Botanical Gardens.
The Des Moines River wraps the west and south sides, Interstate 235 runs along the north, and East 14th Street marks the eastern edge.