PLAN YOUR VISIT
Experience The Jordan House, a stately Victorian home of Italianate Gothic design and Bennett School, one of the last one-room schoolhouses built in Iowa.
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BECOME A MEMBER
West Des Moines Historical Society is dedicated to the mission of historic preservation and to educate public about our historic sites in Central Iowa.
MAKE A DONATION
Your tax-deductible contribution supports community enrichment through education, preservation, and celebration of the history of the greater WDM area.
RECENT NEWS
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09
May
2019Exploring Iowa’s Historic Gems
Sunday, May 19 2:30pm West Des Moines Public Library 4000 Mills Civic Parkway Plan your summer staycation Sunday, May 19 at the Iowa Files program, “Exploring Iowa and Its Historic Gems.” This program, presented...
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06
May
2019Jordan House Tours Memorial Day Weekend
The historic Jordan House Museum will be open for tours Friday, May 24 and Sunday, May 26. 75 minute guided tours begin at 11am and 1pm both days. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for youth. Please call 225-1286 if...
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UPCOMING EVENTS
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WEST DES MOINES HISTORICAL SOCIETY - HISTORIC BUILDINGS
The Jordan House Musuem
The Jordan House, a stately Victorian home of Italianate Gothic design, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a member of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program....
The Bennett School Museum
Built in 1926 or ’27 the Bennett School was one of the last one room schools to be built in West Des Moines and was in use until at least 1941. It was originally located on an acre of ground donated...
Jordan House and The Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was a loosely organized system for helping escaped slaves from the southern states reach freedom in the North or Canada in the years before the Civil War.
To learn more about the Underground Railroad, click here.