Page 80 - Reflect DSM (City of Des Moines, IA)

Fort Des Moines: An Extraordinary History

While survey work often begins at a
high level, these efforts can uncover
unique histories that contribute to an
understanding of the community. Fort
Des Moines is one such example, and
was designated a National Historic
Landmark in 1976 most notably as
the first and only training site for black
officers and for its associations with
the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corp
(WAAC). Among its few extant buildings
are Clayton Hall, built in 1903, which
originally housed unmarried officers and Figure 1. Clayton Hall (Source: Presentation for Landmark Review
later married officers and their families, Board, February 2021, completed by Jack Porter and Kelli Lydon)
and the Chapel built in 1910. These buildings were recently named local landmarks
by the City of Des Moines. Clayton Hall now houses the Fort Des Moines Museum and
Education Center.

These remnant buildings of what was
once a 640-acre site with more than 100
buildings organized around a central
parade ground are a springboard into
the larger story of Fort Des Moines and
its resonance in the City of Des Moines,
the Civil Rights Movement, women’s
history, and the nation. In particular, it is
a chance to understand and celebrate
the important contributions and
enduring legacies of the men who made
Figure 2. WAACs in formation in front of their barracks at Fort Des their way to Fort Des Moines as officer
Moines (Source: Fort Des Moines Museum) candidates. Many were recruited from
Historically Black Colleges and Universities and were among the most highly educated
of their generation. Some 639 of them would receive military commissions and another
116 became medical and dental officers. In spite of facing widespread discrimination
upon their return from service, they would go on to become leading journalists, civil
rights activists, educators, and lawyers. Many returned to Des Moines to start businesses
such as the Community Pharmacy on Center Street, the commercial hub of the black
community, and the Iowa Bystander published from 1922-1972. Twelve Des Moines
lawyers, at least two of whom were Fort Des Moines officers, founded the National
Bar Association because they were excluded from the American Bar Association.
The National Bar Association continues to serve black lawyers with more than 67,000
members and some 80 chapters across the country.

At Fort Des Moines, historic preservation policies and approaches can help save and
steward two historic buildings, but they can also save and steward an exceptional
American story that continues to reverberate in Des Moines and the nation today.

74 DES MOINES Citywide Historic Preservation Plan