Project Des Moines

Des Moines Zoological Gardens

It all began when L.M. Mann bought 100 acres of land and created a destination. He opened the Des Moines Zoological Gardens on July 4, 1889. The park included an elephant, lions, panthers, kangaroos, monkeys, elk, numerous birds, and other animals. Mann ran the zoo for one year and then sold it to numerous business men who made improvements, including a levy on the south side of the park. In 1912, the property was sold to local businessmen interested in creating an amusement park. The site eventually became the location for Riverview Amusement Park.

In 1912, local businessmen became interested in creating an amusement park in Des Moines. The Zoological Gardens were no longer in use and became the chosen property for Riverview Amusement Park.  An ice company owned the property and had been harvesting ice from the Zoo Lakes. Ice makers were now in use, so the lakes were no longer needed for gathering ice.

George Conradi’s Saloon

In the late 1800s, a notorious establishment stood at 212 Walnut Street: George Conradi’s Saloon. A saloon in a frontier town was not a novelty, but an establishment trying to sell liquor in a dry county or on dry days received attention. From 1847-1873, Iowa bars could only sell beer, apple cider, and wine.

Conradi and his associates received regular mentions in the court section of the newspaper for serving liquor. One article includes an intro stating, “The Temperance People Feel that a Great Victory Has Been Gained and Enter Upon the Fight with Renewed Vigor: A Field Day for Temperance.” 

Eventually the temperance movement passed, and Conradi was able to legally operate his saloon. He moved to 517 Locust in 1897 and sold “fine wines and liquors, imported and domestic cigars.”

The Iowa Bystander

The Iowa State Bystander was established in Des Moines in 1894 as a four-page weekly to serve as the voice of Iowa’s African American community. The first issue was published on June 15, 1894, with a press run of one thousand copies. In 1896, John Lay Thompson, a graduate of the Iowa Business College and student at the Drake University Law School, became the editor. During his 23-year tenure, he enlarged the paper to an eight-page weekly, became the paper's sole owner, increased circulation to 3,400, and changed the name to the Bystander in an effort to appeal to a larger national audience.

In October 1919, Thompson sold the paper to devote himself exclusively to his law practice. After struggling financially for a few months, the new owners named James B. Morris managing editor of the Bystander. The newspaper’s financial woes continued, however, and in 1922 publisher Laurence Jones sold his interest to Morris, who changed its name to the Iowa Bystander. A Des Moines lawyer and Howard University graduate, Morris would serve as owner and publisher of the Iowa Bystander until 1972. Financial difficulties persisted into the 1930s, but thanks to support from Harvey Ingram of the Des Moines Register and other Des Moines businessmen, the Bystander managed to survive the economic depression.