Chautauqua Park Historic District

Chautauqua Park Historic District is a residential area north of Des Moines built between 1925 and 1941, featuring 118 houses and 45 garages across 67 acres. The district sits between 16th Street, Hickman Road, and Chautauqua Parkway with most homes maintaining their original interwar architectural details.

The land served as assembly grounds from 1896 to 1900 with a 3,000-seat hall hosting lectures by prominent senators and speakers including Robert La Follette and Booker T. Washington. After this period, the site was developed into the residential neighborhood it is today.

The homes display Tudor Revival and Beaverdale Brick styles with their distinctive crossed gables and solid brick walls throughout the neighborhood. These architectural features shape how the district looks and feels to visitors walking through today.

The neighborhood is best explored on foot since homes are closely spaced and streets are designed for walking. The adjacent Douglas Park with its natural wooded hillside offers trails and green space within or near the district.

Landscape architect L. Earl Foglesong, who designed the Iowa State Capitol grounds, created the street layout of the neighborhood. He skillfully incorporated the natural wooded hillside of Douglas Park into his overall design scheme.