Downtown in Des Moines in Polk County, Iowa — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Hawkeye Insurance Co.
Built 1868
| | By Frederick Hubbell & Ebeneezer Ingersoll | |
Photographed by McGhiever, November 16, 2025
1. Hawkeye Insurance Co. Marker
Oldest Commercial Building in Des Moines
Erected by City of Des Moines.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1868.
Location. 41° 35.127′ N, 93° 37.302′ W. Marker is in Des Moines, Iowa, in Polk County. It is in Downtown. It is on 4th Street north of Court Avenue, on the right when traveling north. The marker is at the northwest corner of the building. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 209 4th Street, Des Moines IA 50309, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Louisiana Purchase.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Ronald W. Reagan (within shouting distance of this marker); Homestead Building (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Savery Hotel (approx. 0.2 miles away); Civil Rights Victory (approx. Ό mile away); The Iowa Commission for the Blind Building (approx. Ό mile away); A Monumental Journey (approx. 0.3 miles away); The First Public Schoolhouse (approx. 0.3 miles away); Birthplace of Des Moines (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Des Moines.
this page online
Photographed by McGhiever, November 16, 2025
2. Hawkeye Insurance Co. building with marker at lower left
Credits. This page was last revised on February 24, 2026. It was originally submitted on February 23, 2026, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota. This page has been viewed 66 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 23, 2026, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
