The largest of the fifty-one designated neighborhoods is Beaverdale. The Beaverdale Neighborhood, known for its unique brick homes, continues to draw families because of the same characteristics that drew early suburbanites to the area: well-built classic style homes, tree-lined streets, and proximity to shopping, work, and parks. The region was once thought to be the rural western end of nineteenth-century Des Moines, with enormous swaths of land devoted to fruit orchards and truck farms. Early traffic passed through the area on an unpaved stagecoach highway known as the Fort Dodge Stage Road since before the Civil War. In 1903, the road was renamed Beaver Avenue, and brick pavement was added in 1917. Until 1917, when the name Urbandale was formally adopted by a neighboring suburban village, the whole northwest part of Des Moines was known as Urbandale. Soon after, city inhabitants in the region assembled and decided on Beaverdale as the name for their community. The majority of the subdivisions were built between 1920 and 1940, when automobiles were becoming an increasingly important aspect of everyday life. Following the Great Depression of the 1930s, a large building period took place. The local builders used a mix of historic home styles while also using the latest modern comforts in their designs. The stylish Beaverdale Brick houses, built by local contractor E.T. McMurray in 1938, were erected at this time. The subdivisions were mostly planned out in simple grid layouts, which was a common practice in Midwestern urban development. Maryland Park and Ashby Manor are two prominent outliers, both noted for their meandering driveways and early attention to architectural details that produce distinctive and appealing residential settings. The neighborhood’s activities and successes are a crucial influence in attracting new inhabitants to the region. Residents have a long history of community support, which has resulted in considerable changes to this portion of the city, thanks to strong neighborhood groups. Over 50 acres of public parks in the Beaverdale Neighborhood provide a range of recreational opportunities. Ashby, Beaverdale, and Witmer are the three city parks in this neighborhood. Three public elementary schools and one private elementary school serve the Beaverdale area. The bulk of the neighborhood’s elementary school students attend Moore, Monroe, Perkins, and Hillis Elementary schools. There are no secondary school institutions in the local vicinity. Callanan, Harding, and Meredith Middle Schools, as well as Hoover and Roosevelt High Schools, serve students from this neighborhood. Beaverdale is 10 minutes from downtown Des Moines, Drake University and Varsity Theater is 5 minutes away, Merle Hay Mall is 5 minutes away, and Valley West Mall is 10 minutes away. Throughout the year, the Beaverdale Neighborhood Association conducts a variety of activities. In the spring, the neighborhood holds an Easter egg search, a music festival in the summer, and a Christmas lights competition in the winter. On the third weekend in September, the Beaverdale Fall Festival procession takes place.

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