Hoyt Sherman Place, located on the eastern border of Des Moines’ historic Sherman Hill area, is one of the city’s most outstanding entertainment, banquet, and conference venues. The beautiful family house, built in 1877 by notable pioneer industrialist Hoyt Sherman, has marble fireplaces, parquet flooring, and a carved mahogany doorway. The structure has been expanded throughout the years to accommodate an astonishing and exquisite art museum as well as a magnificent and historic theater. Hoyt Sherman, a former Postmaster and Army Paymaster appointed by Abraham Lincoln, was a well-liked Iowan. Sherman was a great do-gooder who gave to Iowa schools, a waterworks system, and a variety of other essential infrastructure in addition to his prestigious positions. In 1977, the home was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Iowa Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame inducted Hoyt Sherman Place in 2015. Hoyt Sherman Place has been a cultural symbol in Iowa for well over a century. This once-family house has been a significant part of the Des Moines community for a long time, and it’s not simply because of nostalgia. Rather, it’s the gorgeous auditorium and world-class performers on stage that keep the seats full and the tickets flying off the shelves. The Des Moines Women’s Club decided in 1885 that establishing an art collection in the city was a key goal. The first thing they bought was a bronze figure of Joan of Arc from the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. Hoyt Sherman Place still has this sculpture on exhibit. With purchases from the Women’s Club and a substantial contribution of art and artifacts from Major S.H.M. Byers, author of The Song of Iowa and Sherman’s March to the Sea, and his wife, Margaret, in 1912, as well as other wealthy contributors from the Des Moines region, the collection continued to grow. The Hoyt Sherman Place Gallery still has the bulk of these pieces on display. Well-known painters such as Otto van Veen, Robert Reid (American Painter), Edwin Lord Weeks, and Andrea del Verrocchio are credited with some of the works. Hoyt Sherman Place became the Des Moines Women’s Club’s headquarters in 1907. The first theater was constructed in 1923. A substantial theater restoration project was completed in 2004. There are 1,252 seats available in the old theater. Dwight Yoakam, Dave Chappelle, Martina McBride, and David Sedaris are just a few of the big names that have played at the Hoyt Sherman Place Theater. The Club also built an art gallery, the city’s first public art museum. The Hoyt Sherman Place Foundation was established in 1995 to offer long-term care and protection for the house and collection, as well as to manage day-to-day activities. The Women’s Club continues to meet and contribute to the historic home’s prosperity. Hoyt Sherman Place is now a historic site that offers tours, art exhibitions, concerts, performances, and special events.

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