Sherman Hill is the oldest neighborhood in Des Moines. This area has retained an important role in the city’s past since its founding in the 1870s, and its architecture was designated as Des Moines’ first local historical district in 1982. Since 1979, the 80-acre district has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Sherman Hill started when Hoyt Sherman in 1850, the city’s first postmaster, bought five acres of land on what is now 15th Street and Woodland Avenue. Sherman built his mansion in 1877 after a prosperous career as a banker, trader, and lawyer. Later additions to the house included the city’s first public art museum and auditorium. Hoyt Sherman Place is now a historic landmark, and the area is named for him. Following the completion of the Sherman mansion, the majority of the property in Sherman Hill was platted for development between 1877 and 1882. Between 1880 and 1920, single-family residences were erected, while multi-family dwellings were created between 1900 and 1920. The neighborhood attracted prominent business executives and politicians, including Henry Wallace, founder of Wallace’s Farmer; the Younkers brothers; U.S. Senator Lafayette Young; and African American bandleader T. Fred Henry. Sherman Hill, on the other hand, was not an elite neighborhood, as indicated by the variety of home styles. Large and extravagant mansions were built in a variety of Victorian styles, including Queen Anne, Italianate, Eastlake, and others, by wealthy families. Lower-income families were also allowed into the area, where they were housed in smaller, more humble Victorian cottages. Houses were connected by similar architectural characteristics like gable roofs, porches, and ornamental woodwork, which varied in size and scale. In the early 1970s, the area was designated Sherman Hill. Sherman Hill is an “urban” neighborhood with a unique concentration of rich architecture and history found in a few other parts of the Des Moines metro region. Sherman Hill’s popularity stems from its closeness to downtown, the Ingersoll and Cottage Grove Business Districts, and Iowa Methodist Medical Center. The addition of historic street lighting, the success of the annual Walking Tour, the preservation of homes slated for demolition in other parts of the city, and a crime reduction, increased property values. Many of Historic Sherman Hill’s distinctive mansions have been restored to their former magnificence. Gateway Market, an organic and natural food grocery store and eatery, and Smokey Row Coffee, a favorite of students from nearby Drake University, families, and business workers alike, serve the neighborhood. Lua Brewing, a new addition to Downtown DSM, is located next to A Dong Restaurant, a long-time favorite providing Vietnamese cuisine. Aposto, a one-of-a-kind culinary experience located in a charming, candlelit Victorian home, is another fine dining choice in the neighborhood. Gusto Pizza Co., Juniper Moon, Carl’s Place, Boot Barn, and Power Life Yoga are among the neighboring dining, nightlife, shopping, and activities.

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