Chautauqua Park (1923)

By 1918, the trustees of Highland Park College had amassed a debit of $175,000, in an attempt to keep the college afloat.[i] The only way to stop the hemorrhaging was to sell the school. A deal was brokered with the Baptists after eight months of negotiations.[ii]. Union College, Des Moines College, Central College and Highland Park College would all cease to exist.[iii]

Courtesy of Des Moines Register.

Land was purchased in what is now Chautauqua Park. Designs were proposed by a firm in Chicago to model the new campus after Cambridge College and Oxford University, both in England.[iv]When World War I broke out, building material became scarce.[v] The idea of building an entirely new campus was scrapped. The Highland Park College campus would become the new campus for Des Moines College.

The land in Chautauqua Park sat idle for five years until it was decided to sell the land for profit.[vi] Louisville Real Estate and Development Company would be in charge of the sale. 150 lots would be available for home construction. The auction would start at 10:00 a.m. Under a big tent, a band and a luncheon would be provided for the festivities.[vii] Classes at the newly formed Des Moines College were dismissed so the students could partake in the food and music.[viii]

Middle to upper-middle class homes were constructed between Hickman Road, 16th Street and Chautauqua Parkway.[ix] But not everyone was able to buy into the newly built community. The city of Des Moines continued to practice redlining.[x] A former student, Archie Alexander, after making his fortune[xi], decided to purchase a home at 2200 Chautauqua Parkway, in 1944. This was against the rules and his neighbors attempted to force Archie out through intimidation. Archie wasn’t intimidated and later received a court order allowing him to stay.[xii]

Sources:

[i] “Iowa Baptist College Affairs.” Des Moines Register. Des Moines, Iowa. 24 March 1918, p. 14. Newspapers.com. Accessed: 18 December 2016

[ii] “Taken By Baptists for Union College.” Des Moines Register. Des Moines, Iowa: 13 March 1918, p. 1, 10. Newspapers.com. Accessed: 18 December 2016.

[iii] The Tiger. Des Moines, Iowa: Students of Des Moines College, 1920.

[iv] “Baptists in Line to Raise Million for Union College.” Des Moines Register. Des Moines, Iowa: 28 January 1917, p. 30. Newspapers.com. Accessed: 18 December 2016.

[v] “Sale of Chautauqua Park.” Des Moines Register. Des Moines, Iowa, 11 July 1923, p. 13. Newspapers.com. Accessed: 16 July.

[vi] Ibid.

[vii] Des Moines Register. Des Moines, Iowa, 17 July 1923, p. 12. Newspapers.com. Accessed: 16 December 2016.

[viii] “Chautauqua Park Sites to be Sold at Auction Today.” Des Moines Register. Des Moines, Iowa: 17 July 1923, p. 14. Newspapers.com. Accessed: 16 December 2016.

[ix] United States Department of Interior National Park Service. “Chautauqua Park Historic District.” January 1989. Accessed: 18 December 2016.

[x] Gary, Thomas A. The Rise and Fall of Center Street. Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University, 2003, pp. 7 & 13.

[xi] Elm, L.M. “Archie Alexander.” College on the Northside. 26 January 2014. Accessed: 16 December 2016.

[xii] Lutz, Renda. “Ownership of Des Moines Home Was in Dispute.” Des Moines Register. Des Moines, Iowa: 16 February 2000, p. 9AT-SO. Newspapers.com. Accessed: 16 December 2016.