THE NEW NORTHWESTERN

At The New Northwestern, we are excited to highlight the rich history of this building and the East Village neighborhood in our magnificent city. We hope you enjoy a glimpse of the elegance and grace of passenger rail at the turn of the century combined with our modern twist... This building, which opened on August 22nd, 1916, was known as the "New" Northwestern Hotel because it replaced the "Old" Northwestern Hotel, which was built on this site in 1887. The hotel catered to the employees and passengers of the C&NW railroad, legislators, and state fairgoers. The passenger depot was located just across Walnut Street along East 4th and the freight depot was a block north where the Scenic Route Bakery and Café is currently located. When trains arrived, representatives from the hotel went across the street to the depot and rang a gong to encourage arrivals to stay at the Northwestern.

Primary location: Des Moines United States