Des Moines was founded in May 1843 when Captain James Allen built a fort on the site where the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers merge. Allen wanted to use the name Fort Raccoon, but the American War Department told him to name it Fort Des Moines. The French "Des Moines" translates literally to "Of The Monks." Although there is some confusion as to what it actually means. The generally-accepted explanation is that it came from the French explorers' interpretation of "river of the Moingonas," The Moingonas were the aboriginal tribe living in the area at the time of settlement.
Settlers came and lived near the fort, and on May 25, 1846, Fort Des Moines became the seat of Polk County. On September 22, 1851, it was incorporated as a city with its own charter approved in a vote on October 18. In 1857, the name Fort Des Moines was shortened to Des Moines alone and it was made the capital of Iowa.
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