Editing Des Moines, Washington (section)

==History==
What was to become Des Moines was first explored by Europeans on May 26, 1792, during the exploration of British naval Captain [[George Vancouver]] on his flagship [[HMS Discovery (1789)|HMS ''Discovery'']]. The first Americans to visit the area were part of [[Charles Wilkes]]' [[United States Exploring Expedition, 1838-1842|Expedition]].

The first known settler was John Moore, who probably arrived ''circa'' 1867. His [[Homestead Act of 1862|homestead]] claim certificate (#285) was granted on July 2, 1872.

In 1887, F.A. Blasher persuaded some friends in his home city of [[Des Moines, Iowa]], to help finance the development of a town on Puget Sound. The work was done by the Des Moines Improvement Company.<ref>{{cite web|title=Des Moines |work=Washington Place Names database |publisher=Tacoma Public Library |url=http://search.tpl.lib.wa.us/wanames/ |access-date=March 6, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090309023858/http://search.tpl.lib.wa.us/wanames/ |archive-date=March 9, 2009}}</ref> In 1889 the area was platted into lots and sold by the Des Moines Improvement Company, which had been incorporated by F. A. Blasher, Orin Watts Barlow, Charles M. Johnson, and John W. Kleeb. Lumber mills provided the community with its primary employment.

Early transportation to Des Moines was by water. The [[Puget Sound mosquito fleet|mosquito fleet]] provided access to [[Seattle]], [[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]], and [[Vashon, Washington|Vashon]]. The first road, the Brick Highway, was completed in May 1916. The first cross-[[Puget Sound]] automobile ferry started service from Des Moines to [[Portage, Washington|Portage]] on November 13, 1916. This ferry service continued until September 1921. Before [[World War II]] farming fueled the local economy.

Following the war, suburbanization of the community took place. With increased population, the county government was unable to supply the level of service and local control desired by Des Moines residents. In response to these needs, Des Moines was officially incorporated on June 17, 1959.

On December 12, 1969, an F3 tornado injured one person near [[Saltwater State Park]].<ref>[http://www.tornadoproject.com/alltorns/wostts.htm] {{dead link|date=March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tornadohistoryproject.com/tornado/Washington/King/map|title=Tornado History Project: King County, Washington|website=Tornadohistoryproject.com|language=en|access-date=March 16, 2018|archive-date=March 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180315004005/http://www.tornadohistoryproject.com/tornado/Washington/King/map|url-status=usurped}}</ref> The city's most visible asset is its 838-berth small boat marina, that was opened on May 10, 1970. In 1980, a {{convert|670|ft|adj=on}} concrete and aluminum fishing pier was built at the northern end of the marina.<ref name="History">One Hundred Years of the "Waterland" Community: A History of Des Moines, Washington, 1989</ref>

Property within the city has been the subject of land buyouts because of noise from aircraft landing or taking off from the [[Seattle–Tacoma International Airport]], which is located {{convert|2|mi}} north of Des Moines.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dmhs.org/timeline/history1970.html|title=Des Moines Historical Society Time Line 1970's|date=July 22, 2007|website=dmhs.org}}</ref>

On November 22, 1982, Des Moines [[annexation|annexed]] the nearby community of Zenith, a farming community founded in 1906 that later became a bedroom community for Boeing workers.<ref>{{cite news |last=Boiko-Weyrauch |first=Anna |date=January 2, 2019 |title=A mysterious dot on an old map, and a Washington man's quest to find it |url=https://kuow.org/stories/what-happened-to-the-town-of-zenith-wa |publisher=[[KUOW (FM)|KUOW]] |access-date=January 5, 2019}}</ref>

[[Image:Des Moines, Washington Panoramic.jpg|thumb|800px|center|A view of Puget Sound and the Normandy Park cove from the fishing pier]]