Friendliest front office staff in all 99 counties. Quick stop to renew permit- staff is helpful! I…read morecould have done it online- which I did not know, but no complaint here.

You know you live in Iowa when it is six degrees above zero and your car windshield is iced over…read moreand you pass a county snowplow clearing ice off a rural street.

When I first moved to the Des Moines metro I lived in the Sherman Hill area and then pretty much…read moremoved to the West side of town. But Des Moines is a pretty small city so I've spent my share of time on the North, South, and East sides too... I had a friend who needed notary services and we were trying to figure out a good place to meet up along with another party. The East Side Library came up as a possible spot. We agreed on a time. I grabbed my ledger, stamp, and a couple of pens and headed in that direction. I'd never been here before. The parking area is pretty good. It's a decent sized lot right off of Hubbell. Not near as big as West Des Moines or Urbandale... But suitable for this facility. The library itself didn't seem near as busy as some of the others in the metro. We quietly grabbed a table. I had a few minutes to look around and check things out as we were waiting for the last of our group to arrive. The East Side Library has that typical library feel to it. It reaks of organization which is unusual to me... I normally live my life in a slightly organized chaos... Lol It looked like they had a pretty good selection of books. Rosie's Ocean...their themed children's area. A fireplace nook for quiet casual reading. Computers and wifi. They appeared to have several meeting rooms available for use. After a few minutes with everyone at the table... Our business was conducted. Notarizations were completed etc. And we were on our way home. While not exactly the biggest libary in the metro... I was impressed by what I saw here! If you live in this area or are just passing through... Stop in and check the East Side Library out!

If you are working on a temporary seasonal job in Iowa and you are staying in a nearby…read morelodging/campground because of this temporary seasonal job, they will let you have a library card for the duration of your stay. You just need to show proof of who you are working for (some type of signed agreement), some proof of where you are staying, and show a driver's license. They don't copy or write down your driver's license. They just need to see it. (I have discovered that Iowa seems to be "alert" on privacy issues.....) I signed up for my temporary stay. This library has a great selection of DVD's and BOOKS ON CD! Those are the two things I was interested in. I didn't check the actual BOOKS, but I'm sure they have what you might want. You can also download E-Books and audio books.

This dam spillway is a fun destination for a picnic a short drive from Des Moines. There seems to…read morealways be someone out here fishing, including anglers using bows. Several picnic spots located here and camping sites.

Please check your surroundings before using the bathrooms. A grown man was hiding out in the…read morewomen's bathroom in the first stall on Memorial Day in 2021. I had to use the restroom, there was already someone in the first stall but I didn't know it was a man in the stall next to me until I seen the huge guy shoes and noticed the hairy legs that it was a grown man. I quickly got my knife out just in case, when another woman walked in (thank God she did.) As soon as she closed the stall door he quickly ran out of the stall and ran outside, so I ran out after him and stood there to find him stumbling over to his group of friends sitting at a picnic table right next to the bathrooms drinking beer. They were all laughing as they watched him stumble back towards their group and he was laughing as well. I couldn't understand what they were saying as they spoke in a different language and I still don't know why he was just sitting in the women's bathroom. It all happened so quick. There were people everywhere, so you wouldn't think something like this could happen, but it did. My family that was waiting outside in the parking lot didn't even know what had happened. So please be cautious, especially if you have kids!

Lady working at the front counter has always been nice. See no problems here. Mailbox outside of…read morepost office is also convenient.

There rural drivers NEED TO USE BLINKERS. The white Jeep has no flasher telling people he/she is…read moreslow driver making frequent stops Also when done at mailbox it just pulls out. Almost hit a car trying to go around it today. Not the first timee I have witnessed this.

Small banquet room. Simple and quiet. Very little decor. We were there for a wedding. Small kitchen…read moreavailable and lots of space for a dance floor. Bathrooms are simple but clean. Great place for an informal family meeting or get together.

Hard working, and quick to take care of you. I believe in people that treat you like family.! If…read moretheres a problem with your health, they come a runnin!! In a total emergency, they calm you down and give you the full expertise they know. And if required they get more help right then and now. I fully support them every year with there Pancake breakfast social, homemade at its best!! Thanks to the many men and women that devote themselves with care and compassion! !!

WOW! The Law Library looks straight out of a fairytale. I swear it looks like the inspiration for…read moreBelle's library in Beauty and the Beast. The gorgeous murals and senate chambers were also impressive. We stopped here on a whim during a recent road trip and were pleasantly surprised by its grandeur and beauty. They offered a free tour, but we opted for a self guided tour instead so we could go on our own pace. We came on a Friday afternoon and someone who worked there told us it's the best day to visit since the place is so busy Mon-Thurs when legislators are in session, that it's often difficult to find a parking spot. But on this quiet Friday morning, we parked in the front row and had no line in front of us as we went through the security metal detector.

My visits to state capitols are few and far between, but after visiting the Iowa State Capitol, I…read morewant to make a point of visiting more whenever I travel to other states. My son started attending law school in Des Moines and so I was trying to see what the city has to offer. Visiting the capitol building was one of the things that kept popping up on things to do. We decided to check it out on a Saturday and luckily they do guided tours which I highly recommend. Completed in 1886, they have done a remarkable job preserving this place and showcasing it's beauty. It sits on top of a hill and offers great views of the city from every side. One of the first things you notice from the outside is the gold dome. The ornate outside facade carries inside where it is just as beautiful. You'll notice intricate wood decor as well as marble, gold and other beautiful materials. You can visit the historic supreme court chambers and see all the offices of state officials. The law library is by far my favorite part of the building. I felt like I was in some movie like Harry Potter or something. You have to see it in person to really comprehend the beauty. The wood and gold along with the spiraling staircases and law books stacked to the high ceiling was cool to see. If you aren't afraid of heights, you can take a long winding staircase at the top of the dome. We were one of the last tours so we didn't really get to really take our time and soak in all this place has to offer. I will most definitely come back next time I am in town visiting the kiddo. It was absolutely something I did not expect to see deep in the Midwest.

We went to Iowa to get married. I did the application through the mail, as there is a three day…read morewaiting period. I called the recorders office several times before I left Austin to make sure I had everything together. The big day arrives. We show up, and, are greeted by a very friendly clerk who goes over the license with us, then sends us on our way to get married. After the Judge did his thing, we went back and got the official copy of the license on the spot. No waiting! The lady who took care of us was super friendly and knowledgeable. Thanks guys. BTW the fee for the license is only $35.

Well the only times I came here was for vehicle registration changes, property tax information, or…read moremarriage license application. I had no idea they had a section of the building known as the Heritage Gallery! This Gallery showcases art works for different occasions from different artists. They update the works every couple months I believe. When we visited, they had local high school art work showcased and it was cool checking them out! The Gallery is not that big, all you need is 15 minutes max to take a look at everything closely and read their descriptions. Of course, this is free admission! There is a staff member at the desk to the Gallery for you to ask any questions about regarding the artwork!