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, built on this site in 1887. The hotel catered to the employees and passengers of the Chicago & North Western Railway, legislators, and state fairgoers. The passenger depot stood just across Walnut Street along East 4th — when trains arrived, hotel representatives rang a gong at the depot to encourage arrivals to stay at the Northwestern.

The original owner, Otto Starzinger, selected the prominent architectural firm of Proudfoot, Bird and Rawson to design his hotel. Planned to be fireproof, the Northwestern Hotel married the latest construction techniques with stately style and classical detail. Today, over a century later, The New Northwestern honors that legacy — offering craft cocktails, gin flights, and an espresso martini worth making the trip for, in the heart of Des Moines’ East Village.