Doors to the Past, 2026 Home Tour: 50th Anniversary

Save the date: The 2026 Sherman Hill Association “Doors to the Past, A Walking Tour of Homes” is back, and will be held September 26-27 from 10am-4pm.

About the tour

Sherman Hill, one of Des Moines’ oldest organized neighborhoods, is listed on the National Register of Historic Districts and features nearly 300 structures developed in the 19th and 20th centuries.

This walking tour—now a Des Moines staple—invites visitors to explore the neighborhood at a leisurely pace while being guided through the history and architecture of approximately 15 historic homes, along with gardens, buildings, and other notable points of interest.

Homes on the tour are in various stages of restoration, offering a rare behind-the-scenes look at both completed projects and works in progress, as homeowners and volunteers share the stories that shape Sherman Hill’s past and present.

About the homes

A district rich in history, Sherman Hill has evolved dramatically from its beginnings in the early 1870s. An initiative to restore the area and many of the buildings back to their original glory began in the 1970s, and Sherman Hill was officially listed in the National Register of Historic Districts in 1982. 

Today the restoration continues, as many of the buildings are still being rehabilitated to their original forms. Sherman Hill is home to more than 150 homes and apartment buildings, representing Victorian, Queen Anne, Italianate, Classic, Stick, and Flemish styles of architecture.

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