New plans for West Des Moines arboretum include 300 trees, museum with crafts, playground

The arboretum that's planned in West Des Moines at the site of an old church camp now has a name — Legacy Woods Nature Sanctuary.

West Des Moines made the announcement Tuesday, the morning after the West Des Moines City Council unanimously approved its naming. The arboretum is planned on the site of the former Church of the Nazarene camp at 2251 Fuller Road in West Des Moines.

"As a cohesive blend of nature, history, and learning, Legacy Woods embodies the City of West Des Moines' commitment to fostering a vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable future for generations to come," the city's news release said.

The broader Legacy Woods project will include more than the arboretum, however. The Jordan House Museum next door is owned by the West Des Moines Historical Society but it and a nearby pre-Civil War cemetery, Oak Hill Cemetery, are being marketed as part of the broader Legacy Woods area.

A new plaza and pergola to be at the entrance to the arboretum could be used for weddings, picnics and other celebrations, according to the city's website for Legacy Woods.

And the city and West Des Moines Historical Society also are in the early planning and fundraising stages for a Legacy Woods Heritage Center, which could include space for indoor crafting, exhibits and a community room, according to the website. The center would showcase the city's role in the Underground Railroad and present "immersive exhibits and hands-on traditional crafts" like candle making, leatherworking and quilting that are reminiscent of a different time.

"More than a museum, it will be a vibrant community hub for residents and visitors alike. A space to celebrate our heritage, understand how the past has shaped our present, and carry traditions forward to the future," the city's website says.

Fundraising campaign launched for Legacy Woods Nature Sanctuary

Both the city and the private backers of the project have now started a fundraising campaign to help fund the $3 million in improvements planned for the 30-acres of space north of Grand Avenue and Fuller Road.

Don Schoen, one of the chief private donors and the founder of health and wellness startup BettrLife, said project planners expect to demolish the old church buildings in the spring.

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That will be the first step toward making the property look more like it did when James C. Jordan — the abolitionist whose home-turned-museum was a stop on the Underground Railroad helping slaves reach freedom — tended the land, Schoen said. The Jordan House, built in 1850 and the oldest building in West Des Moines, now serves as both a museum showcasing West Des Moines' history and the office of the West Des Moines Historical Society.

"It's time to make it back to where it was," Schoen said.

Schoen said the plan is to plant more than 300 trees of different ages — healthy trees already growing on site will be left intact — native grasses and pollinator-friendly plants. Features planned include walking trails made of crushed rock or bark, picnic areas, a wetland, a playground, an orchard, a meditation area that also will serve as an outdoor classroom, and new parking at the main entrance off Fuller Road.

The city of West Des Moines bought more than 19 acres of property for the arboretum in June 2023 for more than $2 million. Schoen and Dan Houston, fellow project co-leader and private donor, contributed $1 million between them, Schoen said.

Schoen and Houston, CEO of Principal Financial Group, also have launched a website for the project along with the fundraising campaign, which includes an endowment to maintain the publicly owned arboretum in the future.

"It's our vision not to charge to be on the property," Schoen said.

He said they'd like to complete the fundraising in 18 months. More information about fundraising and the nature sanctuary is available at legacywoods.org/.

Phillip Sitter focuses for the Des Moines Register on reporting on suburban growth and development in the western metro areas. Phillip can be reached via email at [email protected]. He is on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @pslifeisabeauty.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: West Des Moines arboretum plans released as fundraiser begins