Not that I am campaigning for any particular name here, but I suppose some explanation of the Dragoon name is in order. No, I did not misspell "Dragon," the legendary creature that spews fire. A Dragoon was (and still is) a specific type of soldier in the French Army.You may or may not know that Des Moines (all of Iowa) was the property of France up until a little real estate deal known as "the Louisiana Purchase," sold the rights to the US government. Until that time, French troops were stationed in a little place called "Fort Des Moines." A specific regiment of troops, the Dragoons, patrolled the area thoroughly.
For Iowa's sesquicentennial, signs were placed around the city to mark the trails used by the Dragoons. Many of the trails later became major thoroughfares and others are in the middle of nowhere. Still, the signs are all over the city and connect modern Des Moines to the 19th century French occupiers.
There you go, your free mini history lesson of the day. Feel free to vote however you choose.
