Henry Wallace Millennium Tree – Des Moines, IA - Millennium Trees on Waymarking.com

The Henry Wallace House may be historic, but the tree standing outside the home is special in its own right. In the year 2000, the 100 year old oak tree was designated as the state of Iowa’s official Millennium Tree by the White House Council. The giant tree stands on the north side of the house on the corner of 16th and Center streets. Although there is no plaque present at the site, the Millennium Tree website states:

The Henry Wallace House’s Oak Tree in Des Moines. Young Henry Wallace walked by this tree on his way to school before going on to serve as Secretary of Agriculture (1932-1940), Vice President (1940-1944) and Secretary of Commerce (1945-1946).

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Henry Wallace and his wife moved to the Sherman Hill neighborhood of Des Moines in 1892 when he became editor of the Wallace’s Farmer publication. Their son, Henry C. Wallace became U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, and their grandson Henry A. Wallace served as U.S. Vice President under Franklin D. Roosevelt, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, and U.S.Secretary of Commerce. The home stayed in the family until 1940 and was divided into apartments and rented out from the 1950’s until the 1970’s. The house was restored by the Wallace House Foundation in 1988 and is used as a museum and office space. The fenced garden was re-established and dedicated to Wallace’s great-granddaughter in 2008.

The house and tree can be found at 756 16th St., Des Moines.

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