Venue: Sylvan Theater Historic District
Town: Des Moines, US

The Sylvan Theater Historic District, also known as Greenwood Park Outdoor Theater, is located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1995. Outdoor locations for pageants and festivals grew in popularity on college campuses in the United States during the 1910s and 1920s. An outdoor amphitheater was also built in Forest Park in St. Louis, Missouri during this same time. The plan for a sylvan theater in Des Moines was derived from plans prepared by city planners from St. Louis: Harland Bartholomew Associates. They created a comprehensive plan for the city's park system in 1927. The Des Moines Garden Club had C.A Baughman from the same firm draw up detailed plans for Greenwood Park. Included in the new land uses for the park were the plans for a sylvan theater on the eastern edge of the park. It was modeled after the theater in Forest Park. There was a natural bowl where the outdoor theater would be located along 45th Street. The seats for the audience faced west, the stage was located near the foot of a swale and a hill with trees would provide a natural backdrop. Des Moines landscape architect Francis Asbury Robinson finalized the details and the theater was constructed in 1931. The master plan was to be carried out in two phases. The first phase called for seating to be constructed in the "lower portion" near the stage. An "upper portion" for seating would be built in stage two and has never been built. A reflecting pool was built between the seating area and the stage. A dressing room was constructed to the southwest of the stage. Initially, the seating was composed of wood benches with backs. They were replaced in 1934 with benches made of wood slats with a back that were mounted in wrought iron frames. The new benches were bolted to concrete blocks set in the ground. Funds for the new benches were provided by the Works Progress Administration. There was also a small frame structure in the back of