Conversation so far:
where did the name des moines come from
Des Moines, Iowa, takes its name from Fort Des Moines, which was named for the Des Moines River.
what does des moines mean
Des Moines translates literally to either from the monks or of the monks.

Question: how long have people lived in the area
Self-contained rewrite: how long have people lived in the area of des moines, iowa