Iowa's capital city is at the fork of the Raccoon and Des Moines rivers. The Native Americans called the Des Moines river "Moingonia," meaning "river of the mounds." French explorers who traveled through the area translated the name to "La Riviere des Moines." A great source of irritation for Iowans is the mispronunciation of Des Moines (you don't pronounce either "s"). In 1857, with Iowa's population moving west, centrally located Des Moines succeeded Iowa City as the state's capital. Today the city is home to 200,000, nearly 60 insurance companies (making it the third-largest insurance center in the world), the highly respected Des Moines Register, an unusual 3 1/2 - mi downtown skywalk system, and several fine museums and galleries. Outside Iowa, Des Moines may be best known for the attention it receives during the presidential caucuses every four years.