In 1911, Horace E. Teachout, an “east side visionary,” began plans for what would be the tallest commercial building on the east side. An East Des Moines booster, Teachout supported development that provided a first-rate commercial core near the river and at the foot of the State Capitol.

The building was a candidate for renovation in the 1970s, and its owners demolished interior partitions and installed HVAC systems, but did not go through with remodeling. Although the ground floors of the building were occupied by a company known as Flightags, floors 3-6, loaded with debris, stood vacant for years, entirely unoccupied and unserviceable from 1974 until its renovation in the late 1990s. Today, the Teachout Building is one of only a handful of buildings on the National Register of Historic Places and home to The Underground.

The stained glass window was designed and executed by renowned stained glass artist E. Motley in the early 1920’s. It was created out of Tiffany style stained glass for the East Des Moines Club, one of Des Moines oldest men’s business and social organizations. Motley drew on the iconic images from the Des Moines downtown including the State Capital.