The Bates Park Historic District is located on the north side Des Moines, Iowa, United States.

The area west of the district rises gently toward Sixth Street while the land to the east drops into the Des Moines River floodplain.

[2] Bates Park is one of the resources, as are 14 single-family homes and two stables that were built originally to house horses and possibly carriages.

The property where the historic district is located is in a large tract of land that was acquired by Des Moines lawyer and journalist Curtis Bates in 1860.

His widow Sophia had the land platted as the Bates Addition in 1883 and set aside parkland, which state law at the time prevented the Des Moines park commissioners from accepting.