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Wat Iowaram

From KhmerConnection
Wat Iowaram
Khmer nameវត្តអាយអូវ៉ារាម
Alternative namesCambodian Buddhist Society; Wat Iowaram / Cambodian Buddhist Society, Inc.; Watt Iowaram; Wat Khmer Iowa
TypeWat
Focus areasTheravada Buddhism; Khmer religious services; cultural preservation
SubjectsReligion & Spiritual Life
CityDes Moines
State / provinceIowa
CountryUnited States
Address1301 19th Street, Des Moines, IA 50314
Contact(515) 554-9586; (978) 902-1577; [email protected]
FacebookFacebook
InstagramInstagram
Operating statusactive

Wat Iowaram (វត្តអាយអូវ៉ារាម) is a Theravada Khmer Buddhist temple in Des Moines, Iowa, described as the first Theravada Buddhist temple in the state. It is operated by the Cambodian Buddhist Society, Inc. (ពុទ្ធិកសមាគមខ្មែរ-វត្តអាយអូវ៉ារាម), whose listed address is 1332 18th Street. The temple building stands at 1301 19th Street. (Drake University Comparison Project, Cambodian Buddhist Society; Bhikkhu Pat Sophal, Cambodian Buddhist Temples in the USA, B.E. 2570 (2026); Cambodian Buddhist Society, Inc. (ពុទ្ធិកសមាគមខ្មែរ-វត្តអាយអូវ៉ារាម), Facebook page)

Names

Wat Iowaram is also written Watt Iowaram and is known in English as the Cambodian Buddhist Society. Some directories have listed it as Wat Khmer Iowa (វត្តខ្មែរអាយយ៉ូវ៉ា) at 1901 7th Street, with the same telephone number the temple used at 1301 19th Street. (Carl Voss, Let's catch up (May 2025); Drake University Comparison Project, Cambodian Buddhist Society; Wat Khemara Ratanaram, directory of Khmer temples in Iowa; National Cambodian American Organization, Cambodian National Directory (2014); Temple News, 2558 Khmer Buddhist Temples Directory (2014))

History

The community's first members were refugees who came to Iowa from Cambodia. According to the Iowa Asian Alliance, the Angkor Wat Friendship Association was established in Des Moines in 1988, when a single monk held religious and cultural ceremonies in a rented house that served as the temple. Monks were later brought over from Cambodia. Wat Iowaram was the original name of the Angkor Wat Friendship Association. The community then bought its building and titled it the Cambodian Buddhist Society. (Drake University Comparison Project, Cambodian Buddhist Society; Iowa Asian Alliance, Cambodian community)

In IRS records, the Angkor Wat Friendship Association, Inc. has been tax-exempt since September 2001 at 1301 19th Street. The Cambodian Buddhist Society, Inc. (EIN 26-4801767) has been tax-exempt since October 2010 at 1332 18th Street. (Tax Exempt World, nonprofits in Des Moines 50314; ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, Cambodian Buddhist Society Inc; Cause IQ, Cambodian Buddhist Society / Wat Iowaram)

The temple property sits at the northeast intersection of 19th Street, Keosauqua Way and Carpenter Avenue: a 5,008-square-foot building on a 0.73-acre site of two parcels, used as a place of worship with a parking area. In 2023 the Cambodian Buddhist Society, Inc., as owner and represented by officer Noy Noeuy, asked the city to rezone the property so the building could be reused as a small grocery store. The Plan and Zoning Commission recommended denial on May 4, 2023, and the City Council denied the rezoning on June 12, 2023. (City of Des Moines, Plan and Zoning Commission minutes (May 4, 2023); City of Des Moines, City Council meeting summary (June 12, 2023))

Religious life

The temple follows the Theravada tradition. The Venerable Eang Muon Op is head monk, and a 2026 directory of Khmer temples in the United States lists one monk. Because the temple building has been in disrepair, the community has held a monthly Tak Bat alms offering at the monk's home. (Drake University Comparison Project, Cambodian Buddhist Society; Carl Voss, Let's catch up (May 2025); Bhikkhu Pat Sophal, Cambodian Buddhist Temples in the USA, B.E. 2570 (2026))

The temple holds Pchum Ben, the Khmer festival honoring ancestors. Its program for B.E. 2570 (2026) was announced in September 2026. In 2025, community leaders and the monk planned a 100-day memorial ceremony at the temple. (Cambodian Buddhist Society, Inc. (ពុទ្ធិកសមាគមខ្មែរ-វត្តអាយអូវ៉ារាម), Facebook page; Carl Voss, Let's catch up (May 2025))

Community

The Iowa Cambodian Buddhist Society shares space with the temple on 19th Street. In 2025 Sanaye Chung stepped down as its president and handed leadership to Emily Frimml, who is also president of the Angkor Wat Friendship Association. Sanaye Chung estimates that 250 Cambodian families and 2,000 Cambodians live in the Des Moines area. (Carl Voss, Let's catch up (May 2025); Iowa Asian Alliance, Cambodian community)

The Angkor Wat Friendship Association, which grew out of the temple, organizes community events such as the Khmer New Year; see Angkor Wat Friendship Inc.. (Drake University Comparison Project, Cambodian Buddhist Society; Iowa Asian Alliance, Cambodian community)

Visiting and participation

Associations

Angkor Wat Friendship Association (associated organization). Organization details: Angkor Wat Friendship Inc..
The association has its own cultural-preservation and community-assistance remit. It is not treated as legally identical to Cambodian Buddhist Society, Inc.
(Cambodian — Iowa Asian Alliance).

Cambodian Buddhist Society, Inc. (associated organization).
Legal name: Cambodian Buddhist Society, Inc..
Registration identifiers: EIN (United States): 26-4801767.
Organization mailing address, not the Wat's visiting address: 1332 18th Street, Des Moines, IA 50314.
The organization-listed address is kept separate from the 19th Street temple building. Drake’s account describes monthly Tak Bat at a monk’s home while the temple is in disrepair; neither location is promised as an unrestricted visitor site.
(Cambodian Buddhist Society).

See also

Sources

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