Pella Historical Village
Pella Historical Society & Museums was started in 1935 by a group of dedicated Pella citizens with a passion and vision to preserve the history of Pella. Our organization is a cornerstone in the community, preserving and telling the story of Pella's past through our museums, events, and educational programs. Pella Historical also serves a pivotal role in the community and surrounding area as the sponsor of the annual Tulip Time Festival.Pella Historical Museums includes one of the largest working windmills in the United States, a 22-building historical village, the boyhood home of Western lawman Wyatt Earp, the home of Pella's founding family, and more! Tickets can be purchased in the museum gift shop (March - December).Check out their website for more information:https://www.pellahistorical.org/
Klokkenspel/Molengracht
Pella’s Klokkenspel brings the Old World to Pella in a musical way!The dream of a local business owner, H. Stuart Kuyper, and dedicated to him, the Klokkenspel features eight 4-foot mechanical figures that portray people and moments of Pella’s history.The Klokkenspel can be viewed first from Franklin Street and then from the courtyard behind. Performances are held daily at 11:00am, 1:00pm, 3:00pm, 5:00pm, and 9:00pm.In the courtyard behind the Klokkenspel are flower beds, stone benches, and arched niches filled with Dutch tile scenes. All this can be experienced a half block west on Franklin Street from the Vermeer Windmill.The north side of the Klokkenspel features four figures - Dominie Hendrik Scholte, Maria Scholte, Wyatt Earp, and a Blacksmith.Scholte was the leader of 800 Hollanders who arrived in Pella in 1847. He is depicted baptizing an infant, characterizing new life in the religious sense and symbolic of the new life the immigrants came to enjoy. His wife Maria is shown weeping, as her transition to Pella was a difficult one. Additionally, upon arriving, she discovered that all but one of the delft dishes she had taken were broken.Wyatt Earp is known to most Americans as an infamous lawman of the Wild West. He resided in Pella as a child, and the home he lived in still stands as part of the Historical Village. The Blacksmith, working at his forge, represents the early industry of Pella and new Americans everywhere. The Historical Village also includes a blacksmith shop.On the south side of the Klokkenspel are figures representing Tulip Time. The wooden shoe maker, flower girls, and street scrubbers are a part of every festival and represent the colorful spirit of Tulip Time.
Central Park
Surrounded by the central business district, this park is the heart of the community. Its many tulip beds, flowering trees, cannon, Tulip Tower, 1900's fountain, Civil War statue, sundial, and windmill can be viewed by taking a leisurely stroll along the park's extensive sidewalk system lined with 19th century benches and lamp posts. The windmill also serves as an information center April through October.
Scholte Gardens
The Scholte Home is the first, and oldest, structure to be constructed by the Hollanders upon their arrival at Pella. Dominie Henry Scholte was the spiritual and administrative leader of the Dutch immigrants who arrived at the site of Pella in late summer 1847. Initially, Scholte took up residence in an existing log cabin which was located near the middle of Central Park. He had purchased it and some of the surrounding land from pioneers Thomas and Nancy Tuttle.Scholte initially had nine blocks of the town surveyed and platted in a 3 x 3 grid, with Central park (and his log cabin) in the center. This platting allowed him to determine the location for his new home and to promptly begin construction on it. Since there were no sawmills yet operating in the area, construction materials for this home were hauled by horse and wagon, much of it from as far away as Keokuk. This home was completed in March 1848 and Scholte and his family promptly moved in.The large, elegant home was built to fulfill a promise to his wife, Maria. Scholte had to entice her to leave both Holland and big city life behind, and move to the wild frontier of Iowa. Recall that less than five years before this area was still the domain of Native Americans. Settlers were not allowed prior to April 1843. The home was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Today the home is the property of the Pella Historical Society.
Pella City Hall
The Pella City Hall, located in Pella, IA, provides municipal services for residents of Pella. The building houses government offices, including the Pella legislative body, and provides public records, government services, and information about Pella services.
Sunken Garden Park
In 1936, following Pella's second Tulip Time, Sunken Gardens Parkand its now iconic windmill were conceived by members of the newly formed Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees). Even as the country remained in the grip of the Great Depression, the Jaycees began soliciting donations - most of which were $1 or less.When donations lagged the Pella Women's Federated Club stepped in and took over fundraising. They ultimately raised the majority of the $925 cost to erect the windmill. The park - then known as Tulip Town - and its windmill were officially opened to the public on the first day of Tulip Time, 1937.Located two blocks north of the square on Main Street, this park derives its name from the main focal point, a sunken pond in the shape of a wooden shoe. A wide variety of formal tulip beds, trees, a windmill, turn of the century benches, and light poles are showcased in the rest of the park. This park is a year-round tourist attraction especially in the spring with its 13,000 plus tulips are in bloom.
Brinkhoff Park
Named after an early park enthusiast, this park serves as a welcome park on the west edge of Pella on Washington Street. Many flower beds, a small windmill, and picnic tables greet those entering Pella from the west. In 2006 a Blue Star Marker was added to the park by various non-profit organizations.
Fair Haven Memorial Garden
Fair Haven Memorial Garden was first created because of a thank you gift from the Netherlands for the money Pella residents raised and sent for post World War II relief aid following Nazi occupation. The Garden was phased out in 2005 because of expansion of the retirement complex. In 2014, a smaller garden was established after a Historic Pella Trust newsletter article rekindled interest in it. The World War II Memorial and Flower Beds are a Pella treasure.
Pella Corporation
In the small Dutch Community of Pella, Iowa in 1925, Pete and Lucille Kuyper invested in a newfangled invention – a window screen that rolled up and down like a shade. The couple went on to found a company, Rolscreen Company, based on the principles of traditional American values, integrity and the desire to enrich the homes and lives of others.Today, Pella Corporation is still owned by the Kuyper family, and continues to be a leader in technology and product innovation. In fact, we've been awarded more than 150 product and design patents. And the team at Pella is as committed as ever to continuing the company's proud heritage of building innovative windows and doors.The restored Pella Depot portrays items of historical importance to pella Corporation and is located at 102 Main Street in front of the current Pella Corporation headquarters.They currently have 10,000+ people employed across 17 manufacturing locations throughout the United States and beyond.More History on the Rolscreen Museum/Pella Depot:One of Pella's overlooked and underutilized treasures is our 1906 Railroad Depot Museum, located at the corner of Main Street and Oskaloosa Street in south Pella. Admission to the museum is free and it is open year-round, Monday through Saturday, from 8:00 to 5:00. There is even a reserved museum visitor parking space in the parking lot just east of the museum!The museum is comparatively small and the self-guided tour can be completed in 30 minutes or less. It is owned and operated by Pella Corp. The museum features artifacts and photos from some of the earliest days of the depot's existence, and also an informative timeline of the development and history of Rolscreen Co., now called Pella Corp.The Des Moines Valley Rail Road first came to Pella in late 1864. It was a defining moment in Pella's history as the railroad allowed a ready connection to markets and major cities. Pella developed rapidly following the rail connection. Farmers now had access to markets to sell their grain and livestock. Merchants could quickly, easily and inexpensively import goods. Visitors could conveniently connect with far-away locations.This brick depot replaced an earlier wooden structure that was located two blocks to the east. This building was erected at a cost of $4,596 and opened on April 6, 1906.In 1926, the one-year-old Rolscreen manufacturing factory was moved to Pella by Pete Kuyper, who had recently purchased the Des Moines-based company. The city paid to erect the factory's first brick block building, a 120' x 180' one-story structure, located on the corner of Main and South Street, directly south of the railroad tracks and depot. After renting the building for several years, the company then purchased it.The depot was retired from service in 1973 and acquired from the Rock Island railroad by Rolscreen Co. in the 1980s. The property was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.
Central College
Founded in 1853 by a determined group of pioneer settlers, Central College has, since its inception, been committed to the ideals of liberal education. Central was originally a Baptist institution, and its founders immigrated to central Iowa to escape religious tyranny in the Netherlands.Central College officially opened Oct. 8, 1854, with a class of 37. The campus consisted of one two-story building containing three rudimentary classrooms. This fledgling institution grew both in size and mission during its first 60 years, eventually moving to a parcel of land donated by Pella’s founding father, Dominie Pieter Scholte. The college survived fires, wars and economic depression during a period of history that saw the United States double in size. It remained solvent because of the faith and dedication of its early faculty members, some of whom accepted produce from local farms as payment.In 1916, Central became affiliated with the Reformed Church in America. As its academic reputation grew, Central attracted many more students from outside the denomination.International study programs were introduced in 1965, strengthening an institutional emphasis on cross-cultural study. Today, Central continues to encourage students to develop a global perspective and joins with study abroad programs at universities around the world. Students also gain a world view through faculty-led off-campus programs.Over the college’s history, Central has expanded its footprint and academic programs to nurture students into successful careers. The construction of A.N. Kuyper Athletics Complex significantly expanded athletics at Central. Douwstra Auditorium was renovated in phases, beginning in 2017. No matter if you are in Graham Conference Center, Kruidenier Center or Maytag Student Center, students benefit from generous alumni and donors who have contributed financially to expand and modernize the Central campus.Central College in Pella, Iowa, is a private, four-year liberal arts college. Central is known for its academic rigor, its leadership formation and, most importantly, for its work creating genuine connections among students, faculty, coaches and alumni that help graduates realize their career aspirations for a lifetime. We are steadfastly dedicated to cultivating diversity of thought and culture through the arts and sciences, professional fields of study and experiential learning. The Central experience is rooted in exploration and self-discovery and enhanced by life in a residential community of 1,150 students with wide-ranging perspectives. Founded in 1853, Central values its long-standing relationship with the Reformed Church in America. The college participates in NCAA Division III athletics and is a member of the American Rivers Conference.
