The Little Iowa Town Named Pella
What is 40 miles southeast of Des Moines and will knock your socks off? A little Iowa town named Pella. This town in the middle of Iowa, filled with Dutch history, has a touch of Holland.
When friends started telling us about their spring pilgrimage to Pella and its annual Tulip Time Festival, I knew this tulip lover had to go.
The festival is held the 1st full weekend in May each year. We didn’t go for the festival, opting instead to visit the weekend before to see spring’s colorful offerings and explore the town.
What did we find? One of the most charming towns ever and one you must add to your “places to visit bucket list.”
Tulip Time monument stands tall as a backdrop for the stage in Central Park.
Location:
Convention & Visitors Bureau
915 Broadway Street
Pella, IA 50219
Contact:
(641) 204-0885
Hours:
8:30 AM - 4:30 PM. M-F
Closed, Sat-Sun
Website:
VisitPella.com
How do you write a caption for yellow tulips like this? Stunning. Just stunning.
Tulips, Tulips, and More Tulips
Driving into town we began to see tulips at every turn. They were in the easement between sidewalk and road, in flower beds, and well, just everywhere we looked.
After reaching downtown, our 1st stop was for maps and information at Pella’s CVB. It’s a half-block off Central Park and a great place to start your tulip-town tour. They are super friendly and helpful.
Four tulip varieties we found in Central Park.
The Pella Parks Department plants over 130,000 bulbs each fall—a total of 250 flower beds! Central Park has over 45,000 alone so head there next.
The “Avenue of Tulips” in Central Park features 84 varieties planted along the sidewalk leading to the center of the park.
Visitors looking at the 88 tulip varieties along the "Avenue of Tulips" in Central Park.
Wondering when to go to see the most color? Check out the CVB’s website. You can view and download the tulip bloom status map, updated each day. The map shows flower bed locations, variety name, quantity planted, and bloom status of each variety.
FYI…if you see a tulip variety you can’t live without, you can place an order with the Pella Garden Club. Totally awesome trip “souvenir!”
A few of our favorites.....and yes, the white one with dark pink markings is a tulip.
Overhead sidewalk signs entice visitors into step inside their shops.
Cleanest Little Town You'll Ever Visit
Besides the beautiful flower beds and gardens, we noticed something unique about Pella. It is the cleanest little town we have ever visited!
Streets were clean. Sidewalks were free of weeds and debris. Even the alleys were free of trash! Not only were buildings around the square well kept, residential streets and homes were maintained.
One of three wall murals in the courtyard near the Klokkenspel tower.
Bridge over the canal connects the Molengracht Plaza and shopping across from Central Park.
According to the town history on the Pella Historical Society and Museums site, cleanliness was a way of life for the Dutch immigrants.
“The ship’s cleanliness was not to Dutch standards. Almost immediately its inhabitants - both men and women - cleaned the ship from top to bottom. In fact, when landing in Baltimore, the immigrants’ ships were allowed to land without the usual inspections. The captains testified that they had never brought across the Atlantic more orderly or better-behaved people."
Many descendants of those immigrants live in Pella. Their “cleanliness” way of life has continued through the generations.
Spring blossoms flank a bridge over the canal in Molengracht Plaza.
The 1871 Rhynsburger building sports beautiful delft blue shutters and trim with, of course, tulips in window boxes.
See Dutch History on Every Corner
From Klokkenspel bell tower to Molengracht Canal to the Vermeer Windmill, you will get a feeling of being in Holland. Strict building codes applied to impressive historical architecture has helped Pella retain its Dutch heritage.
In fact, shops with adorable storefronts sell traditional Dutch food and more. Our lunch at Dutch Fix was totally delicious! We also tried out several bakeries during our visit and brought home a load of delicious goodies.
Vermeer Windmill is the tallest working grain windmill in the United States.
Tulip beds flank the letter "S" bench just below the Klokkenspel bell tower making it easy for visitors to watch the performance.
A Few Tips:
- Arrive early in the day. If you can stay overnight, even better. There is much more to see than you can do in one-day. We only had one afternoon. Not enough time!
- Be sure to try the traditional foods but know most eateries close between lunch and dinner so plan accordingly.
- Wear good walking shoes and enjoy the stroll. You will find plenty of bench seating around town to relax and rest.
Take note of the performance schedule. We heard the bells but missed it!
We enjoyed both brightly colored buildings and beautiful spring blossoms during our visit.
Spring is an Amazing Sight in Pella
Springtime in Pella is an amazing sight to see. This place is eye-candy for both gardeners and history buffs alike. Brimming with small town charm, you will retain memories of your visit to this little piece of the Netherlands nestled in America’s heartland.
I am ready to go back….and this time stay a couple of days.
White tipped, deep purple tulips fill a raised bed beside one of the murals.
Pella's Dutch History
In 1847, four ships set sail from the Netherlands, bound for America. The Dutch group left their homeland and religious persecution behind. They settled in Marion County, Iowa.
Here their leader, Dominie (pastor) Hendrik Pieter Scholte, purchased land from Thomas and Nancy Tuttle. The new town received its name Pella, taken from a biblical word meaning “city of refuge.”
As Pella grew, the city platted a grid of streets. Names given included those both religious and patriotic, such as Washington, Franklin, Independence. Peace, Patience, and Gratitude.
Many descendants of the original settlers still reside in Pella today. They are proud to promote, preserve, and share their strong Dutch heritage with all who visit their town.
Looking for more small towns to explore?
Check out our "Destinations" page for other Worthy Detour stops.
Holy Smokes! That’s an incredible amount of Tulips! I’d love to see this place!
Having planted 30,000 tulips each season in Nauvoo for a few years, I marvel at the thought of planting 130K+. It is a tremendous amount of work. You would love this little town…and I forgot to mention its population is just over 10,000. Amazing amount of community pride and residents working together to make Pella such a great place to visit.