This Iowa Town Instantly Transports You To The Past

Decorah, Iowa, will transport you to another time and place when immigrants from the far north traveled across the sea to build a home in the New World. This beautiful town was settled by Norwegians who brought with them their agricultural way of life and beautiful folk art styles. By visiting Decorah, you can tour a dozen historic Norwegian-American structures, buy a piece of handcrafted Scandinavian jewelry, take a class on living in and with nature like the Norwegians do, or make your own unique wooden crafts. You can also explore the landscapes that inspired these immigrants, from picturesque river bluffs to a year-round ice cave.

History

Decorah's history showcases both the tragedy and opportunity of early American life. In the 1840s, the Ho-Chunk people were living in the region after having been forcibly removed from their territory in Wisconsin by the US government. However, they would not stay long, as in 1848, the US government displaced them again, this time to a reservation in Minnesota. The following year, the first European-American settlers arrived and found both the tents and graves of the Ho-Chunk people left behind. They chose to name the settlement Decorah in honor of the Ho-Chunk leader Waukon Decorah.

In the decades that followed, Decorah drew in a new group of immigrants from Norway. When they came, they referred to it as Vesterheim, which is Norwegian for western home. Despite coming to a new land, these immigrants kept their culture alive, preserving their language in the Decorah Posten, a Norwegian newspaper that was read by Norwegian immigrants across the US and back in Norway. The settlers were mostly farmers, aiming to take advantage of the good soil along the upper Iowa River. However, they also brought with them a rich culture of folk art and crafts, which continues to this day. In fact, much of this art, along with many historic buildings constructed by these settlers, can be seen at Decorah's biggest attraction, Vesterheim, the National Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School.

Vesterheim

This museum is a critical part of Decorah's cultural heritage. It dates as far back as 1877, as Norwegian-Americans began to gather and collect objects and artifacts to document their heritage and history as immigrants and settlers. They stored their collection at Luther College before eventually moving into their current location downtown. Within Vesterheim, you can find several fascinating pieces, including a 25-foot wooden sailboat called TradeWind, a simple log house from 1853, and many beautiful examples of Norwegian art, such as decorative painting, woodcarvings, and other folk art.

In fact, Vesterheim is not just a museum but also a folk art school that provides classes on all manner of traditional Norwegian crafts, art, and practices, such as cooking, jewelry, and woodworking, under the guiding notion of friluftsliv. This is a Norwegian word that roughly translates to open-air living and teaches traditional Norwegian ways to explore, live in, learn from, and treasure the great outdoors.

The museum's grounds also include Heritage Park, which holds 12 historic buildings from the early days of Norwegian settlement. These buildings reflect the humble farmer lifestyle of settlers such as Hans and Anna Haugan, who lived in the simple cottage, now called the Haugan House, or the storehouse Erikson-Hansen Stabbur, used to store agricultural products and considered a sign of wealth among the Norwegian farmers.

Some of the buildings here were moved from other Norwegian settlements, such as the Bethania Lutheran Church, built in 1901 in Northwood, North Dakota. It is a simple church with a green painted interior, and an altarpiece and railing that was made by woodworker Osten Pladsen. To get the full Norwegian experience, come to Decorah in the summer for Nordfest, which includes bands, food, culture, and other fun activities.

Explore Outdoor Decorah

While most of Iowa's land was flattened by glaciers during the last ice age, the region surrounding Decorah was spared. As a result, it is called the Driftless Region, and there are many river bluffs, cliffs, and caves to see in this dynamic landscape.

Starting at Barbara Barnhart Van Peenen Memorial Park, you can explore trails through pine forest, ravines, and tall grass prairies. It also connects with other parks nearby, such as Ice Cave State Preserve. This cavern stays chilly all year round and frozen solid well into summer. It's a slippery journey, so be careful going into this cave! Another beautiful park next to Van Peenen is Dunning's Spring Park, where a stone arch and staircase lead to a spring that feeds a beautiful 200-foot waterfall.

Downtown Decorah

If you're looking for a great place to shop in Decorah, you should start at the Vesterheim Museum Store. It is fully stocked with Norwegian jewelry from Sylvsmidja Voss, along with other cute gifts, from Viking-themed cookie cutters to Norwegian pancake mixes, books, and art. For even more whimsy, go to the Heavenly Made Gifts & The Gnome Store, where you will find gnomes made of ceramic, fabric, wood, and metal, alongside garden art, ceramics, and other items.

For a small town, Decorah is home to a wide variety of cuisines. You can start with a drink at Pivo Brewery, enjoy classic Mexican dishes at Don Jose's Family Mexican Restaurant, indulge in all-you-can-eat sushi and other Japanese favorites at Koreana, and for dessert, Kozi Pie Shoppe has got you covered.

Similar Towns

Minot, North Dakota

Minot has a significant Norwegian population, but it celebrates all five of the Nordic countries with the Scandinavian Heritage Park. This outdoor museum has a replica of the Gol Stave Church from the 1200s, designed in a classic Nordic style with traditional lines and carvings. You can also find a 30-foot Dala Horse from Sweden, a Finnish Sauna, a statue of Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, and a statue of Icelandic explorer Leif Erikson, who was the first known European to reach the New World around 1000 CE.

Pella, Iowa

You don't have to travel far to see another town with a rich cultural heritage. Pella, Iowa, was founded by Dutch immigrants in 1847 and makes you feel like you've stepped straight into the Netherlands. You can see multiple Dutch-style windmills at Brinkhoff Park or at the Pella Historical Museum's Vermeer Mill. At the East Amsterdam School Museum, you can also experience what a school day was like in the 1930s.

Lindstrom, Minnesota

This small town was settled by the Swedish, in particular Daniel Lindstrom, who left Sweden for America in 1853. Known as Little Sweden, it features several notable landmarks, from a water tower shaped like a Swedish coffee pot at Kaffe Kanna Park to the Swedish Barn Quilt Trail, which includes more than 30 Swedish-inspired designs. The area also sits next to several beautiful wilderness areas, such as the 125-acre Wilderness and Swedish Heritage Park, or Allemansrätt Park, which boasts varied terrain and habitat, as well as an 1853 homestead.

The Full Norwegian Experience

Visiting Decorah will transport you back to a time when America was still young and defining its cultural landscape. On the one hand, Native Americans were being forcefully displaced from reservation to reservation, while hopeful Europeans crossed the Atlantic looking for a new start. Here you can discover the struggles and triumphs of the Norwegian immigrants at Vesterheim, learn their art styles, and go off for adventures in the Driftless region. And for a similarly preserved Scandinavian town, you can visit the Scandinavian Heritage Park in Minot, North Dakota, or explore Pella's windmills and Lindstrom's Swedish landmarks.