Decorah, Iowa
Decorah is a city of 7,535 people in Winneshiek County, Iowa, founded in 1849.
Why visit Decorah
Townapedia lists 27 museums and landmarks, 21 parks and trails, 19 places to eat, 6 places to stay and 6 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Decorah Ice Cave State Preserve, Steyer Bridge, Porter House Museum and Broadway-Phelps Park Historic District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 10°F, and about 38 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Decorah
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Decorah
Decorah is the largest city in and the county seat of Winneshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 7,587 at the time of the 2020 census. Decorah is the home of Luther College, a private liberal arts college. It is known for its Norwegian-American heritage and the corresponding Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum.
From the Wikipedia article Decorah, Iowa (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do6
Decorah Ice Cave State Preserve
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Cave in Winnesheik County, Iowa, US
Steyer Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Road bridge in Iowa, United States of America
Museums and landmarks27
Porter House Museum
Museum · National Register of Historic Places
Historic house in Iowa, United States
401 West Broadway Street, Decorah
Broadway-Phelps Park Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic district in Decorah, Iowa, United States
Cooley-Whitney House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Building in Iowa, United States
Decorah Commercial Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic district in Iowa, United States
Decorah Municipal Bathhouse and Swimming Pool
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Building in Iowa, United States
Decorah Woolen Mill
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Building in Iowa, United States
Horn House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.6 mi
Historic house
Koren Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Building in Iowa, United States
Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway Combination Depot
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Railway station in Decorah, the United States of America
Norris Miller House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Building in Iowa, United States
Painter-Bernatz Mill
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Building in Iowa, United States
Steyer Opera House
Cinema and theater · National Register of Historic Places
Theater and commercial building in Decorah, Iowa, United States
15 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds21
9 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes19
Great Dragon Chinese Restaurant
Restaurant · Chinese · 1.0 mi
915 Short Street, Decorah
Scooter's Coffee
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.8 mi
900 Short Street, Decorah
7 more on the map.
History
Decorah was the site of a Ho-Chunk village beginning circa 1840. Several Ho-Chunks had settled along the Upper Iowa River that year when the U.S. Army forced them to remove from Wisconsin. In 1848, the United States removed the Ho-Chunks again to a new reservation in Minnesota, opening their Iowa villages to white settlers.
The first European-Americans to settle were the Day family from Tazewell County, Virginia. According to local Congregationalist minister Rev. Ephraim Adams, the Days arrived in June 1849 with the Ho-Chunks' "tents still standing—with the graves of the dead scattered about where now run our streets and stand our dwellings." Judge Eliphalet Price suggested that the Days name their new settlement Decorah after Ho-Chunk leader Waukon Decorah, who was a U.S. ally during the Black Hawk War of 1832.
During the 1850s and 1860s, Decorah grew quickly as settlers built dams and mills to harness water power at Dunning's Spring and other local streams. In 1851, the town became the county seat of Winneshiek County. Decorah also became the site of a United States General Land Office from 1855 to 1856, making it a destination for immigrants seeking land patents in northern Iowa.
Since 1861, it has been the home of Luther College, a liberal arts institution affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
From the History section of Decorah, Iowa on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay6
Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Decorah
Motel and hotel · 1.1 mi
2041 State Highway 9, Decorah
Fairfield Inn & Suites Decorah
Motel and hotel · 1.1 mi
2041 State Highway 9, Decorah
Quality Inn & Suites Decorah
Motel and hotel · 0.9 mi
705 Commerce Drive, Decorah
Churches and places of worship12
Shopping9
Gas and EV charging7
Schools, colleges and libraries11
Healthcare3
Map of Decorah
121 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28°F | 10°F | 1.0 in | 10.3 in |
| Feb | 33°F | 14°F | 1.1 in | 8.3 in |
| Mar | 46°F | 26°F | 2.0 in | 5.7 in |
| Apr | 61°F | 37°F | 4.0 in | 1.7 in |
| May | 72°F | 48°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 81°F | 59°F | 6.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 84°F | 63°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 83°F | 61°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 76°F | 52°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 63°F | 40°F | 2.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 47°F | 28°F | 2.0 in | 2.4 in |
| Dec | 33°F | 17°F | 1.3 in | 9.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Decorah (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Winneshiek County has had 17 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2024-06-24: Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-23: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-03-23: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2018-08-20: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2017-08-27: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Decorah Municipal Airport (DEH) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 3 miles away.
- Lansing 29 mi east, about 46 min by car
- Elkader 36 mi southeast, about 58 min by car
- Tripoli 42 mi southwest, about 1 h by car
- Nashua 45 mi southwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Strawberry Point 45 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- La Crosse 46 mi northeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Charles City 48 mi west, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Onalaska 50 mi northeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Winona 52 mi north, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Holmen 53 mi northeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- 2009-0528-Decorah-downtown, Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0
- Ellsworth-Porter, Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ice Cave Decorah IA 063, Karen Noecker, CC BY-SA 3.0
- SteyerOperaHouseBalcony, Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway Combination Depot. Taken 2015, DJWadsworth, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Woolen Mill Decorah IA 071, Karen Noecker, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 305GroveDecorahIowa, Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Broadway Phelps Historic District Decorah 005.2, Karen Noecker, CC BY-SA 3.0
- MillerStovewoodHouse, Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2
- HornHouse, Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2
- Koren, Phthalogreen (Dylan Syverson), CC BY 3.0
- VesterheimOldStoneMill, Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2
- Steyer Bridge 2012-09-27 16-53-16, James M Larson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Municipal Bathhouse Decorah IA 059, Karen Noecker, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Luther College Farm Decorah IA 061, Karen Noecker, CC BY-SA 3.0
- VesterheimMainBldg, Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.