Why visit Pella
Townapedia lists 29 museums and landmarks, 20 parks and trails, 37 places to eat, 7 places to stay and 4 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Pella Opera House, Pella Cinemas, B.H. and J.H.H. Van Spanckeren Row Houses and Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Passenger Depot-Pella.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 85°F; January lows average 12°F.
Weather in Pella
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Pella
Pella is a city in Marion County, Iowa, United States, with a population of 10,464 at the time of the 2020 U.S. census. Founded by immigrants from the Netherlands, it is forty miles southeast of Des Moines. Pella is the home of Central College, as well as several manufacturing companies, including Pella Corporation and Vermeer Manufacturing Company.
From the Wikipedia article Pella, Iowa (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do4
Pella Opera House
Cinema and theater · National Register of Historic Places
Theater in Pella, Iowa, United States
611 Franklin Street, Pella
Museums and landmarks29
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B.H. and J.H.H. Van Spanckeren Row Houses
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Building in Iowa, United States
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Passenger Depot-Pella
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Former train station in Pella, Iowa
Collegiate Neighborhood Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Nationally recognized historic district located in Pella, Iowa, United States
Dirk and Cornelia J. Vander Wilt Cottage
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Building in Iowa, United States
Dirk Van Loon House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Historic house in Pella, Iowa
Dominie Henry P. Scholte House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic house
East Amsterdam School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.9 mi
School building in Iowa, United States of America
Gary J. and Matilda Vermeer Farmstead
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
Historic place in Iowa, USA
Hendrik J. and Wilhelmina H. Van Den Berg Cottage
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic house in Iowa, United States
Henry and Johanna Van Maren House-Diamond Filling Station
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic house in Iowa, United States
Peoples National Bank
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic building in Pella, Iowa, United States
Philipus J. and Cornelia Koelman House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Building in Iowa, United States
17 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds20
8 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes37
Nederlanders Tap & Golf
Restaurant · Hot Dog, American
514 1/2 Main Street, Pella
Mo 16:00-21:00; Tu-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-24:00; Su 11:00-21:00
West Side Social
Restaurant · Burger, American, Grill · 2.1 mi
1000 Fifield Road, Pella
Su-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-23:00
25 more on the map.
History
In 1847, 800 Dutch immigrants led by Dominee (Minister) Hendrik "Henry" P. Scholte settled the area known as Pella. The name "Pella" is a reference to Pella of the Decapolis, where the Christians of Jerusalem had found refuge during the Roman–Jewish war of 70; the name was selected because the Dominee and his followers sought religious freedom as well. The pioneer years are evoked in a biography of the Dominee's widow, Mareah Scholte, published by her granddaughter in 1939. Pella was the childhood home of Wyatt Earp, whose father Nicholas Porter Earp had settled on a farm near Pella. His brothers Warren and Morgan were born in Pella.
On July 19, 2018, a destructive EF3 tornado struck the Vermeer manufacturing plant in the city. Due to early warning, only seven of the thousands of people on-site were injured.
From the History section of Pella, Iowa on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay7
Churches and places of worship24
First Christian Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places
Shopping11
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries11
Healthcare2
Map of Pella
148 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30°F | 12°F | 1.1 in |
| Feb | 35°F | 17°F | 1.7 in |
| Mar | 48°F | 28°F | 1.9 in |
| Apr | 61°F | 39°F | 3.9 in |
| May | 71°F | 51°F | 5.0 in |
| Jun | 81°F | 61°F | 5.6 in |
| Jul | 85°F | 66°F | 4.3 in |
| Aug | 83°F | 63°F | 3.9 in |
| Sep | 76°F | 54°F | 3.7 in |
| Oct | 63°F | 42°F | 3.1 in |
| Nov | 48°F | 30°F | 1.8 in |
| Dec | 36°F | 19°F | 1.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Knoxville (11 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
Mahaska County has had 11 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2020-03-23: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-03-23: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2014-08-05: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2013-07-02: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2010-07-29: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Knoxville Municipal Airport (OXV) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 12 miles away.
- Oskaloosa 16 mi southeast, about 26 min by car
- Newton 21 mi north, about 34 min by car
- Pleasant Hill 33 mi northwest, about 53 min by car
- Altoona 34 mi northwest, about 55 min by car
- Indianola 34 mi west, about 54 min by car
- Ottumwa 37 mi southeast, about 59 min by car
- Des Moines 38 mi west, about 1 h by car
- Norwalk 41 mi west, about 1 h by car
- Ankeny 42 mi northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Marshalltown 44 mi north, about 1 h 15 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
- 009 9861 Molengracht Exterior Nightshot Canal ppt, Dmetz61753, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The People's National Bank (Pella, Iowa), Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Information Center in Pella IA - panoramio, Chanilim714, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Houses in Pella Iowa - panoramio, Chanilim714, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Vermeer Mill - Pella, Iowa (24380387470), Tony Webster from Portland, Oregon, CC BY-SA 2.0
- 네시 이십팔분 Downtown in Pella IA - panoramio, Chanilim714, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Windmill downtown in Pella IA - panoramio, Chanilim714, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Statue at Public Square Park - Pella, Iowa (24426529184), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Greetings from Pella, Iowa, "The Garden City of Iowa" - Large Letter Postcard (7850162280), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- First Christian Church Pellagra, Iowa, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Pellagra Opera House, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Sundial at Public Square Park Pella IA - panoramio, Chanilim714, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Pella - Dominie Henry P. Scholte House - 20220512121641, Riis2602, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Pella - Dominie Henry P. Scholte House - 20220512121559, Riis2602, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 코스모스 near Scholte Gardens in Pella IA - panoramio, Chanilim714, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Home in Pella, Iowa in Winter (24594812035), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Rock Island and Pacific Passenger Depot-Pella, Iowa, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Wabash Railroad Bridge, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wyatt Earp House, Robert Thall, Public domain
- Van Maren House-Diamond Filling Station, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Porter-Rhynsburgwe House, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 515 W. First Street, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The Scholte House, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Vander Wilt Cottage, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Koelman House, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ten Hagen Cottage-Stegeman Store, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- William Van Asch House-Huibert Debooy Commercial Room, Robert Thall, Public domain
- The Tuttle House, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Van Loon House, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Van Den Berg House, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The East Amsterdam School, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
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