Pella
Old Town · Pella, Iowa
A town of about ten thousand in Marion County, founded in 1847 by some eight hundred Dutch immigrants under Dominee Hendrik P. Scholte, who left the Netherlands over religious freedom. It has kept the connection more thoroughly than most heritage towns: Dutch gables around the square, a working 1850s-style windmill and a tulip festival that shuts the streets for three days every May. The Vermeer Mill reaches 134 feet and is the tallest working windmill in the United States. Wyatt Earp spent his childhood here.
Franklin Street, Pella, Iowa, 50219, United States
The town is public and free to walk at any time. ⚠ TULIP TIME RUNS THREE DAYS ONLY — Thursday to Saturday of the first weekend in May — with parades twice daily, and the tulip beds are only at their best in a narrow window either side, so arriving a fortnight early or late means looking at leaves. The street festival is free to attend; grandstand seating and some events are ticketed, and parking is managed. ⚠ MANY BUSINESSES CLOSE ON SUNDAYS, reflecting how the town was founded, and several close early on other days — check before planning a meal. The Vermeer Mill and the Pella Historical Village charge a modest combined admission, typically about $10-$15 for an adult; the mill is a working 1850s-style windmill, 134 feet tall, and can be climbed by internal stairs.