7 Beautiful Historic Towns In Iowa

The state of Iowa is, for many, the ultimate slice of the American Midwest. Also known as the Hawkeye State and a part of the Union since the place calls to mind picturesque farms, rolling prairie landscapes, and a quiet pace of life. Yet Iowa is also a state rich in hidden histories, from its capital, Des Moines, to its smallest towns. The place has many homes and buildings on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), not to mention famous film and television locations that have made entertainment history, from the baseball classic "Field of Dreams" to the romantic blockbuster "The Bridges of Madison County." For tales of long ago, as well as from the more recent past, Iowa's small towns hold fascinating stories for the traveler willing to seek them out.

Clear Lake

Clear Lake, in north-central Iowa, sits along the banks of its namesake body of water. Established in 1851, the town and its surrounding region offer all kinds of quintessentially Iowan history and modern interest. The local government has organized the Clear Lake History Ride, a driveable itinerary tracing the region's most vibrant points of past and present interest. Among its stops are the downtown Ventura Consolidated Historic School District, finalized in 1940 and today featured on the NRHP, shows one of the last buildings in the state to be built in the Art Deco architectural style. In 1959, Clear Lake went down in rock'n'roll history as the last place where Buddy Holly and other young musicians played before a tragic plane crash, killing all on board. The town's music venue, called the Surf Ballroom and Museum, welcomes rock fans and visitors today.

For some time on the water, Clear Lake offers day-trippers and picnickers a sublime setting to unwind, enjoy a meal outdoors, and take in one of Iowa's prettiest places.

Dyersville

The town of Dyersville, in northeast Iowa, is beloved by many movie and sports buffs as the film sight for "Field of Dreams," a 1989 feature on baseball and past greats. Yet the town's deeper history is also worth discovering. Founded in 1847 by English settler James Dyer, the town has since grown into a hub of culture and local interest. Dyer's original home, known today as the Dyer-Botsford House, now houses a doll museum with over 900 examples of dolls under their ownership. The town's National Farm Toy Museum speaks of the role Dyersville has played in making farm toys and other play objects, often carved from wood, into the homes and memories of many American children. Dyersville has a wide menu of offerings related to its association with baseball, from the film site to the nearby Baseball Hall of Dreams and the If You Build It Exhibit, all open to visit.

Eldora

In north-central Eldora, tucked in the heart of Iowa's green belt, this small town combines history and the great Midwestern outdoors. The revitalized Grand Theatre, first erected in 1913, offers shows and other forms of entertainment, while fresh-air fans will enjoy the view from the town's setting above the Iowa River. The same body of water provides the chance to go tubing, swimming, and canoeing, as well as cycling trails. For more fun outside or to let the dog out after a long drive, Eldora's central Bark Park offers canines and their human handlers a place to unwind.

Fans of local and state history will find even more to see at the Hardin County Historical House, not to mention the Eldora Welcome Center and Railroad Museum, which remembers the town's former status as an important center of railroad activity.

Fairfield

The southeast town of Fairfield, which in recent years Smithsonian Magazine named one of America's best small towns, draws the visitor with history and a big side of culture. The Carnegie Museum, formerly a library, honors the Native American legacy of the region, while a reconstructed pioneer cabin recalls the days and the hardships of westward expansion before Iowa became a U.S. state. For culture and some lively arts, the Sondheim Center for Performing Arts, operating since 2007, organizes shows and performances of all kinds and functions as part of the larger Fairfield Arts & Convention Center complex. A strong set of local art galleries enliven Fairfield's downtown, bringing a tradition of creativity into the present.

Le Claire

The eastern town of Le Claire, just over the state line from Illinois on the Mississippi River, holds loads of history in a small Iowan setting. The Cody Road Historic District provides travelers with a big dose of local history, from its old buildings and homes to well-designed placards with information on the dynamics of the local past. The Buffalo Bill Museum, honoring the legacy (and the legend) of Buffalo Bill Cody, beckons the out-of-towner for a visit to better understand how Cody, a real-life cowboy turned actor and showman, defined the image of the American West for U.S. and international audiences. For a drink and a bite, have a sandwich at Steventon's or something stronger on "Libations Lane," a downtown street with wine, beer, and spirits of all kinds.

Pella

The southeast town of Pella, some 40 miles southeast of Des Moines, offers a local history unique to Iowa and shared among only a few towns across the Midwest. Established in 1847, the town's original settlers came from Holland, and today, Dutch culture and pride stand in abundance all over this town. Pella's Historical Village offers examples of Dutch architecture that are rarely found elsewhere. The town holds a Tulip Festival each May, which draws thousands of visitors from near and far. In other Western legends, the outlaw Wyatt Earp grew up in Pella, while the famous Pella windows and door manufacturer has a brand that enjoys recognition among home builders everywhere.

Fun fact: Pella is the proud host of a unique dialect of the Dutch language, called Pella Dutch, which was preserved for generations after arrival in this tight-knit community.

Winterset

The southwestern town of Winterset also lies south of Des Moines. As in Dyersville and other picturesque places, Winterset has for years attracted fans of "The Bridges of Madison County," a book-turned-blockbuster film, released in 1995, that starred Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep. Part of the inspiration for the novel and resulting movie came from the area's covered bridges, which in olden times helped protect wagons and riders from icy winter conditions. Today, the Covered Bridges Scenic Byway brings visitors from all over the world.

Winterset can boast another connection to Hollywood history: the town is the birthplace of cowboy and tough-guy movie icon John Wayne, born here as Marion Robert Morrisson in 1907. The town's John Wayne Birthplace Museum honors the enduring legend and his Iowan roots.

For History Fans, Iowa's Small Towns Call For A Visit

As these towns show, Iowa's abundant attractions for students of history should put the state at the top of visitors' next-places-to-visit lists. Places like Clear Lake and Eldora offer fans of architecture, as well as music and the American songbook, a place to pay homage. Fairfield and Le Claire give the tourist a chance to better understand the American West, and how its legends, from Buffalo Bill Cody to John Wayne, trace back to Iowa. For movie buffs, a stop in Dyersville, Winterset, or both will inform and entertain, while showing the reasons why these towns inspired moviemakers and storytellers in the first place. For an enriching look at history and the culture that comes from it, Iowa's small towns make a great choice for any interested traveler.