A Few Photos of Pella, Iowa

This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclosure policy for details.

I am supposed to be working on a school supplies project but of course I can’t get the photos off of my phone so my husband had to run to Walmart SO I thought I would share two photos I took while we were out in Iowa. The photos are in downtown Pella which is right next to where we moved and lived for 5 years.

The town we were living in had a grand total of 26 houses! That is smaller than my subdivision I am living in!! 🙂 It will be a huge change for our family but we are really excited. Other than our school and a church there are no businesses that I am aware of in our town other than farmers. SO instead of showing you photos of cornfields I found something a bit prettier to look at! 🙂

Isn’t this amazing? It’s the Vermeer Windmill which if I understand correctly was handmade in Holland (yes Europe!) and sent over to Iowa in pieces and then reconfigured. Once we move we’ll have to do a little more exploring! It is a predominately Dutch area so there are beautiful tulips and building and bakeries galore!

Here is the little shopping area in town – isn’t it absolutely gorgeous? I didn’t get a picture but there is even a huge Dutch clock that is very interesting off the road. I’ve lived through 3 snowy winters when we used to live in Chicago but my kids have not. And from the sound of it where we are in Iowa will bring a LOT more snow that I’ve ever seen before.

Needless to say I will be scouting around for a LOT of winter gear this year as I’m sure that my kids especially will want to be out in the snow quite a bit! I promised them both new shiny sleds!! Are those brick molds for snow worth it? Any tips on snow gear that I should know about? On my son’s school supply list I saw he needed a backpack big enough for snow pants….I’m guessing snow pants are a special clothing that they put over their clothes? I have a LOT to learn!!

Share with your friends!

Similar Posts

9 Comments

  1. Great pictures! I grew up in Iowa but have never been to Pella. Don’t get your hopes up about the snow though, it is either hit or miss winters but yes your kids will need gear if they are in school because Iowans play in the snow during recess!!!! M’s Land’s End snow gear didn’t make it through ONE winter. grrrrrrrr.

    1. I’m afraid the way my boys will use their snow gear theirs won’t last long either!! I’m amazed at how many people have lived or are living in Iowa where before we decided to move I had only ever met one person who lived there!

  2. That shopping area looks absolutely beautiful!! I can’t wait to see more pictures once y’all have moved and gotten settled in. And I have no advice on snow clothes, snow gear, or anything relating to snow. I am a South Texas girl and the only snow I’ve ever gotten didn’t even last a day.

  3. Maria Youngblut says:

    I was really surprised to see the pictures of Pella on your blog. When you said you were moving to Iowa, I figured it wouldn’t be anywhere near where I live. I am originally from NW Iowa, went to college in Pella, and now live in a town near Pella. My husband works at Vermeer in Pella (both of my kids are working there this summer too). I love the “Dutchness” of Pella – my mom came over from the Netherlands on a boat when she was 14 years old.

    (Tulip Time is a HUGE event in Pella!!)

    1. Oh WOW Maria! I can’t believe I “know” someone that lives close by! 🙂 We won’t be living IN Pella but it is our closest town. Some of the guys on our school board work at Vermeer – small world huh? I have heard SO much about Tulip Time and seen so many amazing photos – I already have my husbands parents and grandparents lined up to come over for the event!! 🙂

  4. Your post made me laugh (about the snowpants!) I’m in MN…so it’s probably a little colder here (last year was great weather, so this year we’ll probably be back to the 40 below zero range again) but yes, get a BIG backpack! We just bought ours at Target last week. Snowpants, snowboots, hand gloves, warm coat are all musts & on warm days come home in the backpacks!! Fleet farm sells gloves that extend to the elbow-brillant for the cold snow getting in the sleeves! Do not buy the snow bricks! Majority of the time (at least here) it’s too cold that the plastic cracks when using them! Your boys will be happy with a sled & their own hands (making snow balls, forts, snowmen etc!)

    1. Phew Ok – I bought the biggest backpack I could possibly find. I’m just a little concerned how my 5 year old will carry such a full bag!! 🙂 Ooooh I’ve never heard of Fleet Farm or gloves that go up to your elbows – I might even like some of them!! 🙂 I’m sure we’ll be spending plenty of time in the snow – thanks for telling me about those!! I have personally seen snow as we lived in Chicago for 2 years but I’ve never built a snowman so I’m pretty excited to share that first experience with my kids too!

  5. I just moved here (Mason City) from Pennsylvania back in April. I have one friend here (in Davenport .. originally from Connecticut) and we got more snow back home last winter than she did here. Though I hear the cold and wind are no joke over the winter. We have snow gear from last year, but I’m definitely going to Fleet Farm to check out those gloves!! I really wanted to get out and explore this summer, but only got to Davenport and Clear Lake. The Tulips sound lovely, so that will be a must for next year. I’m trying to get out and about and meet new people and learn more about this beautiful state. Any pointers are greatly apreciated!

    1. Oh man the wind and ice is insane here! Check out the Devonian Fossil Gorge, Maquoketa State Park and Ledges State Park too! They are beautiful and each so unique!

Comments are closed.