The tulips are all gone now. Does Pella, Iowa have anything besides tulips? Look at all these photos and information. Then tell me what you think.
The historical village is a good place to start.
When the first Dutch settlers arrived, not much lumber was available to build.
With winter fast approaching, the immigrants constructed sod homes.
Peat cutters in the Netherlands constructed homes like this. The settlers copied the technique using sod bricks for the walls and grass or straw for the roofs.
Hillsides provided the back wall of some of these dugouts. With so many of these homes constructed in northwestern Pella, the area was nicknamed “Strawtown.”
Once they did have lumber available, they built log cabins.
This cabin was discovered under the siding of a farm storage building.
Construction design with the wide spacing between the logs reflects German pioneer influence.
Old cabins have been discovered underneath other building materials in many parts of the country. Early pioneers would never have wasted anything, especially not a ready-made building.
Yes, there are more than tulips to see in Pella, Iowa. Below are some details to help you plan for your trip.
MAIN OFFICE
https://www.pellahistorical.org/
641-620-9463
Tulip Time Office
https://www.pellahistorical.org/tulip-time
641-628-4311
Museum Hours (March through December)
All Museums Closed on Sundays
Scholte House Museum & Maria’s Tea Room
728 Washington St.
Scholte House, Monday – Saturday, 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Maria’s Tea Room, Wednesday – Saturday,
Call for reservations: 641-628-1541
Historical Village & Vermeer Mill
507 Franklin St.
Historical Village, Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Vermeer Mill Tours: 10:30 & 11:30 a.m., 1:30 & 2:30 p.m.
Saturday, 10:30 & 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m.
The sod homes would have provided a temperate atmosphere—cooler in summer, warmer in winter. But the dark interior would have made it seem less inviting and less home-like than the cabin.
Which home would you prefer to live in, the sod house? Or the log cabin? Tell me in the comments below.
Of course, bugs, spiders and mice would have been prevalent in either type of home. Just in case you didn’t think about that.
I’ll see you here next time.
Until then . . . Travel Light,
SuZan
© 2021 SuZan Klassen. All Rights Reserved.
SuZan Klassen 