The Hotel Winneshiek and the adjoining Steyer Opera House are two of Decorah's most important landmarks. The city built Hotel Winneshiek in 1905 and is the city's premier hotel. Luxembourg immigrant Joseph B. Steyer built the Steyer Opera House in 1870. It has served as a popular performance and event venue for most of its history. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is now owned and operated by the hotel. Both buildings are contributing properties of the Decorah Commercial District, which was added to the National Register in 1980.
The Winneshiek County Courthouse was erected in 1904 and is the second courthouse building to serve the county. Located in the center of Decorah, it is a fine example of Neoclassical architecture, featuring a large portico with ornate capitals, stone carvings above the entrances, and a large four-sided clock tower with columns and a round cupola. The courthouse is a contributing property of the Broadway-Phelps Park Historic District, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
This elegant home is the historic Ellsworth-Porter House, which was built in 1867 and has operated as a museum since 1969. It is named after the Ellsworth and Porter families, who lived here from 1867 to 1898 and from 1904 to 1966, respectively. The museum serves as a showcase for the life and work of Adelbert "Bert" and Grace Porter, both of whom were artists. Bert was interested in the natural world and collected specimens on the many trips overseas he and Grace went on. The specimens include butterflies and other insects, rocks, and fossils. He created artwork using them as well as ferns, mosses, and flowers. He also built the wall surrounding the house using rocks he collected. Grace made needlepoint and painted china, and was involved in social activism as well. The museum is also furnished with households items they collected. The house, which is a fine example of Italianate architecture, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. It is also a contributing property of the Broadway-Phelps Historic District.
Founded in 1963, the Winneshiek County Historical Society is dedicated to preserving and promoting the county's history. It is located in the historic Landers-Adams-Bodensteiner House, which was originally built in 1860. The house is now called the Winneshiek County Heritage Center. The Society also owns and operates the Old County Jail, which is located on the grounds of the county courthouse, and the historic 1854 Locust School. The jail building serves as the society's archival repository. The school is used as a museum for children.
Vesterheim, the National Norwegian-American Museum & Folk Art School, is one of the leading museums in the country dedicated toward a single immigrant group. Located in the historic Arlington Hotel/Publishing House building, it boasts the world's most extensive collection of Norwegian-American artifacts, which number over 33,000 items. Many of these artifacts are displayed in the museum's exhibits in the main building. The museum also manages 12 historic buildings and operates a library and archives. The buildings are located in Heritage Park behind the main building. Highlights of the museum include a 25-foot wooden sailboat, an immigrant log house dating to 1853, and folk art dating back centuries to today. The Folk Art School offers a variety of classes including in woodcarving, weaving, and metalwork. Classes in cooking and the Norwegian language are offered as well.
Located next to the Luther College campus, the Decorah Municipal Bathhouse and Swimming Pool is unique not only in Decorah but in all of Iowa as well. Built in 1938, it is significant for both its Moderne-style design and association with the Works Progress Administration (WPA), which provided part of the funds to built it. The WPA was one of several agencies the federal government created during the Great Depression to boost economy. The bathhouse is the only WPA building of its kind remaining in Iowa and the facility has operated continuously since it opened. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2012.
Campus House was built in 1867 and is the old structure on the campus of Luther College which was established in 1861 by the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Luther College is historically significant in a number of ways. It represents Norwegian immigration to the United States and the successful establishment of Lutheran-based institutions across the country during the 19th century. It was also the first Lutheran college in the country to offer baccalaureate degrees. Luther College is significant for its architecture as well. The historic buildings on campus, which range in date from 1867 to 1969, comprise the Luther College Campus Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Though designed in a variety of styles, the buildings were built with red brick, white stone trim, and light-gray concrete. Taken together, they help unify the appearance of the campus. They also reflect the growth and needs of the college during its first one-hundred years.
This Tour is a Walking Tour.
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This walk through Decorah begins with a historic hotel and the county courthouse before moving on to a local museum, historical society, and the National Norwegian-American Museum. The tour also includes a pair of buildings on or near the campus of Luther College.
