Northeast Iowa Tourism
Northeast Iowa Tourism on IowaBeautiful.com. Northeast Iowa Tourism - your Northeast Iowa Travel Guide to Vacations, Attractions and Events
MOTOR MILL HISTORIC SITE - Elkader, Iowa
The settlement of Motor existed only from the 1840s to the 1870s. What remains at the historic site is a six-story mill, made from limestone, and four other buildings. The mill is the tallest old mill in the Midwest. This site is along the Turkey River, so visitors can take advantage of a scenic picnic area and canoe access. In the nearby hills, one can hike on some rugged trails. Primitive camping sites can be found in the area.
LOCKMASTER’S HOUSE HERITAGE MUSEUM - Guttenberg, Iowa
Here visitors can look at one of the last remaining lockmaster’s houses on the Mississippi River. This house contains furnishings of the 1930s and 1940s and photos of river and local history.
They can come to understand the history of the lock and dam system.
LITTLE RED SCHOOL #5 - Cedar Falls, Iowa
The schoolhouse was built in 1909. Visitors can see a blackboard, older books, and turn-of –the 20th century furnishings. It also has a pot-Belly stove.
Johnson-Erickson Museum - Wadena, Iowa
In the Museum in Wadena, visitors can obtain varied glimpses of the past. The school exhibits help describe the history of education in the area. The “Pioneer Woman” exhibit depicts the whole gamut of a woman’s life from the drudgery of the everyday tasks to the beauty of the family, home, and crafts. In the workshop area, exhibits have been created to show when dwellings and goods were made by hand, using the blacksmith, cobbler, and woodworker as examples.
Iowa Braille And Sight Saving School - Vinton, Iowa
This school was founded in 1852 as a private school in Keokuk. In 1862, the program was moved to Vinton. Originally known as the Iowa College for the Blind, now it serves children from birth to age 21 who are blind or visually impaired.
Ice House Museum - Cedar Falls, Iowa
Ice House Museum - Cedar Falls, Iowa featuring items used in cutting, harvesting, storing, selling and the use of natural ice. Blocks of "ice" are stacked as they would have been in the ice house with the tools used by the men who delivered ice to homes and businesses throughout the area.
“R” Little Red School House Museum - Cedar Falls, Iowa
“R” Little Red School House Museum - Cedar Falls, Iowa Bennington Township Schoolhouse #5: representative of the more than 9,000 rural schools that once dotted the state.
This school house was built in 1909 by the local residents for their children. The Black Hawk County Conservation Board purchased the building in 1966 for $1,000 from Donald Sage. It was moved to Black Hawk Park in 1968 and given a new foundation and roof.
Historic Kellow House/Howard County Museum
Several blocks northwest of the Cresco Welcome Center visitors will find a Second Empire style home built in 1880 by William Kellow, Jr. The Howard County Historical Society acquired the home in 1969 and has restored the interior. Visitors can enjoy looking at the period furniture, some of which are Kellow family heirlooms.
GILBERTSON CONSERVATION EDUCATION AREA - Elgin, Iowa
The Gilbertson Conservation Education Area, a 327-acre park along the banks of the Turkey River, is located on the east side of Elgin. This beautiful area is lined with streams and bottomlands surrounded by the limestone palisade bluffs for which northeast Iowa is so famous. At this public facility hunting, fishing, and boating are available. Five miles of multi-use trails wind along the scenic Turkey River, one of which is paved and handicap-accessible.
WAPSIPINICON MILL - Independence, Iowa
Description – An 1867 grist mill, located on the Wapsipinicon River, is one of the largest existing mills in the state. On the second floor of the mill is a museum whose displays explain the history of the mill and how milling was done. Guided tours of the mill are available.
