Photos
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Wooden shoes (Orange City, Iowa) Enlarge
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Windmill Park (Orange City, Iowa) Enlarge
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Storefronts (Orange City, Iowa) Enlarge
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Northwestern College (Orange City, Iowa) Enlarge
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Courthouse (Orange City, Iowa) Enlarge
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Chamber of Commerce (Orange City, Iowa) Enlarge
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Vogel Mill (Orange City, Iowa) Enlarge
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Blue Mountain Smokehouse Grille (Orange City, Iowa) Enlarge
Tourists might not realize it, but there's more to Orange City, Iowa, than wooden shoes, Tulip beds, and Dutch windmills.
The town of 6,000, best known for its spring Tulip Festival and winter Sinterklaas Day, has a strong economy. New businesses are coming to town, and existing manufacturers are expanding locally.
The local Christian college, Northwestern, not only brings 1300 young people to town, but also provides entertainment in the form of visual art, drama, and sports.
"Out and About Iowa" visits the hot spots in this very lively, exceptionally clean town in Iowa's Northwest corner.
712-737-3429
1-866-510-GOLF
Call for reservations on the 18-hole public golf course on the North East side of town.
Vogel Windmill
712-737-4993
You need reservations to tour this Old Windmill, designed like mills in the Netherlands, with working space in the back, and a one-room home up front. The Diamond Vogel factory is not open for tours, due to concerns about flammable materials.
Sioux County Historical Society and Orange City Heritage Center
712-707-4510
Call the Chamber of Commerce to set up tours of this museum of Orange City and area history. There’s aDutch corner, featuring insights into the world the pioneers left, and their transportation across the ocean. There’s also an extensive collection of Native American artifacts. The rest of the museum focuses on ‘pre-electricity’ life.
The Old Factory
712-707-4242
This is where you can find the wooden shoes and many Dutchitems.
Woudstra’s Meat Market
712-737-2913
Old Dutch World sausage, ring bologna, Dutch cheese andother imported foods are available here.
Links
Orange City Chamber of Commerce
www.orangecityiowa.com
712-707-4510
Contact the Chamber for questions on upcoming events, and to set up tours of museums. They might even be able to provide a private guide for a half- or full-day.
Northwestern College
www.nwciowa.edu
712-707- 7000
Find out about the course work, award-winning professional staff, and events at this small (1,300 students) Christian Liberal Arts College.
Blue Mountain Passport Club (Restaurant)
www.passportclub.net
712-737-3153
This is a semi-private club featuring decorations from around the globe, a cigar-smoker’s room and humidor, plenty of selected wines,and gourmet food. Memberships are available on a daily basis.
Blue Mountain Smokehouse Grill (Restaurant)
www.smokehousegrille.net
712-737-3153
Fine dining with American aantiques, this restaurant is located just beneath the Blue Mountain Passport Club.
Hometown Perry, Iowa Exhibit
hpi.design.iastate.edu/exhibitions.php
515-465-2518
Details about the National Geographic and Smithsonian portrait exhibit being held at the Carnegie Museum in Perry.
C-Span’s American Presidents Life Portraits
www.americanpresidents.org
515-281-5591
See the portraits of all American Presidents by artist Chas Fagan. The web site also has biographic details about the Presidents’ lives.
Smithsonian – Traveling Exhibits
Travel Iowa
www.traveliowa.com
Find out what's happening in other parts of Iowa this weekend.
