City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 1567 Rutledge St.
62. JAARSMA BAKERY
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (641) 628-2940
Address: 727 Franklin St.
Insider Pick:
Description: If you’ve never had a Dutch letter, you’re in for a treat, because this modest bakery on Pella’s town square is considered the place to indulge in the S-shaped flaky pastries filled with an ambrosia-like almond filling. For more than a century, four generations have been faithfully turning out the sweet slices of goodness, baking tens of thousands of Dutch letters during Tulip Time every May. The “S” shape came about because the letters were originally baked for Sinterklaas, the Dutch Christmas celebration. Plenty of other Dutch baked goodies are available here as well, including strudel, spice cookies, almond butter cake, and sinfully delicious Dutch apple bread with brown sugar, nuts, and cinnamon and frosted with maple icing. Hungry yet?
63. ULRICH’S MEAT MARKET
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (641) 628-2771
Address: 715 Franklin St.
Description: A few doors down from Jaarsma Bakery, Ulrich’s specializes in Pella bologna, which is heartier and spicier than what you’ll find on a supermarket shelf. It’s great for grilling or making substantial sandwiches, and has been a favorite since John Ulrich arrived in Pella with the recipe over 150 years ago. Plenty of other high-quality meat products like bratwurst and summer sausage are available as well, as are a good selection of Dutch cheeses like Edam and Gouda.
64. BIRTHPLACE OF JOHN WAYNE
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (515) 462-1044
Address: 216 S. 2nd St.
Description: This modest, 4-room house was the home of the boy named Marion Morrison, who was born here in 1907 and grew up to change his name to John Wayne and become one of the most famous movie stars of all time. Wayne’s father, who had attended nearby Simpson College in Indianola, worked as a pharmacist in Winterset before moving the family to California a few years later. Numerous items of memorabilia from Wayne’s life and movies are displayed, including several costume items he wore in various westerns, and there’s a large statue of “The Duke” in full cowboy getup as well. Plans are under way to build a much larger museum adjacent to the house. Guided tours of the house are given, with the last tour departing at 4:30 p.m. There’s a modest admission fee. Open 7 days a week.
65. CEDAR COVERED BRIDGE
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Description: Spanning Cedar Creek just northeast of Winterset, this bridge was originally located farther to the west, over what is now US 169. It can be seen on the cover of some editions of the novel by Robert James Waller that was adapted for the movie. The original bridge was destroyed by arson in 2002, and this replica, constructed according to the plan and materials of the original bridge, was dedicated in 2004.
66. CUTLER-DONAHOE COVERED BRIDGE
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Description: Probably the most accessible of Madison County’s covered bridges, this 79-foot-long bridge sits in Winterset’s city park, where it was moved from its original location over the North River near the town of Bevington. Built in 1870, it features a pitched roof and was renovated in 1997.
67. HOGBACK COVERED BRIDGE
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Description: One of the bridges still in its original location, the 97-foot-long Hogback is just north of Winterset, in a valley that sits below a limestone ridge. Built in 1884 by prolific bridge builder Benton Jones, it was restored in 1992.
68. HOLLIWELL COVERED BRIDGE
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Description: This bridge features in the movie The Bridges of Madison County and like the famous Roseman bridge it spans the Middle River, but southeast of Winterset. It was built by Benton Jones in 1880. It is the longest of the county’s covered bridges, at 122 feet, and was renovated in 1995.
69. IMES COVERED BRIDGE
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Description: This is the oldest of the covered bridges still standing in Madison County. Built in 1870, it originally spanned the Middle River near Patterson, then was moved in 1887 to Clanton Creek near Hanley, then moved again in 1977 to its present site near the town of St. Charles, on the eastern edge of the county. It was renovated in 1997 and is 81 feet in length.
70. ROSEMAN COVERED BRIDGE
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Description: Perhaps the best-known of the bridges, this is the bridge that Eastwood’s character of Robert Kincaid is looking to photograph when he stops in at the farmhouse of Francesca Johnson (Streep) to ask for directions. Located west of Winterset just off CR G47, the 107-foot-long pedestrian bridge is still in its original location, spanning the Middle River. It was built in 1883 by Benton Jones and renovated in 1992. The bridge is also said to be haunted by a county jail escapee who disappeared in 1892.
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
72. AMANA COMMUNITY CHURCH MUSEUM
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 4210 V St.
Description: A circa-1865 church that shows visitors the simple style that defined worship for the residents of the Amana Colonies—churches were typically sparsely furnished and without decorations like religious figures or stained glass. Guides explain the colonists’ beliefs and religious practices. Even today services are partly in German and partly in English. Open Mon to Sat mid-June to mid-Aug and Sat only from May to mid-June and mid-Aug to Sept.
73. AMANA HERITAGE MUSEUM
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Insider Pick:
Description: Three buildings’ worth of exhibits give a comprehensive view of the history and communal lifestyle of the Amana Colonies. Artifacts including household items and photos tell the story of the colonies from their founding in the mid-19th century. There is also a library with numerous volumes relating to the Amana Colonies. Admission to the museum is around $7 and is free for children 17 and under, but for just another dollar you gain admission to all the Amana heritage sites, which otherwise each require a separate, additional admission charge. The museum is open 7 days a week Apr. 1 through Oct. 31 and Sat only Nov. 1 through Mar. 31.
74. COMMUNAL AGRICULTURE MUSEUM
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 505 P St.
Description: Housed in one of South Amana’s oldest barns, built around 1860, this extensive collection includes agricultural equipment used in the early colonies, as well as historical photographs illustrating the unique practice of communal farming. The barn itself is rather impressive, with rough-hewn beams holding up a large roof—it was originally used to house oxen. Open Sat only Memorial Day through Labor Day, or by appointment.
75. COMMUNAL KITCHEN AND COOPER SHOP
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Description: This is the only surviving communal kitchen in the Amana Colonies, and it gives visitors a good idea of what it was like both to prepare meals for large groups of people and to eat all meals as part of that large group. Guides are on hand to talk about the foods made in Amana kitchens and the process of cooking in them, including the kitchen hierarchy, from the head cook on down. They are a wealth of information and are happy to answer questions from visitors. Period cooking and eating implements are on display. The nearby cooper shop showcases how barrels were made in the colonies. Open Mon through Sat mid-June through mid-Aug, and Sat only May through June, and mid-Aug through Sept.