Iowa Heartland History Connection - Museum

Iowa Heartland History Connection - Museum Discover the stories that shaped Southeastern Iowa. We’re a museum and community hub for historical research and educational programming.

Whether you're a lifelong Iowan or a curious traveler, we welcome you to experience the heart of Iowa history. Iowa Heartland History Connection d/b/a/ Wapello County Historical Society was organized October 14, 1959. The Grand Opening at our new location, 700 Farm Credit Drive, was held on April 30, 2022. Ottumwa comes from the Sauk word “Au-tum-way-e-naukor” meaning “land of the rippling waters”.

06/11/2026

Campers and parents - we do still plan to have camp today, as the weather radar looks like it should get better mid-morning. If you’d rather wait it out a little before drop-off, your camper is welcome to join whenever you get here. Camp will end at noon as originally scheduled.

06/10/2026

Note to parents of campers: we’re at the library for the remainder of our time due to the rain!

05/29/2026

Did you know that our volunteer team has put together 5 new exhibits this year already?

- Vintage Tools and Hardware Stores (made in Ottumwa)
- Coal Mining and Ottumwa's Coal Palace
- When Housework Was Hard Work (Kitchen and Homemaking - early home appliances)
- Vintage Wedding Dresses
- Wapello County Schools (from one-room school houses to OHS)

There's more to be told!

👇 Tell us in the comments:
1️⃣ What's your favorite piece of LOCAL history? (A person, place, event, or era!)
2️⃣ What would you LOVE to see featured in a new exhibit?
3️⃣ What's a story from our area that you think deserves to be told?

Come visit us Wednesdays - Fridays from 10a-4p. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children, and members and kids under 3 are free!

We love this part of Ottumwa history!For nostalgia-maxing 😆 your trip to Ottumwa, we recommend pairing your visit to the...
05/18/2026

We love this part of Ottumwa history!

For nostalgia-maxing 😆 your trip to Ottumwa, we recommend pairing your visit to the museum with a visit to the Canteen!

05/15/2026

We love local history from all over! Our friends at the Eddyville Museum and Community Center are back on Facebook! Check out their page to keep up with local events!

May has been a busy one for the museum and we couldn't be more excited!Photos are still rolling in from our 4th Annual F...
05/15/2026

May has been a busy one for the museum and we couldn't be more excited!

Photos are still rolling in from our 4th Annual Fore the Love of History Golf Tournament. We had a great turnout, and thanks to the incredible generosity of our teams and sponsors, we raised over $8K for the Iowa Heartland History Connection! This allows us to continue to bring new exhibits and community and educational programs, including our upcoming kid's summer camp!

We couldn't tell the rich history of Southeastern Iowa without your support.

Thank you to:
A&A Septic
Craig Heemsbergen - American Family Insurance Agent - Ottumwa, IA
Appanoose Rapids Mercantile
Bo's Mowing
Community 1st Credit Union
Edward Jones - Alex Morley
Edward Jones - David Uehling
Financial Partners, Inc.
Boitnott Enterprises
Hindman-Person Heating & Air Conditioning
Fareway Stores Ottumwa
Iowa Shipping Containers
Iowa Writers' Collaborative
Dr. James Enloe and Dr. Brandon Enloe, DDS
JBS - Ottumwa and UFWC 1874
John Sholes
MAD Ave Qwik Shop
Carquest by Advance - Ottumwa, OTown Auto Parts
Marvin Boyer - Shelter Insurance
Mast Overhead Doors Inc.
NOEL Insurance, Inc.
Norris Asphalt Paving Co. & Douds Stone
REMAX Pride Oskaloosa & Ottumwa
Richwell Carpet & Cabinet Center
Ridgway Electric
Rubel Roofing Company
Sandegrens Heating & Air Conditioning
South Ottumwa Savings Bank
The Optical Shoppe
UAW Local 74
Winbco Tank
O'Reilly Auto Parts - Ottumwa
Schroeder Graphics
Bradley T. Barnes, CPA, PC
Hans Wilz for Iowa
Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company

Thank you Ottumwa Community School District staff and students from DeMuth and Hamman's 4th Graders at Fahrney, and Fish...
05/15/2026

Thank you Ottumwa Community School District staff and students from DeMuth and Hamman's 4th Graders at Fahrney, and Fisher and Daniels 5th Graders at Eisenhower!

Students learned about Indigenous peoples of southeastern Iowa, one room schoolhouses, and our coal and agricultural history!

Many of our volunteers are former teachers and local historians, so we're so excited to host field trips and educational experiences!

05/08/2026

The Iowa Heartland History Connection Museum is closing at noon today. Have a great weekend!

Address

1 Museum Drive
Ottumwa, IA
52501

Opening Hours

Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+16416828676

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Iowa Heartland History Connection - Museum posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Iowa Heartland History Connection - Museum:

Shortcuts

Share

Category