Most People Don't Know Iowa Has Its Own Danish Village and It's Picture Perfect

The towns of Elk Horn and Kimballton are overflowing with Danish pride, celebrations, food, and culture. Half of each town’s population is of Danish descent, so keeping family traditions alive is important.

Danish Villages Website

You can find them by travelling just off of I-80 in southwest Iowa, 9 miles north of Exit 54.

Danish Villages News/Facebook

This tiny town is less than 3/4 of one square mile and has under 1,000 residents. Elk Horn and Kimballton are the two biggest rural Danish settlements in the U.S. Kimballton has a population of under 500 people and is also covers less than one square mile. The two towns are just three miles apart.

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Danish flags adorn the main streets of the two towns.

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Danish Villages Website

Danish Villages News/Facebook

This annual Danish Villages' celebration is held each Memorial Day weekend, the 2017 dates are May 26th through the 28th. It features authentic Danish foods, windmill tours, the much-anticipated Tivoli parade, folk dancing, and a big-hearted celebration of Danish heritage.

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Danish Villages News/Facebook

This authentic windmill was imported from Denmark and installed in the town of Elk Horn in 1976 by 300 volunteers. The original structure was built in Denmark in 1848. Visitors can tour the windmill, and visit the largest Danish import gift shop in the United States Monday through Saturday from 9am until 5pm and Sunday from noon until 5pm. You'll find this windmill at 4038 Main Street. The windmill stands 60 feet tall and has 66-foot sails.

Danish Villages News/Facebook

This statue, located in Kimballton in Mermaid Park at 310 North Main Street, is a fiberglass sculpture that was recast in bronze in 2008. Installed in 1978, the original statue was the work of two college students from California. It's a tribute to Hans Christian Andersen, the famous Danish author of "The Little Mermaid."

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This half-sized Danish windmill model is located right across Mermaid park from the Little Mermaid Sculpture.

Ali Eminov/Flickr

This replica of a Viking homestead has seen its share of helmeted Viking reenactments, often a part of Tivoli Fest.

While in our Iowa Danish villages, be sure to stop by The Museum of Danish America, located at 2212 Washington Street in Elk Horn. They are open between 9am and 5pm Monday through Friday, Saturday 10am until 5pm, and Sunday between noon and 5pm. While you are there, you’ll get an overview of Danish-American culture, Danish immigration, and hear many important Danish-American stories.

Will Iowa’s picture-perfect version of Danish culture tempt you to visit? Let us know what you think in the comments.