Eldon, Iowa is probably not on anyone’s bucket list or top place to see, but if you are in Iowa you should definitely stop in Eldon. Eldon is known for American Gothic, but there is more to this town. On one of my most recent trips to Iowa, I decided to take a different route. I saw the signs for American Gothic and decided to venture into town. You can take a day trip to Eldon, Iowa or spend a few hours.
Eldon, Iowa is located off Highway 34 in southern eastern Iowa. Eldon is a small town with a little over 1,000 people. But the town has so much charm and a hidden gem for sure.
American Gothic
American Gothic was built in 1881-1882 by Charles and Catherine Dibble. The house is often called Dibble House. The visitor center is open from 10a-4p on Wednesday – Friday. Saturday is 1p-4pm. The admission fee is $5 for ages 13 and up. I didn’t know this until after my trip, but they have a costume checkout. There is a selfie station outside to get the perfect picture. I used it to get the perfect picture of the house. Inside the visitor center, there is an exhibition gallery that talks about the history of the house. The media room shows 2 videos – one 17-minute cartoon for kids and a 30-minute video for adults. Souvenir shop with American Gothic and Iowa-based things. I would recommend going in there, but I didn’t have enough time on my trip.
Rock Island Train Depot
Rock Island Train Depot is right inside Eldon. There is a train museum, but I didn’t go in because I was heading out of town. There are a few trains outside, and a small park with wooden trains. It would be a perfect spot for a picnic or grab food from Chommys.
McHaffey Opera House
McHaffey Opera House is located in downtown Eldon. It’s also within walking distance from the train depot. The opera house is considered a historic building as of November 1995. Opera House named after Irish immigrant David McHaffey was the proprietor of a brickyard in town. He built the Opera House from the bricks of his business.
Welcome to Eldon Mural
It’s the very first thing you see as you enter Eldon. It’s located downtown, and within walking distance of everything in Eldon.
