Page Contents for Kalona, Iowa

Statistics & Facts

Location

History & History-related items

City Attractions

Government

Chamber of Commerce.

Community events.

Organizations, Churches, and Sports.

Miscellany

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Statistics & Facts

The Iowa state capital is Des Moines.
The population of Kalona is approximately 2,437 (2004), 2363 (2010).
The approximate number of families is 773 (1990), 1053 (2010).
The amount of land area in Kalona is 4.898 sq. kilometers.
The amount of land area in Kalona is 2.0 sq. miles.
The amount of surface water is 0 sq kilometers.
The distance from Kalona to Washington DC is 825 miles.
The distance to the Iowa state capital is 101 miles. (as the crow flies)
Kalona is positioned 41.48 degrees north of the equator and 91.70 degrees west of the prime meridian.
Kalona elevation is 662 feet above sea level.
Kalona median income is $ 33,750 (2000).
The Kalona median home price is $ 99,400 (2000).

Location

in eastern Iowa, about 17 miles south of Iowa City. Other nearby communities include Riverside, Wellman, Hills, Washington, University Heights, Tiffin and Coralville.

Here is a map page for Kalona.
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History & History Related Items

Kalona was first known as Bulltown, named in 1879 for a shorthorn breeding service here. It began as a station on the English river Township railroad. It was an isolated location with no roads for a year and was named Kalona after the breeding service’s famous sire. When Highway 1 was created and paved in the 1950’s, more traffic and people came through Kalona both as travelers and as visitors or commuters. The Amish population first arrived here in 1846 and most have changed little since then.
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Attractions

Kalona has the largest Amish Mennonite settlement west of the Mississippi River. Learn more about Kalona at this site.

Kalona By-Ways Tour
514 B Ave.
Kalona, Iowa
Phone: 319-656-2519
Open: Tours at 11 and 1:30, May-Sep.
Mini-bus tours of the historic Amish Countryside

Kalona Historical Village
411 Ninth St.
Kalona, Iowa
Phone: 319-656-2519
Open: 10-4 Mon.-Sat., Apr.-Oct., 11-3 Mon.-Sat., Nov.-Mar.

Kalona Quilt and Textile Museum
515 B Ave.
Kalona, Iowa
Phone: 319-656-2240
Tour guide available.

Mennonite Museum and Archives
411 Ninth St., Historical Village
Kalona, Iowa
Phone: 319-656-3271
Open: 10-4 daily, Apr.-Nov.; or by appointment.

Antiques are important to the area. See this list of antique dealers and companies in and around Kalona.
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Kalona City Government

City of Kalona
307 6th St, PO Box 1213
Kalona, IA 52247
Phone: 319-656-2310

Kalona Chamber

Kalona Area Chamber of Commerce
514 B Avenue
Kalona, IA 52247
Phone: 319-656-2660

Kalona Community Events

July each year
Shiloh's American Dreams - Fireworks Spectacular
Independence Day celebration with fireworks set to music at Kalona’s own Shiloh amphitheater. Great for whole family featuring an exciting night of music and choreographed fireworks to celebrate our nation's birthday. Admission is free, $ 5.00 a car for parking. Bench and grass seating. For more information call 319-656-3156 or visit the website
2006 information:
Date: 3 July at 9 p.m. (Rain date July 4th at 9 p.m.) Place: Shiloh Amphitheater
100 Shiloh Drive
Kalona, IA 52247

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Information on the Kalona Fall Festival
Every year since 1972, on the last weekend in September, townsfolk pull out all the stops to put on the Kalona Fall Festival. The festival, to be held Friday and Saturday, the last weekend of September, will again feature homemade foods like pretzels and potato chips, apple fritters and apple butter, breads and chicken biscuits with gravy. Hand-crafted items such as dried flowers, woven rugs and, of course, quilts will be on display and for sale.
Besides being a showcase for old-world food and crafts, there are actual demonstrations of antique machinery used by the Amish when they first started to settle the area in 1846. For information about the Kalona area and the fall festival, call the Kalona Historical Society at 656-2519 or the Chamber of Commerce at (319) 656-2660.

More information on the Fall Festival.

Kalona Organizations

Kalona Area Chamber of Commerce
514 B Avenue
Kalona, IA 52247
Phone: 319-656-2660 Kalona

Miscellany

The population of Kalona was:
1990 - 1,942
2000 - 2,293
2004 - 2,437