Rock Valley Museum

Located an hour north of Sioux City, Rock Valley gets its name from the Rock River bordering the nearby valley. However, this was not the town’s name when settlers first arrived here in the late 1860s. from Royal Ridge, Rock Mills and even Rhodes Corner, this small township had a handful of various names to start. Of the first families who arrived in what is now Rock Valley, three stand out for their crucial role in the town’s foundation and formation. The Wilsons, the Runyuns and the Bellesfields, who together helped create the post office, the first Methodist church, and built the very first family dwellings in and around town.

Before Rock Valley township was formed there was a mill half a mile up the river, which was then later moved a mile west. Both structures were eventually destroyed by flooding, requiring it to be relocated to a safer location in town. In fact, that building still stands as the Rock Valley Elevator Co., also known as the Purina Building.

Platted in 1879 by Colonel Warren, who would water the trees along the streets with his own horse-drawn wagon, Rock Valley slowly became and still is a bustling township with community involvement and economic growth. Actually, of all the small towns I’ve been to in and around Siouxland, this has to be one of the most involved communities I’ve ever seen. From the chamber, to local business owners teaming up to organize and host annual events, you can guarantee I will make multiple trips up here throughout the year.

Tour de Valley!

With all this excitement bustling around Rock Valley, you can imagine how excited I was to score a private tour of the Rock Valley Museum. Owned and operated by Greg Westra, a local Rock Valley resident, this privately owned and totally unique museum is worth your time to schedule a tour. Formerly Pember Family Pharmacy, this museum still has many remnants from a century ago lingering on the shelves, as if someone hit the pause button. There are thousands of artifacts that tell a colorful history of Rock Valley, from a privately owned steamboat which conducted pleasure cruises along the river, to Rock Valley’s very own Opera House.

Other artifacts you’ll browse by are

• Cardboard cutouts from the 1950s
• Historical photographs
• Herbs and spices from the original pharmacy
• Keen Kutter tools
• Vintage wallpaper
• Bank deposit slips from the 1980s and 1990s
• Rolling Racers vintage jacket

The last one has to be one of my favorite items from the Rock Valley Museum. Starting off as a group of misfits, the Rolling Racers soon became the town’s protagonist. From filling the streets with the sounds of revving engines to helping people stranded on the side of the road, this is how legendary movies begin.

Plan your visit

But there is so much more to see here! This blog post, for sure, does not do the museum justice. With literally thousands of historical pieces that help tell the story of Rock Valley, you will be transported back in time, and immersed in local heritage. Greg will tell you stories that he has been able to accumulate over time, and relics of the past he has salvaged which were destined for the landfills.

Many of the buildings on Main Street which were erected in the early 1900s do not, of course, have the same businesses operating out of them, but that doesn’t mean that they are not well-suited to continue functioning as a retail brick and mortar.

So, when you stroll down Rock Valley’s main street, take note at all the historic buildings that still exist over 100 years later, oozing with historic charm and classy modern at the same time. In fact, the town’s initial slogan in the early 1900s was “The best trading town, for miles around”, meaning this is one of the crucial places to do business in Iowa! And one more thing before you go, Rock Valley has grown 42% since 2000, and is one of the fastest growing towns in Iowa. Growing faster than 85% of towns of similar size, you may want to plan your visit sooner than later.