Ottumwa: Aviation, Water and City History

Ottumwa offers travelers several distinct themes. If you’re looking for a hotel in Ottumwa, you can shape your stay around the interests you’d most like to explore: aviation and gaming history, water, churches, river scenery or food. These concrete differences can help you organize your own travel interests.

Aviation and Gaming History

At the Airpower Museum at Antique Airfield, visitors can explore aviation from the period beginning with the Second World War. The Airpower Museum has a large aircraft collection, and many of the aircraft are flown regularly. The historical context and the regular flights are two separate aspects: a perspective on the period and a statement about many of the aircraft in the collection.

Ottumwa's Old School Pinball & Arcade highlights a different part of the city’s history: visitors can become part of Ottumwa’s gaming history there. For $10, the venue offers access to more than 60 games. These include video games, pinball machines and other skill-based games, so the selection is not limited to a single type of game. Compared with the aviation museum, this offers a different focus: rather than aircraft and their history, the emphasis is on a variety of games and Ottumwa’s gaming culture.

Water Park and River Scenery

Beach Ottumwa is an indoor and outdoor water park spanning 13 acres, with more than 1 million gallons of water. The acreage describes the size of the park; the volume of water adds a second measure. The outdoor area includes a wave pool, a winding slide and a 100-foot speed slide, as well as a children’s play area and two sand volleyball courts. The outdoor offerings therefore include both water attractions and play and volleyball facilities. The distinction between an indoor and outdoor water park describes the facility as a whole, while the details listed refer to the outdoor area.

Visitors can explore Ottumwa’s historic churches on a self-guided tour. The Wapello County Trail System offers a different perspective: visitors can take in the scenic Des Moines River from there. While the church tour centers on historic churches, the trail system offers views of the river. Travelers weighing cultural and scenic interests can take these different focuses into account when planning their trip.

Churches and Local Food

St. Patrick Church was dedicated on April 15, 1883, as the first church in South Ottumwa. The exact date places the church in the 19th century; the designation as the first church refers to South Ottumwa. This gives local church history a specific historical point of reference.

Canteen Lunch in the Alley adds local food culture to these themes. The restaurant opened in 1927 and serves a loose-meat sandwich made with ground beef, along with milkshakes and a slice of homemade pie. The opening year gives the restaurant historical context; the dishes make its culinary focus specific. For travelers interested in local food culture, this is another distinct aspect of Ottumwa.

For an overview of the wider region, see Wapello.