Decorah, Iowa

Decorah, the home of Luther College for more than a century, has a resident population of 8,000. Founded in the 1850s, it is the county seat of Winneshiek County, located at the junction of U.S. Highway 52 and State Highway 9. The Minnesota border lies 15 miles to the north. The Mississippi River lies 30 miles to the east.

Luther's campus and the town are built on the rolling wooded hills and rugged limestone cliffs of northeast Iowa's bluff country. The Upper Iowa River—the only waterway in the state designated as wild and scenic—flows through the lower portion of Luther's 200-acre central campus and borders Decorah's business district. In fact, the town's main thoroughfare is Water Street.

These visually striking natural resources foster a noticeable awareness of place, history, and vitality in the community. Today Decorah is known nationwide for its recreational opportunities, numerous cultural heritage events and festivals, pedestrian-friendly village center full of niche eateries and shops, and conscious efforts to thrive as a small town.

Public transportation serving the area includes commercial airports in Rochester (Minn.), Waterloo (Iowa), and La Crosse (Wis.); a municipal airport in Decorah; and train and bus depots in La Crosse (Wis.).