City of Bridges

[KOHLSDORF] 90 minutes southeast of Des Moines in Wapello County, travelers can explore a community shaped by both nature and industry.

[LAURAL CARRELL] We have always had our very own unique personality. When you come to Ottumwa, you're going to find people and activities and attractions that you're not going to find anywhere else. That's what's special about Ottumwa and Wapello County.

[KOHLSDORF] Strengthened by manufacturing since the 1850s, Ottumwa has become a welcoming place for different cultures.

[LAURAL CARRELL] Our residents represent more than 40 different nationalities and speak more than 50 different dialects. So you're coming to a melting pot of culture that has their own restaurants, their own stores, their own communities and churches, and you get to experience that in a way that you don't have to go around the world. 

[KOHLSDORF] The City of Bridges invites visitors to enjoy the city's plentiful natural surroundings, with hundreds of acres of vibrant parks and playscapes available for exploring right in town.

[LAURAL CARRELL] Green space is a huge part of us, of our personality. It's one of the things that visitors say they come here for the most. We have over 600 acres just in the city limits of green space that just call your name. You drive past it, you see places where you can relax, where you can have a picnic, where you can play on the playground with your family. You can be out in nature and learn who we are from the beginning of time through to now, how it's managed and how we're working on conservation for the community. 

[KOHLSDORF] With its perch alongside the Des Moines River, the City of Ottumwa offers a great place to stretch your legs along highway 163.