Historic Downtown Ottumwa

Ottumwa, Iowa is located in southeastern Iowa in the Des Moines River Valley. The city of Ottumwa developed in the 1840's near where several Fox and Sac Indian villages were located. The city itself climbs in and out of the river valley, providing scenic vistas and hill-hugging streets.

The business district of a typical Midwestern community is anchored around a town square with green space and a public building -- such as a courthouse or municipal building. In Ottumwa, however, business and commercial development followed the Des Moines River's diagonal path through the city. Over time, Central Park gradually evolved into the center of public buildings.