Vermeer Corp.’s Yellow Iron Academy employs geothermal technologies
Dutch emigration to the U.S. in the 19th century resulted in concentrations of people of Dutch origin residing in various parts of the U.S. — predominantly in the Northeast, Pacific Northwest, and the Midwest. In 1847, a group of some 800 Dutch émigrés founded Pella, Iowa, in the south central portion of the state. The legendary Earp brothers — Wyatt, Morgan, and Warren — were born in Pella. Today, the area retains examples of Dutch architecture and traditions (the city has an annual tulip festival and even a Dutch windmill), and some of its residents still speak a Dutch dialect called Pella Dutch.
Pella also boasts two large manufacturing companies — the window and door manufacturer, Pella, and Vermeer, a manufacturer of industrial equipment used in a variety of industries like agriculture, mining, utility installation, and forestry. Both companies were founded by Dutch community members and remain privately owned.