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Luther College - Local Atmosphere - Local Atmosphere - College ProwlerCollege Prowler2.31

Local Atmosphere

C
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Quick Stats

Fun Local Trivia
  1. Decorah was named for Chief Waukon Decorah. Decorah was a Ho Chunk Indian who cooperated with white settlers during the Black Hawk War.
  2. The town is centrally located between three major U.S. cities: Minneapolis, MN; Madison, WI; and Chicago, IL, which is ideal for students seeking a weekend getaway.
  3. The town is rich in Norwegian history, and holds a "Nordic Fest" every summer involving food, crafts, and music from Norway.
  4. Near the college is the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, the biggest museum in the country devoted to a single immigrant group; this is featured in the course Paideia at Luther.
  5. The Decorah area is home to the largest Capon (castrated chicken) producing plant in the world.
Notable Natives
  • Georgann Johnson – actress
  • Weston Noble – music educator
  • Mark Pinter – actor
Local Slang
  • Mabe's: The greatest pizza in town, serving all varieties and other food as well. By far the most popular restaurant in town.
  • Nordic Fest: A midsummer gathering that features Norwegian culture and (more importantly) town-wide beer tents. Many Luther students journey back in the summer to this event to see friends.
  • Townie: A local you may meet in the bar that might want to make small talk; also called "regulars." They're generally harmless, though, like grizzly bears, they will attack when provoked.
  • Tubing: This event involves floating down the majestic Upper Iowa River with your friends on rentable tubes. Depending on where you enter the river, the trip can be made in under an hour to up to six hours; a variety of land beaches along the way allow for a picn
Points of Interest
  • Vesterheim
  • Whippy Dip

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

So, by now you might have picked up on the fact that Decorah is not the center of the cultural universe (unless of course, you mean Norwegian-history culture). That doesn’t mean it’s not a good place to be. For students who appreciate a small town or are from one, the transition will be easy. However, for students used to the big-city lights and sounds, the sounds and smells of cow pastures cannot compete. The locals can be friend or foe to students, depending on when or where you cross their paths. That’s okay—Decorah has plenty to offer the outdoor enthusiast who wants to get away from it all. Many students will enjoy the hiking, biking, running, and the sport of “tubing,” along with cheap dates, like a 37-cent cone at the Whippy Dip.

The winters in Decorah will leave you trapped in dorms to bond with your roommates or go cross-country skiing on the campus soccer fields. The small-town shops are cute enough to bring Mom to but probably aren’t the location to find the hottest perfume or smallest skirt for your Saturday night. Although Decorah will not be the best place for you if you need a Bloomingdale’s on every corner, it will be great for students who want to be within a reasonable distance of big cities but still want the quiet peace of a small town.

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Luther Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Local Atmosphere at Luther College

LutherCollege11

Biology '12

4.6
A

Decorah

Tons of outdoor activities, including fantastic hiking and biking trails, "Dunning Springs" (a beautiful natural fed spring), tubing down the Iowa river, camping and much much more. The downtown area is filled with historical buildings and great shops and coffee places. Decorah is also known for its efforts in sustainability, allowing for local food options at Luther college and most restaurants. Most people who come to Decorah, truly fall in love with it.

Apr 07, 2012

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Local Atmosphere at Luther College

fourtyler

Biomedical Sciences and Molecular Medicine '15

3.5
B

Luther College

Luther COllege in Decorah, known for its nordic history. Nice pleasent town with friendly people

Aug 23, 2011

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Local Atmosphere at Luther College

reimth01

Chemistry '13

4.6
A

Beautiful Surroundings

Though Decorah is by no means a big city, it has plenty of great restaurants and shops and is a very charming town. Decorah is distinct in its natural beauty, from towering bluffs to cascading waterfalls to scenic bike and hiking trails. For those who enjoy exploring the outdoors, Decorah is about as good as a college town gets.

Jul 06, 2011

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User rating for Luther College - Local Atmosphere is 4.6 out of 5 based on 18 user reviews.

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate the local atmosphere on the following topics

What is the local atmosphere like at your school?

What is the proximity to other universities? Is there much interaction?

Can you see yourself living here after graduation?

Facts

Shopping Centers Apache Mall
Major Sports Teams
  • Minnesota Timberwolves: basketball
  • Minnesota Twins: baseball
  • Minnesota Vikings: football
  • Minnesota Wild: hockey
City Web Sites
Distances to Nearest Major Cities
  • Madison: WI: 3 hours
  • Minneapolis: MN: 3 hours

Movie TheatersWhat's This?

Viking 3 Theater
111 N. Mechanic
(563) 382-4898

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Most Recent Student Author View all

Name
William Morris
Hometown
Wausau, WI
Major
English (with minor in Secondary Education)

College Prowler is seeking talented student authors to assist with writing and updating the College Prowler guides to their schools. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain experience and tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is really like at your college.

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How do we get our information? Find out here or report an error here. The statistics on our site are from the National Center for Education Statistics IPEDS database.
We update this information twice annually, most recently in May 2012, but it may not be the most recent information available for a particular school.
For additional information we encourage you to visit school websites or contact the schools directly.