Pella Corporation

In the small Dutch Community of Pella, Iowa in 1925, Pete and Lucille Kuyper invested in a newfangled invention – a window screen that rolled up and down like a shade. The couple went on to found a company, Rolscreen Company, based on the principles of traditional American values, integrity and the desire to enrich the homes and lives of others.

Today, Pella Corporation is still owned by the Kuyper family, and continues to be a leader in technology and product innovation. In fact, we've been awarded more than 150 product and design patents. And the team at Pella is as committed as ever to continuing the company's proud heritage of building innovative windows and doors.

The restored Pella Depot portrays items of historical importance to pella Corporation and is located at 102 Main Street in front of the current Pella Corporation headquarters.

They currently have 10,000+ people employed across 17 manufacturing locations throughout the United States and beyond.

More History on the Rolscreen Museum/Pella Depot:

One of Pella's overlooked and underutilized treasures is our 1906 Railroad Depot Museum, located at the corner of Main Street and Oskaloosa Street in south Pella. Admission to the museum is free and it is open year-round, Monday through Saturday, from 8:00 to 5:00. There is even a reserved museum visitor parking space in the parking lot just east of the museum!

The museum is comparatively small and the self-guided tour can be completed in 30 minutes or less. It is owned and operated by Pella Corp. The museum features artifacts and photos from some of the earliest days of the depot's existence, and also an informative timeline of the development and history of Rolscreen Co., now called Pella Corp.

The Des Moines Valley Rail Road first came to Pella in late 1864. It was a defining moment in Pella's history as the railroad allowed a ready connection to markets and major cities. Pella developed rapidly following the rail connection. Farmers now had access to markets to sell their grain and livestock. Merchants could quickly, easily and inexpensively import goods. Visitors could conveniently connect with far-away locations.

This brick depot replaced an earlier wooden structure that was located two blocks to the east. This building was erected at a cost of $4,596 and opened on April 6, 1906.

In 1926, the one-year-old Rolscreen manufacturing factory was moved to Pella by Pete Kuyper, who had recently purchased the Des Moines-based company. The city paid to erect the factory's first brick block building, a 120' x 180' one-story structure, located on the corner of Main and South Street, directly south of the railroad tracks and depot. After renting the building for several years, the company then purchased it.

The depot was retired from service in 1973 and acquired from the Rock Island railroad by Rolscreen Co. in the 1980s. The property was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.