Klokkenspel
Pella's Klokkenspel brings the Old World to Pella in a musical way!
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The Klokkenspel can be viewed first from Franklin Street and then from the courtyard behind. Performances are held daily at 11:00am, 1:00pm, 3:00pm, 5:00pm, and 9:00pm.
The dream of a local business owner, H. Stuart Kuyper, and dedicated to him, the Klokkenspel features eight 4-foot mechanical figures that portray people and moments of Pella’s history.
In the courtyard behind the Klokkenspel are flower beds, stone benches, and arched niches filled with Dutch tile scenes. All this can be experienced a half block west on Franklin Street from the Vermeer Windmill.
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The north side of the Klokkenspel features four figures - Dominie Hendrik Scholte, Maria Scholte, Wyatt Earp, and a Blacksmith.
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Scholte was the leader of 800 Hollanders who arrived in Pella in 1847. He is depicted baptizing an infant, characterizing new life in the religious sense and symbolic of the new life the immigrants came to enjoy. His wife Maria is shown weeping, as her transition to Pella was a difficult one. Additionally, upon arriving, she discovered that all but one of the delft dishes she had taken were broken.
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Wyatt Earp is known to most Americans as an infamous lawman of the Wild West. He resided in Pella as a child, and the home he lived in still stands as part of the Historical Village. The Blacksmith, working at his forge, represents the early industry of Pella and new Americans everywhere. The Historical Village also includes a blacksmith shop.
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On the south side of the Klokkenspel are figures representing Tulip Time. The wooden shoe maker, flower girls, and street scrubbers are a part of every festival and represent the colorful spirit of Tulip Time.