Altoona Area Historical Society

10/21/2026

It has come to our attention that posts and comments are circulating about our Christmas in Olde Town event claiming that we are asking vendors to apply and send payment through Chime or Venmo.

THIS IS A SCAM. The Altoona Area Historical Society is NOT requesting vendor payments through Chime, Venmo, or any similar app.

🚫 If you see comments on our page about Vendor Spots, please DO NOT reply to them, click any links, or send any money.

If you have questions about Christmas in Olde Town or vendor opportunities, please contact us directly:

📧 Joe Riding – [email protected]
📧 Ellen Fitzpatrick – [email protected]

Please share this post to help protect our community and vendors. Thank you for your support, and we look forward to celebrating the season with you! 🎄

10/21/2026

🎄✨ LET THE CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN BEGIN! 🎅🎁

Consider this YOUR PERSONAL INVITATION to mark your calendars, gather the family and join us for an afternoon of Christmas magic. This is one holiday tradition you won’t want to miss! ❤️💚

The Altoona Area Historical Society, City of Altoona, Iowa - Government and the Polk County Board of Supervisors are teaming up once again for Christmas in Olde Town a FREE event filled with festive fun, family memories, and plenty of Christmas cheer!

🎅 SANTA CLAUS HIMSELF is joining us this year!

And that’s just the beginning! Get ready for all the holiday fun and a few surprises along the way!

☕ Hot chocolate bar
🔥 S’mores station
🍪 Cookie decorating
🎨 Face painting
🌀 Spin art
🐴 Carriage rides
📸 Fun holiday photo opportunities
🎶 Festive entertainment
🎁 And MORE Christmas magic!

📣 SHARE THIS POST with your friends and family, and be sure to FOLLOW THIS PAGE! We’ll be sharing all the fun activities, exciting surprises, and wonderful local businesses joining us this year to make Christmas in Olde Town even MORE spectacular!

🎄🎁 Let’s spread the Christmas cheer throughout our community. We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

10/20/2026

🕰️ ONE WEEK AWAY! Join Us for a Fascinating Look Into Funeral History! ⚰️

Mark your calendars! We’re just ONE WEEK away from our October monthly presentation at the Altoona Area Historical Society!

Join us as Billy Wilson, Curator of the Iowa Funeral Museum and Education Center in Marshalltown, takes us on a fascinating journey through the history of funerals, historic burial traditions, and the evolution of embalming dating back to the Civil War.

Billy will bring historic embalming tools and other intriguing artifacts that offer a unique glimpse into how funeral practices and burial traditions have changed throughout history. This is sure to be an interesting and educational evening you won’t want to miss!

📅 Tuesday, October 27th
🕕 6:00 PM
📍 Altoona Area Historical Society
104 2nd Street SE, Altoona, Iowa

Bring a friend and join us for an evening of history, discovery, and fascinating stories from the past!

We look forward to seeing you there!

10/17/2026

🏛️✨ WE'RE OPEN TODAY! ✨🏛️

Looking for something fun to do this Saturday? Step back in time with us at the Altoona Area Historical Society Museum, open today from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM!

Wander through Altoona's past, discover treasures from days gone by, and see the stories that shaped our town. Bring the kids, the grandparents, or a friend who loves a good bit of history. There's something here for everyone! 🚂📸

Can't make it today? We're also open Saturday, October 24th, 10 AM to 2 PM.

📅 DON'T MISS OUR MONTHLY PROGRAM!
👻 "Gone But Not Forgotten" 👻
🗓️ Tuesday, October 27th at 6:00 PM
Billy Wilson, Curator of the Iowa Funeral Museum and Education Center in Marshalltown, will take us on a journey through the history of funerals, historic burial traditions, and the art of embalming, a practice that dates all the way back to the Civil War! You won't want to miss it!

🎄 AND MARK YOUR CALENDARS! 🎄
✨ Christmas in Olde Town ✨
🗓️ Saturday, November 28th, 2:00 to 4:30 PM
Get ready for a festive afternoon of holiday cheer and old-fashioned Christmas magic in the heart of Altoona! ❄️🎅

📍 104 2nd St SE, Altoona

Come see us, bring a friend, and share this post so everyone can join in the fun!

10/15/2026

🎄✨ The Countdown Is ON! ✨🎄

Can you feel it? The holiday magic is already in the air, and we're officially counting down the days until Christmas in Olde Town! 🎅❄️

The Altoona Area Historical Society and the City of Altoona, Iowa - Government are thrilled to bring back one of the most anticipated traditions of the year, a FREE celebration for the whole family where our entire community comes together to welcome the holiday season! 🏡❤️

And this year is extra special… because SANTA CLAUS HIMSELF is coming to Olde Town! 🎅🎁 Start working on those wish lists and get your cameras ready!

Here's a peek at what's in store:
☕ A cozy hot chocolate bar
🔥 A s'mores station
🍪 Cookie decorating
🎶 Festive entertainment
🎁 And plenty more surprises we can't reveal just yet!

📅 Saturday, November 28th
🕑 2:00 – 4:30 PM
📍 Olde Town 2nd St SE in Altoona

🌟Bundle up, bring the kids, grab your neighbors, and get ready for an afternoon full of joy, laughter, and memories that will last a lifetime. The planning has started, and we can't wait to celebrate with YOU!

Mark your calendars and share this with someone who loves Christmas as much as we do! 🎄👇

10/12/2026

✨Mark your calendars for an unforgettable presentation this October!

🎟Admission to our presentations is always free, and we warmly invite everyone in the community to come, pull up a chair, and enjoy this captivating journey into the past.

10/05/2026

🍕 Pizza with a Purpose! 🚔

The Pleasant Hill Police Department and Altoona Police Department are teaming up with The Pizza Bar to support COPS FOR KIDS!

Join us Thursday, October 22nd from 4:00–9:00 PM at The Pizza Bar in Pleasant Hill. They have generously agreed to donate 15% of ALL proceeds from the evening to Cops for Kids!

Come hungry, bring the family, and help make Christmas a little brighter for local kids in our communities. 🎄🎁

10/02/2026

HAPPY HOMECOMING!
SOUTHEAST POLK RAMS
Good luck in tonight’s game! 🏈

From your friends at the
Altoona Area Historical Society!

10/02/2026

🍂 Welcome, October!

Fall has settled in across Altoona, and it's the perfect time to look back at the story of our community. From the changing leaves to the harvest season, October reminds us how deep our roots run here in Central Iowa.

This month, we invite you to:

🌾 Remember Altoona's beginnings, from its farming and early settlement days to the growing town we know today

📸 Share your favorite old photos of Altoona. Family snapshots, Main Street scenes, school memories, and community events help us preserve the past, and we love seeing them!

🎃 Stay tuned for seasonal happenings as Halloween approaches

Every photograph, story, and artifact helps keep our shared history alive. If you have something to share, or if you'd like to join us as a member or volunteer, we'd love to hear from you.

Happy October from all of us at the Altoona Area Historical Society!

09/29/2026