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The Refuge

4.0 (1 review)
Closed • 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

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Danish Windmill Gift Shop - Fire pit in center of Viking home

Danish Windmill Gift Shop

(23 reviews)

$

Elk Horn celebrates its vibrant Danish origins with this windmill and adjacent gift shop. Elk Horn…read moreis the largest Danish settlement in the United States, brought to the community in the late 1800s by immigrants. Thankful for staffer Phyllis, who was kind, friendly, and informative. She made our visit way better! They have fun items all over their spacious gift shop, which focuses on their Danish history. There is a $5 tour of the windmill too. Plenty of parking, a cute park immediately south, and downtown Elk Horn a walk to the north. Located less than 10 minutes north of I-80. Cap this visit off with a stop at The Kringleman Pastry Shop two blocks north, and you'll fully immerse yourself in Danish culture.

Excellent stop in Elkhorn, IA. This windmill was dismantled in Denmark and shipped to IA where it…read morewas restored and reconstructed. Definitely pay the five dollar entry (adults) to go inside! Beside the windmill, the grounds include a Danish Viking smithy and home along with historic Viking information and milling information. There is also a tiny church moved here after being donated by the builders family. Models of Danish homes created by a man in MA who based them on the Danish village his grandparents lived in are on display behind the building in a small fenced area. A bust to Hans Christian Andersen is in their lovely garden area and picnic tables are under the trees near the Viking home. Community bulletin boards are near their private dirt parking lot. The gift shop has so many treasures! Be sure to sign the guest book. At the time of this review, tariffs on goods imported from Europe have increased some prices, but there are plenty of Danish kitchen items, holiday decor, candles, mugs, wonderful toys, candy, mead, glassware and on and on. Definitely plan time to wander around. Purchases support mill upkeep and restoration. The gift shop also serves as an Iowa tourist information point where you will find brochures of other Iowa sights. Very clean restrooms at the back of the gift shop. The windmill is just six minutes south of the Little Mermaid Fountain which is another stop worth seeing. Happy motoring!

The Refuge - giftshops - Updated May 2026

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