1200 Senate Ave & Hwy 34 • Red Oak, IA 51566 • 1-800-544-6002

The Red Coach Inn & Restaurant

Surrounding Area Attractions and
Neighboring Cities

Burlington Northern Depot

In 1903 when the Burlington Northern depot was first completed, it was a model of modern convenience linking Red Oak to more urban communities in worlds totally different from life here on the prairie.  Rural communities were virtually inaccessible by any method of transportation until lifelines of railroads joined them to more metropolitan societies. 
 
Dedicated on December 20, 2003, on the 100th anniversary of the first dedication, the restored Burlington Northern depot now houses a WWII Memorial Museum, Self-guided Tour, and an orientation auditorium with a rear projection TV viewing screen.
 
The Depot is located at 305 S 2nd Street in Red Oak.  Hours of operation call 712-623-6340 or visit the website at www.depothill.net. 
Montgomery County History Center
The Montgomery County History Center is a combined museum, educational, and research facility.  Exhibits related to Montgomery County and Iowa history are on display with new exhibits displayed throughout the year.  Included on the grounds of the history center are a reconstructed 1880's barn and an herb garden.  Located a short distance from the history center is a one-room schoolhouse and historic cabin.  The Montgomery County History Center is located at 2700 N 4th Street in Red Oak.  Hours for the History Center are Tuesday through Sunday, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.  For special tours or additional information call (712) 623-2289 or visit www.freewebs.com/montgomerycountyhistorycenter.
Heritage Hill Tour
Take a stroll or drive along Red Oak's historic Heritage Hill Tour and experience the community's hallmark collection of turn-of-the-century architecture.  The tour embodies a wide range of architectural styles including excellent examples of Queen Anne, Georgian, Italianate, English Tudor, Colonial Revival, and Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie Style. The locations that are included on the Heritage Hill Tour were built from the 1870's through 1916.
 
The tour begins at the Montgomery County Courthouse, built in 1890 of red Missouri limestone.  This interesting building of Richardsonian Romanesque design is listed on the National Historic Preservation Register and still has the historic interior intact.  Your tour ends at one of Red Oak's most outstanding attractions, the Chautauqua Pavilion located in Chautauqua Park.  This pavilion, built in 1907, is the largest covered pavilion west of the Mississippi and is also listed on the National Historic Preservation Register. 
 
Other places of interest include the Carnegie Library, the Murphy Calendar Company building and the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Depot, which has been restored to its original 1903 charm, and houses a WWII Memorial Museum.
 
Places listed on the National Historic Register include:  Montgomery County Jail, Montgomery County Courthouse, Chautauqua Pavilion, the Firehouse Restaurant, Red Oak Library, the Osborne House, and the Colonel Hebard House.