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(The following Letter to the Editor is from Kate Rattenborg Scott, the owner of Dragonfly Books in downtown Decorah): "As a Decorah downtown merchant, I hear locals and tourists alike state how our town is unique and inviting. Nestled in the Driftless Area, it's easy to take our region's beauty for granted. Decorah is unique not only for our rugged outcroppings of limestone cliffs, but also for the architecturally diverse buildings found throughout our historic districts. We benefit from being missed by the eroding nature of both the long ago glaciers and by the 'flatness' and sameness that redevelopment can create. Mitigations that protect Decorah from historical flooding are in place. The man-made "cut" (1950) diverts Dry Run from going through town, protecting homes and buildings from damage. Likewise, levees both protect lowlands and divert the Upper Iowa into a newer channel, hugging the banks below Ice Cave road. Both of these endeavors, while changing the landscape, were done for our community's protection. May is Historic Preservation Month. Our local commissions have identified and documented historically significant structures worth protecting. As I stroll down Water Street, I often look up and take in the beauty of the intricate architectural features on our older buildings--features that so far have been protected from redevelopment. My favorite facade is 107 E Water, Decorah Newspapers' office, formerly Barge's Cafe (1920/30s). (Barge's was noted for 5¢ braunschweiger sausage bun sandwiches, or heartier 35¢ meals of salmon loaf, white sauce, mashed potatoes, creamed peas, apple salad.) The facade's brickwork includes window arches, decorative terracotta medallions and shields flanked by Scandinavian acanthus scrolls, floral tiles, sunflower patterns, all topped with tiles in a rolling, repetitive wave pattern. We can't go back and recreate the bluffs that disappeared from where the old Bluff's Inn/Cliff House was; however our community can be thoughtful and intentional in moving forward with new developments while protecting our history."

Support your local businesses

Letter to the Editor: Decorah residents need to protect our history