Wallace Centers of Iowa

What Wallace Centers of Iowa does

Wallace Centers of Iowa is an Iowa-based non-profit organization founded in 1988 that preserves and extends the Wallace family's legacy of agricultural innovation and public service. It operates two historic sites: Wallace House, a 19th-century residence in Des Moines' Sherman Hill neighborhood that hosts Victorian teas, farm-to-table dinners, and intimate gatherings, and Wallace Farm, a nine-acre restored prairie near Orient, Iowa, that hosts seasonal dinners, Pizza on the Prairie events, and the Garden for Good sweet-potato donation program for food-insecure Iowans. The organization serves the general public, volunteers, interns, and donors interested in Iowa's agricultural heritage, local food systems, and historic hospitality experiences.

The organization's core offerings span ticketed dining events (Historic Corn Plot Dinner at $75/person, Sherman Hill Victorian Tea at $30/person, Farm to Table multi-course dinners, and free Pizza on the Prairie events), educational and artistic programming (Seeds of Memory Sound Walk, Prairie Art Exhibit, Farm Internships, Picnic Theater), community facilities (Mickle Center Shared Use Community Kitchen, venue rentals for the Gathering Barn and Wallace House), a retail product line (Abundance preserved foods sold via seasonal Abundance To Go pop-up markets), and social-impact programs (Garden for Good sweet potato cultivation). Revenue is generated through a mix of event ticketing, product sales, venue rentals, donations, sponsorships, and planned giving.

The business model is fundamentally that of a small heritage nonprofit: earned revenue from events and products is supplemented by contributed revenue from individuals and likely institutional donors and grants. Distribution is regional (Iowa) and conducted via direct on-site visits, online event reservations, pop-up markets, and a multi-channel marketing presence (website, Constant Contact newsletter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube) augmented by an Iowa Tourism Office partnership. The organization employs 11–50 staff and is led by CEO Debra Houghtaling. There is no technology platform, AI/ML capability, or proprietary software product; the underlying "technology" consists of agricultural practices, culinary programming, and standard nonprofit digital infrastructure.

Name

Wallace Centers of Iowa

Legal name

The Wallace Centers of Iowa

Website

https://wallace.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wallace Centers of Iowa is a non-profit that operates two historic sites—Wallace Farm in Orient and Wallace House in Des Moines—preserving the Wallace family's agricultural legacy through farm-to-table dining, educational programs, community events, and food-security initiatives serving Iowa residents and visitors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Cultural and Educational Services

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Community Food Services (62421), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Center Education Programs (EDAAAFAB)

Keywords

• Farm-to-table dining
• Historic venue rental
• Agricultural heritage programs
• Preserved food products
• Community culinary events

Headquarters

HQ city

Des Moines

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Wallace Centers of Iowa is a non-profit organization that operates two historic sites—Wallace Farm (a nine-acre restored prairie near Orient, IA) and Wallace House (a historic residence in Des Moines' Sherman Hill neighborhood)—offering farm-to-table dining experiences, educational programs on Iowa's agricultural heritage, an Abundance line of preserved foods, venue rentals, and community programs such as Garden for Good that grows sweet potatoes for food-insecure Iowans.

Product overview

The Wallace Centers of Iowa operates as a non-profit cultural and educational organization offering two distinct historic venues — Wallace Farm near Orient and Wallace House in Des Moines — along with various programs and events. The core offerings include farm-to-table dining experiences (Pizza on the Prairie, Farm to Table meals, Historic Corn Plot Dinner, Sherman Hill Victorian Teas), agricultural programs (Garden for Good, Farm Internships, sweet potato cultivation for food-insecure Iowans), and educational/artistic offerings (Seeds of Memory Sound Walk, Prairie Art Exhibit). The organization also offers preserved food products (Abundance line) and venue rental services. The portfolio is unified by the Wallace family legacy of agricultural innovation and public service connecting Iowa's food, land, and people.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wallace Farm: Nine-acre restored prairie near Orient, IA offering seasonal farm-to-table dinners, Pizza on the Prairie events, and the Garden for Good program growing sweet potatoes for food-insecure Iowans
• Wallace House
• Pizza on the Prairie
• Garden for Good
• Abundance
• Seeds of Memory
• Mickle Center Shared Use Community Kitchen

Products and services

• Wallace Farm

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Shelburne Farms: Vermont nonprofit farm and education center offering farm-to-table dining, agricultural education, and historic estate programming—comparable nonprofit farm-based hospitality and education model.
• Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden: Des Moines-based nonprofit botanical garden offering educational programming, events, and seasonal dining experiences—overlapping with Wallace Centers' farm-to-table and nature-based programming.
• Salisbury House & Gardens: Historic house museum in Des Moines' Sherman Hill neighborhood offering tours, teas, and private events—directly comparable to Wallace House in location, scale, and experiential offering.
• Living History Farms: Iowa-based open-air agricultural history museum in Urbandale that combines historic farms, immersive experiences, and educational programming—the closest analog to Wallace Farm's prairie and heritage mission.
• Conner Prairie: Indiana-based interactive history park combining historic landscapes, agricultural programming, and immersive dining events—analogous model at slightly larger scale.
• Iowa Arboretum: Iowa-based nonprofit arboretum and nature park offering educational programs, trails, and community events—comparable in its conservation mission and visitor programming model.

Broad incumbents

• Old World Wisconsin: Large-scale outdoor history museum operated by the Wisconsin Historical Society—broader scope but similar agricultural-heritage and immersive-event concept.

Others

• Iowa Tourism Office: State tourism promotion partner that has recognized Wallace Centers as an Iowa Tourism Award Winner—relevant ecosystem participant, not a direct competitor.

Regional players

• Terra Lifestyle Tourism: Iowa agritourism network/promoter connecting visitors to local farms, food experiences, and rural destinations—partially overlapping as a competing channel for Iowa farm-to-table tourists.

Emerging players

• Field & Feast: Specialty farm-dinner event operator running curated agricultural dining experiences—comparable ticketed farm-to-table model but without historic-preservation mission.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC100zjDwXKWbskcC9TquwAw
• Facebookfacebook.com/wallacecenters
• Instagraminstagram.com/wallacecenters
• Xx.com/westwardwallace
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-wallace-centers-of-iowa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wallace Centers of Iowa