Ottumwa Heights College began as a liberal arts women's college based in Ottumwa, Iowa. It became coed in 1967. The school was affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church and was operated by the Sisters of Humility of Mary. Although the student body of the college was originally mostly Roman Catholic by the end of its existence a majority of its students were Protestant. Ottumwa Heights merged with Indian Hills Community College in 1979 and was deemed officially inactive in 1980. Since 1981, the new IHCC campus has been located at the 126-acre (0.51 km2) former Ottumwa Heights campus.