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Cedar Rapids, Iowa
City
Seal
Nicknames:  City of Five Seasons, CR
Motto(s):  The fifth season is a time to enjoy life, to enjoy the other four seasons.[1]
Location in the State of Iowa
Map from U.S. Census
Cedar Rapids, Iowa Location in the United States
Coordinates: 41°58′59″N 91°40′7″W / 41.98306°N 91.66861°W / 41.98306; -91.66861Coordinates: 41°58′59″N 91°40′7″W / 41.98306°N 91.66861°W / 41.98306; -91.66861
Country	United States
State	Iowa
County	Linn
Incorporated	1849
Government
• Type	Home Rule
• Mayor	Brad Hart (R)
Area [2]
• City	72.07 sq mi (186.66 km2)
• Land	70.8 sq mi (183.37 km2)
• Water	1.27 sq mi (3.29 km2)
Elevation	810 ft (247 m)
Population (2010)[3]
• City	126,326
• Estimate  (2017)[4]	132,228
• Rank	2nd in Iowa
• Density	1,800/sq mi (680/km2)
• Urban	177,844 (US: 193rd)
• Metro	257,940 (US: 178th)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP codes	52227, 52228, 52233, 52324, 52338, 52401-11, 52497-99
Area code	319
FIPS code	19-12000
GNIS feature ID	0465941
Interstate Spurs	I-380
Website	cedar-rapids.org

Cedar Rapids /ˈsiːdər ˈræpɪdz/ is the second-largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, 20 miles (32 km) north of Iowa City and 100 miles (160 km) northeast of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city. It is a part of the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Corridor of Linn, Benton, Cedar, Jones, Johnson, and Washington counties.^[5]

As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 126,326.^[6][7] The estimated population of the three-county Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes the nearby cities of Marion and Hiawatha, was 255,452 in 2008.^[8] Cedar Rapids is an economic hub of the state, located in the core of the Interstate 380.

The Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) is also a part of a Combined Statistical Area (CSA) with the Iowa City MSA. This CSA plus two additional counties are known as the Iowa City-Cedar Rapids (ICR) Corridor and collectively have a population of over 450,000.

A flourishing center for arts and culture in Eastern Iowa, the city is home to the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, the Paramount Theatre, Orchestra Iowa, Theatre Cedar Rapids, the African-American Historical Museum and Cultural Center of Iowa, the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance. In the 1990s and 2000s, several Cedar Rapidians became well-known actors, including Bobby Driscoll, Ashton Kutcher, Elijah Wood, and Ron Livingston. The city is the setting for the musical The Pajama Game and the comedy film Cedar Rapids.

Cedar Rapids is nicknamed the "City of Five Seasons", for the "fifth season",^{[clarification needed]} which is time to enjoy the other four.^[1] The symbol of the five seasons is the Tree of Five Seasons sculpture in downtown along the north river bank. The name "Five Seasons" and representations of the sculpture appear throughout the city in many forms.^[1]

History

Downtown Cedar Rapids, overlooking the Cedar River.

Second Avenue SE in downtown Cedar Rapids looking towards the Cedar River.

The location of present-day Cedar Rapids was in the territory of the Fox and Sac tribes.

The first permanent settler, Osgood Shepherd, arrived in 1838. When Cedar Rapids was first established in 1838, William Stone named the town Columbus. In 1841 it was resurveyed and renamed by N.B. Brown and his associates. They named the town Cedar Rapids for the rapids in the Cedar River at the site, and the river itself was named for the large number of red cedar trees that grew along its banks.^[9] Cedar Rapids was incorporated on January 15, 1849.^[10] Cedar Rapids annexed the community of Kingston in 1870.

The economic growth of Cedar Rapids increased in 1871 upon the founding of the Sinclair meatpacking company.

In 2010, the Census Bureau reported Cedar Rapids' population as 87.98% white, and 5.58% black.^[11]

Flood of 2008

Flooded Business District June 12, 2008

During the Iowa flood of 2008, the Cedar River reached a record high of 31.12 feet (9.49 m) on June 13 (the previous record was 20 feet (6.1 m)), surpassing the 500-year flood plain. 1,126 city blocks were flooded, or more than 10 square miles (26 km²), and 561 city blocks were severely damaged, on both banks of the Cedar River, comprising 14% of the city's total area. A total of 7,749 flooded properties had to be evacuated, including 5,900 homes and 310 city facilities, among them the City Hall, Central Fire Station, Main Public Library, Ground Transportation Center, Public Works building, and the Animal Control building. It is estimated that at least 1,300 properties had to be demolished in the Cedar Rapids area because of the flood, which caused several billions of dollars in damages. More than 4,000 members of the Iowa National Guard were activated to assist the city. The temporary levees became saturated not only with the flood waters but also with additional rainfall, causing them to fail.^[12][13]

Until the flood, the city's government was headquartered in the Veterans Memorial Building, near the Linn County Courthouse and jail on Mays Island in the Cedar River, making Cedar Rapids one of a few cities in the world, along with Paris, France, with governmental offices on a municipal island.^[14]

Flood of 2016

During the flood of 2016, remnants of Hurricane Paine from the eastern Pacific Ocean via the Gulf of California caused the second highest recorded crest of the Cedar River in Cedar Rapids, reaching 22 feet (6.7 m) on September 27.^[15][16][17] The inundation of southern Minnesota, central and western Wisconsin, and northeastern Iowa by Hurricane Paine's remnants began on September 21 and 22 and continued until the end of the month.^{[18][19][20][21]} The cresting in Cedar Rapids was below the initial estimate of 25 feet (7.6 m) and the revised estimate of 23 feet (7.0 m), but more than 10 feet (3.0 m) above the flood stage of 12 feet (3.7 m).^[22][23][24] The flood was above levels considered to have about a 1% chance of occurring in a given year.^[25][a] More than 5,000 homes were affected, causing over 5,000 people to evacuate.^{[25][13][26][27]} The Cedar Rapids Schools were closed for a week.^[28]

In 2015, Cedar Rapids approved a $625 million flood protection plan over 20 years for levee improvements.^[25] Although the improvement to the levee system in Cedar Rapids had not been completed due to over $80 million in funding not appropriated by the United States Congresses of 2014 and 2016 and the voting down by local residents of a temporary increase in the local sales tax to pay for the levee improvements,^[b] out of school students along with hundreds of thousands of volunteers and 412 Iowa National Guard troops filled more than a quarter of a million sandbags in a successful effort to prevent any major flooding of the city outside the evacuation zone.^[25][29] A 9.8-mile (15.8 km) system of Hesco barriers, earthen berms, and over 400,000 sandbags were used to plug the gaps in the levee system.^[25][30][31] The city of Cedar Rapids purchased additional Hesco barriers from Iowa City for $1.4 million.^[32] Numerous upstream cities that had been earlier affected by the September flooding and mandatory evacuations, including Charles City, Greene, Manchester, Clarksville, Shell Rock, Vinton, Janesville, Cedar Falls and Waterloo, sent hundreds of thousands of unused sandbags to support efforts in Cedar Rapids and nearby communities.^[19][27] The remnants of Hurricane Paine did not produce any rain to saturate the temporary earth berms and sandbags, which would have greatly increased the likelihood of breach in the temporary levee structures, causing a much greater flooded area; the river crested during very sunny weather. Additionally, beginning on September 25, 300 to 400 National Guard troops along with the Iowa State Patrol, other law enforcement agencies, and 60 duly sworn law enforcement officials enforced a nightly 8pm to 7am curfew.^[27][28][29]

Geography

The city is divided into four quadrants, used in addressing. 1st Avenue (U.S. Route 151 Business) divides the north and south sides of the city, and the Cedar River divides east and west. Mays Island, in the middle of the river, is the only area of the city where addresses have no quadrant. Areas outside the city limits that have a Cedar Rapids mailing address do not use the quadrants either.

Except in the downtown area, 1st Avenue and the Cedar River tend to run diagonally instead of along the cardinal directions. Due to the curving of 1st Avenue, there are some areas in western Cedar Rapids where NW addresses are actually south of SW addresses.

Cedar Rapids is divided into 14 ZIP Codes. Mays Island and the downtown area are covered by 52401. The northeast quadrant is covered by 52402 and 52411. The southeast quadrant is covered by 52403. The southwest quadrant is covered by 52404. The northwest quadrant is covered by 52405. Post office boxes are covered by ZIP codes 52406, 52407, 52408, 52409, and 52410. Several other ZIP codes are for specific businesses (Aegon USA, Collins Aerospace, etc.).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 72.07 square miles (186.66 km²), of which, 70.8 square miles (183.37 km²) is land and 1.27 square miles (3.29 km²) is water.^[2]

Neighborhoods

Czech Village is at the heart of the city's Czech heritage. Pictured is Sykora Bakery which is now open to the public.

There are twelve active neighborhood associations in Cedar Rapids. The neighborhoods nearest downtown include Wellington Heights and Oakhill Jackson in the southeast quadrant and Moundview in the northeast quadrant. Also farther north in the northeast quadrant are Noelridge Park and Kenwood Park, which was independent until it was incorporated into the Cedar Rapids city limits. The boundaries of Kenwood are 32nd Street to Oakland Road to Old Marion Road to C Avenue to 40th Street then 1st Avenue between 40th street and 32nd Street.^[33]

In addition to the neighborhood associations in Cedar Rapids, there are many informal, unofficial neighborhoods, such as Bowman Woods, Vernon Heights, Stoney Point, New Bohemia (NewBo) and Wilderness Estates.

Czech Village is located along 16th Avenue SW, south of the Cedar River. It is home to such Czech-themed businesses as The Czech Cottage, Sykora Bakery, and White Lion Treasures. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is one of Cedar Rapids' major tourist attractions, and the nearby Bohemian National Cemetery may also be of interest to visitors. The National Czech & Slovak Museum's main building was directly on the river and was badly damaged by the 2008 floods. After the flood the museum moved a few blocks to Inspiration Pl SW.

The Cedar Rapids Czech Heritage Foundation is one of many local organizations working to promote and preserve Czech heritage in Cedar Rapids. It supports and sponsors many programs and events throughout the year, including the Miss Czech-Slovak Iowa pageant. Two Miss Czech-Slovak US queens can claim this community as home: Lisa Volesky and Stasia Krivanek.

Olga Drahozal was the famed band leader of the Czech Plus Polka Band, a performing group that frequents the Kosek Band Stand in Czech Village. She, Bessie Duggena, and Leona Poduška taught Czech School (Česká škola) at Wilson Middle School.

In 2003, the African-American Historical Museum and Cultural Center of Iowa opened its doors. Cedar Rapids is also home to the historic 26-acre (105,000 m²) Brucemore Estate, on which sits a 21-room mansion, and the Masonic Library and Museum.

In 2009, Cedar Rapids was rated one of the "Top 10 cities to Grow Up In" in the United States, partly due to a low crime rate and a good public school system.^[34]

Climate

Cedar Rapids has a humid continental climate with long, cold, sometimes brutal winters with plenty of snow, while summers are hot and humid, with frequent severe thunderstorms.

The record low temperature in Cedar Rapids is −30 °F (−34 °C), set on January 31, 2019, while the record high temperature of 110 °F (43 °C) was set on July 6, 1911.^[35]

Demographics

Cedar Rapids metropolitan area. From left Benton County, Linn County, and Jones County.

The Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Statistical Area consists of Linn, Benton, and Jones counties. The MSA had a 2000 census population of 237,230, with an estimated 2008 population of 255,452;^[8] Linn County was the only county in the MSA before the MSA was redefined after the 2000 census.

As a growing job center, Cedar Rapids pulls commuters from nearby Marion and Hiawatha. Other towns that have become bedroom communities include Ely, Swisher, Shueyville, Palo, Atkins, Fairfax, Walford, Robins and Bertram.

Based on the 2010 American Community Survey^[37] 1 Year Estimates, the median income for a household in the city was $51,186, and the median income for a family was $63,265. Males had a median income of $40,413 versus $26,402 for females. The per capita income for the city is $26,370. About 6.3% of families and 11.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.5% of those under the age of 18 and 4.3% of those 65 or older.

2010 census

As of the census^[38] of 2010, there were 126,326 people, 53,236 households, and 30,931 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,784.3 people per square mile (688.9/km²). There were 57,217 housing units at an average density of 808.2 per square mile (312.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 87.98% White, 5.58% African American, 0.31% Native American, 2.21% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 0.93% from other races, and 2.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.31% of the population.

There were 53,236 households of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.8% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.9% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.95.

Age spread: 23.5% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.4 males.^[39]

2000 census

In the 2000 census, Cedar Rapids was 91.9% non-Hispanic white, with well over half of the population claiming a specific ethnic European ancestry, such as Germans (35.5%), Irish (17.1%), English (9.4%), Czechs (7.8%), Norwegians (5.1%), and French from either France or Canada (3.2%).^[40] The city also has a growing minority population: for example, in the three-year period from 2006 to 2008, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that 4.9% of the Cedar Rapids population identified as African Americans, up from 3.7% in the 2000 census.^[40][41]

Muslim heritage

Cedar Rapids has played an important role in Muslim culture in the United States. The National Muslim Cemetery, on 12 acres (49,000 m²) of land donated by Haj. Yahya William Aossey in 1948, is said to be the first exclusively Muslim cemetery in North America.^{[citation needed]} Graves in the cemetery face Mecca.^[42] The Mother Mosque of America, dedicated on June 16, 1934, is the longest standing mosque in North America.^[43][44] In 1972, another mosque was built and the original mosque was sold and fell into disrepair before being purchased in 1990 by the Islamic Council of Iowa and renovated.^[45][46] It is on the National Register of Historic Places. The Iowa flood of 2008 extensively damaged the basement, destroying many historic documents.

Muslim presence in the area dates to 1895 when the first immigrants arrived from the Beqaa Valley in today's Lebanon and Syria.^[47] Islamic Services of America (I.S.A.) was established in Cedar Rapids in 1975 and provides Halal Certification and supervision throughout the world.^[48]

The 12-story Roosevelt Hotel was built in 1927 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is one of several prospects attracting outside investors to the city.^[49]

Economy

Cedar Rapids is one of the largest cities in the world for corn processing. The grain processing industry is Cedar Rapids' most important sector, directly providing 4,000 jobs that pay on average $85,000, and also providing 8,000 indirectly.^[50]Fortune 500 company Collins Aerospace and trucking company CRST are based in Cedar Rapids,^[51] and Aegon has its United States headquarters there. A large Quaker Oats mill, one of the four that merged in 1901 to form Quaker Oats, dominates the north side of downtown. Other large companies that have facilities in Cedar Rapids include Archer Daniels Midland, Cargill, General Mills, Toyota Financial Services and Nordstrom.^[50]Newspaperarchive, based in Cedar Rapids, is the largest newspaper archive in North America with a repository of more than 150 million pages assembled over 250 years; it was taken offline for two days by the 2008 flood.

Top employers

According to Cedar Rapids' 2014 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,^[52] the top employers in the area are:

Arts and culture

Brucemore, Iowa's only National Trust Historic Site, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Cedar Rapids is home to Orchestra Iowa, the Paramount Theatre, Theatre Cedar Rapids, Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre, and Brucemore, a National Trust Historic Site, among others.

Cedar Rapids is also home to the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, The Cedar Rapids Ceramics Center, Legion Art's CSPS Hall, the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, the African American Historical Museum, Kirkwood Community College's Iowa Hall Gallery, and the legendary Grant Wood Studio at 5 Turner Alley. These Cedar Rapids venues have recently hosted world class and award nominated exhibitions, including the works of Andy Warhol, Grant Wood, and the Iowa Biennial, among others.

The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art houses the largest collection of Grant Wood paintings in the world. The 1920s Paramount Theatre is home to the Orchestra Iowa and the Cedar Rapids Area Theatre Organ Society. Concerts and events such as high school graduations, sporting events, exhibitions, and political rallies are held at U.S. Cellular Center, formerly known as The Five Seasons Center.

Many arts centers in Cedar Rapids sustained severe damage during the June 2008 flood. Among those severely damaged were the Paramount Theatre, Theatre Cedar Rapids, the National Czech & Slovak Museum, and the African American Historical Museum. Two Wurlitzer organs were damaged at the Paramount Theatre and Theatre Cedar Rapids. The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art suffered minor damage. It is expected to cost $25 million to repair the Paramount;^[53][54] Theatre Cedar Rapids reopened in February 2010.^[55]

Cedar Rapids became a popular internet meme during the 2016 presidential election, after Hillary Clinton posted a video saying "I'm just chilling in Cedar Rapids" on Snapchat.^[56]

Sports

Cedar Rapids is home to one major league, and three minor league sports franchises:

• the Cedar Rapids Kernels, a member of minor league baseball's Midwest League since 1962, are the Class-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins and play at Veterans Memorial Stadium
  


• the Cedar Rapids Roughriders are members of the United States Hockey League, playing at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena
  


• the Cedar Rapids River Kings, members of the Indoor Football League, play at the U.S. Cellular Center
  


• the Cedar Rapids Rampage play Major Arena Soccer League matches at the U.S. Cellular Center
  

Parks and recreation

Cedar Rapids has over 3,360 acres (13.6 km²) of city owned property for undeveloped green space and recreational use. There are 74 formally named parks or recreational facilities. These include baseball and softball fields, all-weather basketball courts, two frisbee golf courses, sand volleyball courts, the Tuma Soccer Complex, a BMX dirt track, two off-leash dog exercise areas, the Old MacDonald's Farm (a children's zoo), 10 splash pads, and many parks that have pavilions, picnicking areas and restroom facilities. The various trail systems in Cedar Rapids have a total of 24 miles (39 km) for walking, running or bicycling.^[57]

The YMCA has had a local chapter since 1868. It has many facilities including Camp Wapsie.^[58]

Government

Veterans Memorial Building, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The building served as City Hall until the 2008 flood.

Mays Island with the County Courthouse in the rear of the former City Hall.

From April 6, 1908, to December 31, 2005, Cedar Rapids used the city commission form of government. It was one of the few larger American cities remaining to operate under this model. Under this form of government, the council was made up of a public safety commissioner, a streets commissioner, a finance commissioner, a parks commissioner, and a mayor. The council members worked on a full-time basis, served two-year terms, and were considered department heads. Don Canney, the longest-serving mayor in city history, served for twenty-two years under this system.^[61] The last mayor of Cedar Rapids under this form of government was Paul Pate.

In 2005 the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce spearheaded a movement to change from the commission form of government. A panel was appointed by Mayor Pate and the City Council to study the issue, and recommended that voters be presented with three options:

• Stay with the current commission form of government.


• Adopt a "strong mayor form" where the council would be part-time, the mayor would be full-time, and a city manager would run the day-to-day affairs of the city.


• Adopt a "weak mayor form" of government, in this form the mayor and council would both work on a part-time basis. A full-time city manager would run the day-to-day operations of the city.

On June 14, 2005, voters went to the polls to decide whether to adopt a new form of government or continue with the commission form. 28,818 of the 83,514 registered voters (29.72%) cast ballots on the issue. 68.80% of the voters decided to adopt a new form of government.^[62] Elections were held on November 8, 2005 and 30 candidates ran. Kay Halloran, a retired attorney and state legislator, became the first mayor elected under the new system. Several members of the city council were elected outright; however, the remaining races were close enough to require a runoff election, which took place in December.

Cedar Rapids now has an Iowa "Home Rule" charter which establishes a weak mayor system with a part-time City Council and Mayor both on four-year terms.^[63]

Education

Cedar Rapids is home to two four-year colleges, Coe College and Mount Mercy University. The University of Iowa also has an evening MBA facility there.^[64]Kirkwood Community College is the area's only two-year college, while Kaplan University (formerly Hamilton College) and Upper Iowa University also have campuses there. Cornell College in Mount Vernon and the University of Iowa's main campus in Iowa City are both within 30 miles (48 km) of Cedar Rapids.

The Cedar Rapids Community School District is the largest school district in the metropolitan area with an enrollment of 17,263 in the 2006–07 school year.^[65] The district contains 24 elementary schools, six middle schools, and four high schools: Jefferson, Washington, Kennedy, and Metro High School (an alternative high school).^[66] Two neighboring school districts draw students from within the Cedar Rapids city limits. The Linn-Mar Community School District serves part of the northeast quadrant of the city and has seven elementary schools inside the city limits.^[67] The College Community School District serves part of the southwest quadrant of Cedar Rapids as well as neighboring rural portions of Linn, Benton and Johnson counties. A central campus off Interstate 380 holds College Community's five elementary schools, Prairie Creek Intermediate, Prairie Point Middle School & Ninth Grade Academy, and Prairie High School.^[68]

The Cedar Rapids Metro Catholic Education System, which is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque, consists of six elementary schools,^[69] two middle schools,^[70] and one high school (Xavier). The Cedar Rapids Catholic Education System and Cedar Rapids Community School District are synonymous with each other in the Cedar Rapids Public and Parochial School System.

The city hosts several private schools, including Summit Schools, Cedar Valley Christian School, Trinity Lutheran School, Isaac Newton Christian Academy, Faith Christian Learning Center, and Good Shepherd Lutheran School^[71] of the WELS.

Media

Radio

Cedar Rapids' radio market, which consists of Linn County,^[72] is ranked 211th by Arbitron with 172,000 listeners aged 12 and older.^[73]

iHeart Media owns four stations in the Cedar Rapids area, including WMT 600 AM, a news/talk station that has broadcast since 1922. Clear Channel also owns KKSY-FM 96.5, a modern country music station; KMJM 1360 AM, a classic country station; and KOSY-FM 95.7 FM, a hit music station.^[74]Townsquare Media owns four radio stations in Cedar Rapids, which were formerly owned by Cumulus Media: KDAT 104.5 FM (adult contemporary), KHAK 98.1 FM (country music), and KRNA 94.1 FM (classic rock). Townsquare also operates KRQN 107.1 under a Lease-Management Agreement. KRQN broadcasts a (contemporary hits) format.^[75] Three other stations in Cedar Rapids are independently owned: KZIA 102.9 FM (contemporary hits), KGYM 1600 AM (sports radio), and KMRY 1450 AM/93.1 FM (Classic Hits).^[76] Several stations from Davenport, Waterloo, and Iowa City also figure into ratings in Cedar Rapids.^[77] These stations include Waterloo-licensed contemporary Christian "Life 101.9," KNWS-FM; KFMW 107.9 FM, known as "Rock 108," with an active rock format; and KOKZ 105.7 FM, which has a classic hits format. Clear Channel-owned KKRQ 100.7 FM, with a classic rock format, is the Iowa City station that is typically highly rated in Cedar Rapids.

The only noncommercial station licensed to Cedar Rapids is KCCK-FM 88.3 FM, a jazz station licensed to Kirkwood Community College. KXGM 89.1 is a non-commercial contemporary Christian music station licensed to neighboring Hiawatha.^[76]NPR stations from Cedar Falls (KUNI (FM) 90.9 FM) and Iowa City (KSUI 91.7 FM and WSUI 910 AM) reach Cedar Rapids.^[78]

Television

The Cedar Rapids-Waterloo-Iowa City-Dubuque media market consists of 21 eastern Iowa counties: Allamakee, Benton, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Cedar, Chickasaw, Clayton, Delaware, Dubuque, Fayette, Grundy, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Keokuk, Linn, Tama, Washington, and Winneshiek.^[72] It is ranked 90th by Nielsen Media Research for the 2016–17 television season with 346,330 television households.^[79]

Cedar Rapids is home to four network-affiliated stations: KGAN channel 2 (CBS), KCRG channel 9 (ABC), KFXA channel 28 (Fox), and KPXR-TV channel 48 (ION). NBC affiliate KWWL channel 7 and The CW affiliate KWWL-DT2 are based in Waterloo and maintain a newsroom inside the Alliant Energy tower in downtown Cedar Rapids. Other stations in the market are KWKB channel 20 (This TV), licensed to Iowa City and KFXB-TV channel 40 (CTN), licensed to Dubuque. Public television is provided by Iowa Public Television, which has two stations in the area: KIIN channel 12 in Iowa City and KRIN channel 32 in Waterloo. KWWF channel 22 (RTN), which operated from Waterloo, ceased broadcasting in 2013. Mediacom and local company ImOn Communications provide cable television service to Cedar Rapids.

Print

The Gazette is the primary daily newspaper for Cedar Rapids. The Cedar Rapids Gazette won a Pulitzer Prize in 1936, under editor Verne Marshall and primarily due to his efforts and articles, for its campaign against corruption and misgovernment in the State of Iowa.^[80]

Film

Cedar Rapids is an American comedy film about a naive insurance agent, played by Ed Helms, who is sent to represent his company at a regional conference in big town Cedar Rapids.^[81] Although the film is set in Cedar Rapids, it was actually mostly shot in Ann Arbor, Michigan, although exterior shots were done in Cedar Rapids.^[82]

The 2017 film Amelia 2.0 is a scifi drama set in a nameless fictional city. The majority of the movie was filmed in Cedar Rapids, using iconic locations such as the Cedar Rapids Public Library and Theater Cedar Rapids as important set pieces.

Released on February 26, 2010,The Crazies is a 2010 film which fictionally takes place near Cedar Rapids at Odgen Marsh, Iowa. In the film, residents both in and near Ogden Marsh become infected with a "Rhabdoviridae prototype" biological weapon called Trixie. At the end of the movie, David and Judy, who are unaffected victims within the affected area, arrive at a truck stop to search for a vehicle but discover that the National Guard have also executed those who were evacuated. Fending off three Trixie infected persons, they escape in a semi-truck. In order to stop the infection from spreading, the National Guard destroys Ogden Marsh in a massive explosion. As the couple flees, their truck flips in the passing shockwave. They then exit their wrecked semi and begin walking towards Cedar Rapids. A view from a military satellite highlights first the couple, then the city of Cedar Rapids. The words "Initiate containment protocol" appear, signifying a new containment attempt by the National Guard. Later, during the credits, Bruce Aune, a real newscaster from KCRG-TV 9 in Cedar Rapids reports that an explosion originating from the Dakon Pendrill chemical plant started a massive fire in Ogden Marsh which is merely a cover story for the National Guard's actual destruction of the town. Bruce Aune then reports that a perimeter has been set and civilians are not being allowed into the area. A Trixie-infected individual appears on camera just before the signal is lost.^{[83][84][85][86][87][88][89][90]}

Infrastructure

Transportation

Cedar Rapids is served by Cedar Rapids Transit, consisting of an extensive bus system and taxis. Cedar Rapids Transit operates scheduled bus service throughout the city and to Marion and Hiawatha.^[91] A series of enclosed pedestrian skywalks connect several downtown buildings.^[92]

The city is also served by The Eastern Iowa Airport (formerly known as the Cedar Rapids Airport), a regional airport that connects with other regional and international airports. Cedar Rapids Transit and private bus lines also connect at the airport.^[93]

Interstate 380, part of the Avenue of the Saints, runs north-south through Cedar Rapids. U.S. Highways 30, 151, and 218 and Iowa Highway 13 and Iowa Highway 100 also serve the city.^[94]

Cedar Rapids is served by four major railroads. They are the Union Pacific, the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Railway (Crandic), the Canadian National, and the Iowa Northern Railway Company [IANR]. The Iowa Northern Railway has its headquarters in the historic Paramount Theater Building. The Crandic and the Iowa Interstate Railroad also are headquartered in Cedar Rapids. The Iowa Interstate reaches the city via the Crandic tracks, running a daily train from Iowa City, Iowa to Cedar Rapids.^{[citation needed]}

Cedar Rapids is linked to other Midwestern cities by the Burlington Trailways bus hub at the Eastern Iowa Airport.^[95]

Health care

There are two hospitals in Cedar Rapids, St. Luke's and Mercy Medical Center.

Notable people

Among the famous people who have lived in Cedar Rapids are American Gothic painter Grant Wood, journalist and historian William L. Shirer, writer and photographer Carl Van Vechten, and aerodynamics pioneer Dr. Alexander Lippisch. The area has also produced professional athletes such as Landon Cassill, Ryan Sweeney, Trent Green, Zach Johnson, and Kurt Warner, as well as Mark Walter, co-owner and chairman of baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Linn County, Iowa


• Cedar Rapids Police Department

Notes

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Cedar Rapids.

Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Cedar Rapids.

• Official website