Celebrating 175 Years

Traveling Cedar Rapids History Exhibit

Cedar Rapids history comes to life with a traveling exhibit — visiting various City locations during each facility's regular business hours. Several stops include companion exhibits or tours. Be sure to check them all out!

Cedar Rapids' official date of incorporation is recognized as January 15, 1849. Even before that time, many individuals made the banks of the Cedar River and surrounding areas their home. More than 26 Native communities and their descendants — including the Iowa, Omaha, Ponca, Ho-Chuck, Winnebago, Otoe, Miami, Peoria, Potawatomi, Pawnee, and Dakota — called the area home long before colonial settlers arrived.

Early settlers lived in log cabins; Osgood Shepherd maintained he was the first, building a cabin near the present-day "Tree of Five Seasons" monument and making the first property deal involving land rights in what would become Cedar Rapids. Prior to official incorporation at the State, the City was named "Columbus" in 1838 and "Rapids City" in 1841. Finally, in 1849, the town was renamed "Cedar Rapids" and incorporated with the State of Iowa. It takes its name from the Red Cedar River which courses through the community. The river's name was translated from that given it by the Meskwaki tribe for the large number of red cedar trees growing along its banks.

The November 2023 special edition of Our CR Magazine below explores our City's early years, how we have evolved and grown since, and compares present to past throughout the issue. With each new chapter we write, Cedar Rapids demonstrates that its greatest stories are yet to come!

Community organizations are encouraged to host

175th Anniversary-inspired celebrations!

Find a full event list — and share your events — by selecting the
CR at 175 category on the Tourism Calendar.

View Community Events! »

Traveling Cedar Rapids History Exhibit

Cedar Rapids history comes to life with a traveling exhibit — visiting various City locations during each facility's regular business hours. Several stops include companion exhibits or tours. Be sure to check them all out!

• City Hall | 101 1st Street SE
  January 11–22
  January 24–February 2
  • Enjoy a guided tour of the historic Council Chamber murals at Noon on Friday, January 19. Meet at the City Hall main floor lobby.
    
    
• Cedar Rapids Central Fire Station | 713 1st Avenue SE
  January 23 @ 10 AM–2 PM
  • Enjoy the companion Fire Museum, with photos and artifacts tracing the history of the Department from its earliest days.
    
    
• Cedar Rapids Ladd Library | 3750 Williams Boulevard SW
  February 3–18
  
  
• City Services Center | 500 15th Avenue SW
  February 19–29
  
  
• Eastern Iowa Airport | 2121 Arthur Collins Parkway SW
  March 1–11
  
  • Enjoy a companion exhibit celebrating the Eastern Iowa Airport's 75th Anniversary from 2022.
    
    
• Cedar Rapids Central Fire Station | 713 1st Avenue SE
  March 12 @ 10 AM–2 PM
  • Enjoy the companion Fire Museum, with photos and artifacts tracing the history of the Department from its earliest days.
    
    
• Eastern Iowa Airport | 2121 Arthur Collins Parkway SW
  March 13–17
  
  • Enjoy a companion exhibit celebrating the Eastern Iowa Airport's 75th Anniversary from 2022.
    
    
• Cedar Rapids Downtown Library | 450 5th Avenue SE
  March 18–28
  
  
• Noelridge Greenhouse | 4900 Council Street NE
  March 31–April 14
  
  
• Northwest Recreation Center | 1340 11th Street NW
  April 15–26
  
  
• Veterans Memorial Coliseum | 50 2nd Avenue Bridge
  May 20–June 10
  • Enjoy companion exhibits at the Veterans Memorial Building Museum.
• Cedar Rapids Central Fire Station | 713 1st Avenue SE
  June 13 @ 1 PM–5 PM
  • Enjoy the companion Fire Museum, with photos and artifacts tracing the history of the Department from its earliest days.