Group Tours

Make A Stop In History

Here's the Route to a Great Trip...With a tour to Ushers Ferry Historic Village in Cedar Rapids, Iowa your group will take a trip back in time that they will talk about long after they return to the present. Ushers Ferry Historic Village is an open-air, living history museum that enables visitors to experience life in a small Iowa town at the turn of the 20th century. From the moment your motor-coach heads down the hill to our beautiful village in the valley, you will feel the trappings of 21st century life falling away. Guests explore the Village's more than thirty historic homes and businesses at their own pace. Throughout the Village surprises, discoveries and hands-on experiences wait for the visitor in this very interactive setting.
Please ask us about our newest experiential tours that enable groups to experience history...feeding the chickens may be one of your chores! Download a Sample Itinerary (MS Word Document)

Semi-Guided Tours

The Semi-guided tour is our most common tour at Ushers Ferry. The motor-coach brings our guests directly to our Visitors Center for an introduction to our little town. From there a costumed guide will take the visitors to the Usher House and the Cherry Valley School. At the Cherry Valley School the guests will reminisce about life in the one room schoolhouse before they are invited to tour the rest of the Village at their leisure. All of our homes and businesses are available for touring. The grounds are full of lovely shade trees, fragrant flowers, and herb gardens. As our guests rest on a bench, we encourage them to close their eyes and listen to the sounds of the 19th century all around them. Visitors can also shop at the Visitors Center Gift Shop and pick up a bottle of Sarsaparilla at the Corner Place Saloon. While our visitors are exploring the Village the motor-coach will come further into the Village to pick up our guests. This allows visitors to see a great deal of the Village while limiting the amount of walking required.

Parlour Theater Tours

Our newest tour experience at Ushers Ferry Historic Village involves our wonderful Parlour Theater program. Imagine a time before television, radio, or even electric lights. What did you do for entertainment? Your group will know when they join us for Parlour Theater. These wonderful programs bring to life for our guests the music, storytelling, and chamber theater that was popular in small towns across Iowa. Parlour Theater Programs include:

"April Fool's: Tall Tales and Mark Twain"
"The Pursuit of Love: Tales of Romance"
"Love Letters and Lamplight: Stories from O Henry"
"The Virginian"
"The Jungle Book"
"Morbid Curiosities": An Evening with Edgar Alan Poe

Performances can be arranged during the day or evening and can be enjoyed alone, with dessert, or with dinner.

Special Events

Throughout the season Ushers Ferry Historic Village hosts marvelous and special events. These include Ushers Ferry Trains Day, the Grand Celebration of Brass Bands, Wild West Weekend, Folk Music Festival, Saturday Night in Town, Apple Festival and Crafts Show, All Things Scottish, and Thanksgiving Candlelight Tour. These special events are packed with exciting educational experiences and good old-fashioned fun. Your group is welcome to be a part of the experience.

Meal Options

The picnic pavilion or the Visitor Center at Ushers Ferry is the perfect place for your group to have a light morning snack or a full meal. We can customize arrangements from the simple to the elaborate to suit the needs and tastes of your group.

Prices & Policies

To create a customized tour of Ushers Ferry for your group call 319-286-5763. Our mailing address is 5925 Seminole Valley Tr. NE Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52241. Here is a short list of tour options and prices. Guides and drivers are always complimentary. Prices include tax and gratuity.

Semi-guided Tour	$5 / person
Semi-guided Tour with Snack	$7 / person
Semi-guided with Meal	$15 / person
Parlour Theater Performance	$10 / person
Parlour Theater with Dessert	$13 / person
Parlour Theater with Meal	$25 / person
Special Event Admission	$5 / person

Private Parties

Whether it is a company picnic or a birthday celebration for a favorite Aunt, Ushers Ferry Historic Village is the perfect location for your special event. Ushers Ferry has picnic facilities that seat 100 with the additional seating of 200 under canopies owned by the Village. Ushers Ferry has been host to a wide variety and size of parties from 20 to 2000. Many local caters are familiar with our grounds. You can even check with the Village about catering your special event for you. Our prices are very competitive and you receive a discount on grounds rental if you cater through the Village. Contact the Ushers Ferry office 319-286-5763 or e-mail at annc@cedar-rapids.org to discuss rates and availability.

Weddings

The Perfect Place for the Perfect Day

Located in beautiful Seminole Valley Park, Ushers Ferry Historic Village provides the perfect setting for your special day. Couples have their choice of buildings or locations for the wedding. The location chosen for the ceremony will be closed to the general public during the allotted time period. However, the Village is open to the public May-October, so there may be visitors on the grounds.

Without a doubt, the most popular choice among couples has been the Gazebo. Located in the center of the Town Square, the Gazebo is the center of attention for any event, and makes for elegant arrivals and departures by carriage or limo. The Gazebo is equipped with lights and a PA system which can be made available for the ceremony.

Another choice for many couples is the historic Village Church. Though the church is also equipped with electricity, its whisper ceiling, an architectural feature of its 1878 construction makes modern sound systems unnecessary. In addition, you are invited to make use the church's piano and pump organ for the musical portion of your ceremony. Beautiful for smaller ceremonies, the church is always reserved for you in case of rain.

Your choices don't end there. The Lawyer's house butterfly garden with its arched trellis provides a colorful backdrop for wedding photos, while the Hotel can be reserved for small receptions. Modern bathrooms are provided in the parking lot, Visitors Center, behind the Hotel and in the Telephone House. Brides may dress and stage their wedding from the Hotel or the Telephone House. The exhibit will be closed to the general public during the wedding.

A staff person will assist the wedding party during the designated hours and a changing area will be provided for the groom's party. Parties are invited to make use of the Village's numerous park benches for seating their guests. If you wish to use the Village's 80 folding chairs they are available for rent at $1 each. Any benches or chairs used must be returned to their appropriate locations. Should you wish to provide shade or protection for your seating area, one or both of the Village's 20 X 20 canopies can be rented for $100 each and will be set up by the staff in the location of your choice.

Receptions will be allowed at Ushers Ferry on a limited basis. Sixteen picnic tables seating 90-100 people under the 22 X 44 picnic pavilion will be made available. The pavilion has a cement floor and electricity. There is room for a banquet style head table. If the wedding party wishes to remove the picnic tables to utilize rectangular or round tables it must be understood that the picnic tables will be returned to the pavilion before the party leaves the Village. Additional picnic tables and canopies may be available depending on the Village's commitments. Formal receptions can be set up under the Village canopies utilizing banquet table and chairs.

Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many people will the church seat?	There is seating for 50 without additional chairs, or seating for 80 with folding chairs.
Q: What about rehearsals?	Wedding Rehearsals can be scheduled for the Thursday or Friday before the wedding for a fee of $50. One hour is generally long enough to complete the rehearsal.
Q: When are the fees due?	The basic rate of $500 for a four-hour time period is due approximately one month after booking your wedding. This fee is non-refundable. All other fees are due two weeks prior to your wedding date.
Q: Where should our guest's park?	If your wedding is occurring during our open hours then all vehicles must be parked in our designated parking area. If you have an elderly guest attending they may be driven into the wedding location. Weddings held before or after open hours may bring vehicles into the Village if they desire. A white golf cart is always made available to shuttle guests from the parking lot to the wedding location.
Q: What is the best way to get to Ushers Ferry?	Ushers Ferry Historic Village is easily accessible by exiting Interstate 380 at the 42nd St. Exit. Turn west, past Edgewood Road to Seminole Valley Road and follow the signs from there. The Village will provide a map to be included in your wedding invitation.
Q: Do I need to make arrangements to survey the wedding location?	Generally, it is best to call ahead and make an appointment. The Director will be happy to meet with you and answer any questions you may have.
Q: What are the "time periods"?	There are two time periods each day: Noon-4, and 4-8. Additional hours can be purchased prior to noon or after 8:00 at the rate of $100 per hour. Brides are permitted to purchase both time periods during the day of their wedding to insure adequate preparation time.
Q: What if another couple rents the other time period on the day of our wedding?	You will be provided with each other's contact information, and you are encouraged to share the costs of decorations and non-village rental costs.
TO RESERVE YOUR WEDDING DATE:
Call the Village office at 319-286-5763 and check to see if your date is available. If your date is available, we will reserve it for you and mail you a wedding agreement. Please complete the agreement and return it to us, along with your payment by the date listed at the bottom of your agreement. If we do not hear from you by the allotted date you will forfeit the date. No follow up calls are made. It is your responsibility to provide the needed payment ore make arrangement for a partial payment by the date specified on the contact.

Cedar Rapids, Iowa
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