History of Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Cedar Rapids is Iowa's second largest city and the county seat of Linn County. Its location was formerly known as the territory of Fox and Sac tribes. Osgood Shepherd, a European, was the area's first settler. The town was initially named Rapids City following a survey in 1841. It was in 1848 when the city was renamed Cedar Rapids following the name of the Cedar River. In 1849, Cedar Rapids incorporated as a city. Decades later, Kingston town annexed to Cedar Rapids.

In the 1840s, a dam was constructed to give lumber and milling industries power to flourish their industries. Some residents built the Cedar Rapids steamer in 1858 for traveling St.  Louis. River transportation marked its end with a collision on the Mississippi River and the development of the railway system.
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The Bohemians are an integral part of the Cedar Rapids community. The Czechoslovakians first arrived in 1852 as workers in the now known Little Bohemia. The first Czech lawyer in the U.S. settled in Cedar Rapids after being smuggled from his country because of being accused of revolutionary activities. The Czechs founded the Reading Society in 1869 which later on became a Little Theater Movement. In 1906, the Cedar Rapids Listy, a Czech-language publication, started its operation. 

Cedar Rapids grew its economy in 1871 after the arrival of T.M Sinclair, the founder of the country's largest meatpacking companies. Also from that era was the boom of the local industries such as Cherry-Burell and Quaker Oats, the world's biggest milling for cereal. Aside from the economic expansion, cultural development also took place during this time. Various educational and art facilities established during this time. In 1880, Greene's Opera House was dedicated, and the Cedar Rapids Business College became operational. One notable faculty member of the institution was Austin Palmer who invented the Palmer Method of Penmanship.

Grant Wood, an artist in Iowa, influenced artistry in the entire city. He designed the Memorial Building and oversaw its construction in Germany. He stayed in Cedar Rapids in his younger years and was a teacher in junior high school. He studied in France and went back to Cedar Rapids and established a studio. He was then asked to work at the University of Iowa after his success in the area of art.

The private sector continued to flourish in the 20th century. It is also a primary driver when it comes to the city's financial account. Arthur Collins who grew up from Cedar Rapids founded Collins Radio Company with only eight workers in the Great Depression. This small electronics company became a leader in the industrial radio business, and in World War II, Collin's company supplied electronic equipment to the armed services. At present, the city of Cedar Rapids is the nation's center for telecommunications and transportation.
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Further, the city became a cultural and artistic center with an expanding theater community for everyone. Cedar Rapids is also known as the "City of Five Seasons," and residents vouch for a quality life that everyone can enjoy.

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