Cedar Rapids

Cedar Rapids is the second-largest city in Iowa, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city population was 137,710. 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. It is an economic hub of the state, located at the core of the Interstate 380 corridor. The Cedar Rapids/Iowa City region of Eastern Iowa includes Linn, Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Jones, Johnson, and Washington counties. In the 1990s and 2000s, several Cedar Rapidians became well-known actors, including Ashton Kutcher, Elijah Wood, Terry Farrell, and Ron Livingston. Cedar Rapids is nicknamed the "City of Five Seasons", for the so-called "fifth season," which is time to enjoy the other four. The symbol of the five seasons is the Tree of Five Season sculpture in downtown along the north river bank. The location of present-day Cedar Rapids was in the territory of the Fox and Sac tribes at the time of European American settlement. The first white settler on the site of the future city was Osgood Shepherd, who built a log cabin (which he called a tavern) in 1837 or 1838. The town was formally incorporated by the Iowa State Legislature on January 15, 1849 as Cedar Rapids, named for the rapids in the cedar River (the river itself was named for a large number of red cedar trees that grew along its banks).

History

Cedar Rapids is the primary city name, but also Bertram are acceptable city names or spellings. The location of present-day Cedar Rapids was in the territory of the Fox and Sac tribes at the time of European American settlement. The first white settler on the site of the future city was Osgood Shepherd, who built a log cabin (which he called a tavern) in 1837 or 1838. The true founders of the city were George Greene, Nicholas Brown, and a few others. The town was formally incorporated by the Iowa State Legislature on January 15, 1849 as Cedar Rapids, named for the rapids in the Cedar River. In 1851 was founded the institution that would eventually become Coe College. The economic growth of Cedar Rapids increased in 1871 upon the founding of the Sinclair meatpacking company. In 1909, the city acquired May Island for the purpose of making the government seat of May Island, now the city's seat of government. The city is now home to the Quaker Oats Company, the largest cereal mill in the world, and the largest ice-house in the country, making it a hotbed for ice-skating. It is also the seat of the U.S. state of Iowa, which is the 23rd largest state in the United States and the fifth largest in track mileage. It was founded in 1873 by "Major" John May, an inventor and land speculator, situated between Cedar Rapids and Kingston. He conceived the idea of making his island the center of a larger city that spanned the river and convinced the state legislature to officially name the land he had bought there "West Cedar Rapids".

Geography

The city is divided into four quadrants, used in assigning street addresses. Mays Island, in the middle of the river, is the only area of the city where addresses have no quadrant. There are twelve active neighborhood associations in Cedar Rapids. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is one of Cedar Rapids' major tourist attractions. In 2009, Cedar Rapids was rated one of the "Top 10 cities to Grow Up In" in the United States. The city has a total area of 72.07 square miles (186.66 km²), of which 70.8 sq miles (183.37 km²) is land and 1.27sq miles (3.29 km²") is water. It is home to such Czech-themed businesses as The Czech Cottage, Sykora Bakery, and White Lion Treasures. 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. It has a humid continental climate with long, cold, brutal winters with plenty of snow, while hot and humid, with frequent severe thunderstorms. The record high temperature in January was 110 °F (43 °C) while the record high for July was 6, 1911 (6.43 °F) The city is located in the Upper Midwest and has a population of around 2,000.

Demographics

The Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Statistical Area consists of Linn, Benton, and Jones counties. The MSA had a 2020 census population of 276,520. Linn County was the only county in the MSA before theMSA was redefined after the 2000 census. 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 2008 census. In 2010, there were 126,326 people, 53,236 households, and 30,931 families residing in the city. 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, and 2.87% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 4. 7% Hispanic or Latino of any race. The median 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. In the city, the median age was 35.3 years. For every 100 females,there were 96.6 males. ForEvery 100 females age 18 and over, there are 94.4 males.

Religion

The Mother Mosque of America, dedicated on June 16, 1934, is the longest standing mosque in North America. 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. 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. Islamic Services of America (I.S.A.) was established in Cedar Rapids in 1975 and provides Halal Certification and supervision throughout the world. The mosque is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is located in the heart of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on the banks of the Iowa River. It was built in 1934 and is one of the oldest mosques in the U.S., along with several others in the Midwest and the South. It has been named after the mother of the Prophet Mohammed, who is believed to have been born in Egypt in the early 20th century. The building is located on a plot of land that was once owned by the family of Muhammad, who was born in 1878. The current mosque is the first of its kind in the United States and was built on the site of a former dairy farm in the 1930s and 1940s. The first mosque in the Iowa City area to be named after a woman, who died in a car accident in the 1950s, was also called the "Mother Mosque".

Economy

The grain processing industry is Cedar Rapids' most important sector. Fortune 500 company Collins Aerospace and trucking company CRST are based in Cedar Rapids. A large Quaker Oats mill, one of the four that merged in 1901, dominates the north side of downtown. Newspaperarchive is the largest newspaper archive in North America with a repository of more than 150 million pages assembled over 250 years. The top employers in the area are: Archer Daniels Midland, Cargill, General Mills, Toyota Financial Services and Nordstrom, according to the city's 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. The city's unemployment rate is 3.7 percent, the lowest in the state. The average income in the city is $50,000, and the average household income is $60,000. The area's population is 1.2 million. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the city has a population of 1.3 million. It is the second-largest city in Iowa, after Ottumwa, with 1.4 million people. The state's economy is the third-largest, after Iowa and Iowa City, with a total population of 2.7 million people, the state's largest city. The economy is based on corn processing, which provides 4,000 jobs that pay on average $85,000; 8,000 more jobs are created indirectly. The town has a GDP of $1.2 billion, the highest in the U.K. and the fourth-highest in the United States.

Arts and culture

Cedar Rapids is home to Orchestra Iowa, the Paramount Theatre, Theatre Cedar Rapids, Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre, and Brucemore, a National Trust Historic Site. The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art houses the largest collection of Grant Wood paintings in the world. Concerts and events such as high school graduations, sporting events, exhibitions, and political rallies are held at Alliant Energy Powerhouse, formerly known as Five Seasons Center. Many arts centers in Cedar Rapids sustained severe damage during the June 2008 flood. It is expected to cost $25 million to repair the Paramount; Theatre Cedar Rapid reopened in February 2010. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, the African American Historical Museum, Kirkwood Community College's Iowa Hall Gallery, and the Cedar Rapids Ceramics Center are also home to world class and award nominated exhibitions, including the works of Andy Warhol, Grant Wood and the Iowa Biennial.

Flag

In 1962, a flag design was chosen through a design contest among high schools. The flag depicts buildings of Cedar Rapids in blue and the words "Cedar Rapids" and "Iowa" above and below it in red. On the flag, the blue represents the Cedar River and the green portrays the city's green areas. In 2004, the North American Vexillological Association ranked Cedar Rapids' flag as among the worst flags in the United States. In 2015, the city began the process of redesigning the flag. Residents were asked for input on the colors, symbols, and themes they would like to have the flag include. On September 18, 2021, theCity unveiled a new flag at Cedar Rapids Public Library. The current flag was adopted on September 8, 2021. The new flag will be unveiled on September 17, 2021 at the City of Five Seasons Museum in downtown Cedar Rapids. The city will also celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2020. It will be the first time the city has had a city flag in the U.S. since it was established in 1876. It was designed by Fred Easker Jr, who was a high-school senior at the time. It depicts a veterans memorial, a church, corn stalks, a factory, an early mill and an unfinished building to signify the city’s promising future. The star represents the historic structures on Mays Island with its five stars depicting the City Of Five Seasons. Withal, the arch represents forwards progress, as well as theCity's flood wall.

Sports

Cedar Rapids has been home to several sports teams. The city is also home to the Fifth Season Races, which began just after the running boom. In 1986, a former Iowa State University runner Joseph Kipsang won the popular 8-kilometer race in 23:24 and won $7,000. The 15,000-capacity Kingston Stadium is located in Cedar Rapids. It is used for American football and soccer. The Iowa Raptors FC are members of the United Premier Soccer League that began play in 2021. The Cedar Rapids River Kings played in the Indoor Football League at the U.S. Cellular Center and folded in 2020. The Kernels are a Class-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins and play at Veterans Memorial Stadium. The RoughRiders are a member of the United States Hockey League, playing at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena. The Rapids Rampage are part of the Major Arena Soccer League and played in 2018 and 2019. The Rock Rapids Rampage play in the National Football League and were in the Major League Soccer League in 2012 and 2013. The Iowa Rapids Rampage played in 2014 and 2015 and are in the National Football League in 2015 and 2016. They are also in the American Football League, where they play at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. They were in the Major League Baseball's Midwest League in 2013 and 2014 and the American Football League in 2015 and 2014. They played in the NFL's American Division in 2014. The Rampage were in the MLS in 2015 and 2016 and were in the MLS in 2017 and 2018.

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. The various trail systems in Cedar Rapids have a total of 24 miles (39 km) for walking, running or bicycling. The YMCA has had a local chapter since 1868. It has many facilities including Camp Wapsie and the Old MacDonald's Farm (a children's zoo) and a BMX dirt track. The city has a large number of parks that have pavilions, picnicking areas and restroom facilities. It also has 10 splash pads, two frisbee golf courses, sand volleyball courts, a soccer complex and two off-leash dog exercise areas. It is home to the Iowa State Fair, which is one of the largest state fairs in the U.S. in terms of attendance. It was founded in 1868 and is the oldest state fair in the United States. The Iowa State Museum is located in the city and has a collection of more than 2,000 pieces of memorabilia. It opened in 1881. It's the only state museum in the state that is open to the public. The museum is open year-round and offers a wide range of activities for children and adults, including a museum museum, a children's museum, and a museum for the history of Cedar Rapids and its history. It will celebrate its 100th anniversary this year.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Cedar Rapids, Linn County, Iowa = 58.8. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 67. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 80. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Cedar Rapids = 3.6 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 3,369 individuals with a median age of 36.6 age the population grows by 5.27% in Cedar Rapids, Linn County, Iowa population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 1,885.72 residents per square mile of area (728.08/km²). There are average 2.29 people per household in the 53,905 households with an average household income of $48,192 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 6.00% of the available work force and has dropped -1.29% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 31.42%. The number of physicians in Cedar Rapids per 100,000 population = 176.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Cedar Rapids = 33.8 inches and the annual snowfall = 31.4 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 103. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 193. 86 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 11.5 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 41, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Cedar Rapids, Linn County, Iowa which are owned by the occupant = 65.40%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 40 years with median home cost = $111,770 and home appreciation of 3.54%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $14.12 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $5,124 per student. There are 15.3 students for each teacher in the school, 535 students for each Librarian and 381 students for each Counselor. 8.65% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 21.46% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 7.39% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).