Waterloo, IA

Waterloo, Iowa

Introduction to Waterloo, Iowa

Waterloo is situated along the banks of the Cedar River in Black Hawk County. The Midwest municipality is known for its diverse population and is recognized as one of Iowa's notable historic cities. It's home to the John Deere Factory Assembly Plant.

History

The area was earlier known as Prairie Rapids Crossing. The city took its name from the battle that occurred in Waterloo where British soldiers were victorious over Napoleon. In 1845 George and Mary Hanna arrived in a wagon train and created a settlement near the Cedar River. In 1861 the first passenger train arrived. The city experienced significant growth from 1895 to 1915. The population was estimated to have increased by 290%.

During this era manufacturing businesses, rail transportation and wholesale companies were flourishing. It became known as "The Factory City of Iowa." It was home to prominent companies such as Rath Packing, Galloway Company and Litchfield Manufacturing.

Attractions

• Touring the John Deere Tractor Assembly Plant is popular with tourists.
• The Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum provides information on wrestling, including the ancient Greeks, collegiate, professional and Olympic wrestling and pays tribute to Olympic wrestler Dan Gable.
• The National Cattle Congress hosts a prominent annual fair and offers a variety of events.
• The Galleria de Paca is a well known restaurant which showcases a complete reproduction of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling.
• The Waterloo Black Hawks play in the United States Hockey League.
• The Cedar Falls Raceway features IHRA Drag Racing.

Museums and Culture

• Grout Museum District offers the story of Waterloo.
• The Cedar Falls Community Theatre provides a variety of productions featuring community members.
• The Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center features live music, dance productions, opera and theatre productions.
• The George Wyth House and Viking Pump Museum showcases the former home of George Wyth, which features the Art Deco style from the 1920's.
• Rensselaer Russell House Museum offers mid-Victorian architecture and beautiful interiors and is one of the oldest houses in the county.
• The Victorian Home & Carriage House Museum dates back to the Civil War era and incldudes antique furnishings and artifacts.
• Waterloo Center for the Arts includes exhibits of Midwest art.
• Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony Orchestra is popular in Northeast Iowa.
• The Cedar Valley Arboretum and Botanic Gardens is a beautiful acreage which features the regions plants, flowers and trees.

Activities

Downtown Waterloo offers a large number of festivals and other events such as Friday'loo, My Waterloo Days, Tourd'Loo and the Iowa Irish Festival. The Lost Island Waterpark is popular with residents and visitors. The Isle Hotel and Casino is located in the area. The Cedar Valley Nature Trail connects Cedar Rapids with Waterloo and traverses through a collection of rural towns. It provides opportunities for hiking, bicycle riding as well as cross-country skiing during the winter.

Cedar Valley Trail System is a major location for outdoor activities. It's a large acreage which incldudes numerous lakes and offers an extensive amount of paved trails. Black Hawk Park includes trails for hiking, bicycle riding, cross-country skiing and mountain bike riding. The park provides fishing opportunities in the local river and a camping area which includes cabins. Other notable locations for outdoor activities are Deerwood Campground, George Wyth State Park and Hickory Hills State Park. There are numerous golf courses in the region.

High Points

Waterloo strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in Iowa):

Category	Trophy
Racial Diversity (vs. State)	Top 1%
Short Commute Times (vs. Peers)	Top 7%
Public Transportation Use (vs. State)	Top 8%
Affordability of Rents (vs. Peers)	Top 12%

Comparative Profile of Waterloo, IA

Comparing Waterloo to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in Iowa (State):

Ratings range from (lowest) to (highest).

The People

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Senior Citizens
Female Share of the Population
Age of the Population
Children Under 5 Years Old
Racial Diversity
Male Share of the Population
Well-Paid Single Women
Well-Paid Single Men

Families

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Portion of People Married
Average Household Size

Wealth

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
People in Middle Class or Better
People Above Poverty
College Educated Adults
Median Family Income

Commute & Sprawl

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Short Commute Times
Walking and Biking to Work
Public Transportation Use
Working at Home

Housing

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Affordability of Rents
Affordability of Property Taxes
People Living Alone
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals
Housing Recently Built
Seasonal and Vacation Housing

Crime

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Low Violent Crime
Low Property Crime

Waterloo Almanac

Waterloo Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

• Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
• Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

Waterloo Population (2000)

(From 2000 Census, as reported by individuals)

Neighborhood and Nearby Area Names

According to the US Postal Service, Waterloo, its neighborhoods, and/or surrounding areas are also referred to as:

Note that not all alternate names are acceptable for use in US Post Office addresses.

Nearby Cities and Towns

Waterloo Public Libraries

More Information for Librarians

Waterloo Hospitals

COVENANT MEDICAL CENTER
(Voluntary non-profit - Church)
3421 WEST NINTH STREET
(319) 272-8000
Emergency Service: Yes

ALLEN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
(Voluntary non-profit - Private)
1825 LOGAN AVENUE
(319) 235-3987
Emergency Service: Yes

Starbucks in Waterloo

Wal-Mart in Waterloo

Waterloo High Schools (2004)

WEST HIGH SCHOOL
425 E RIDGEWAY AVE
319-433-2700
Serves 1,845 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 17

EAST HIGH SCHOOL
214 HIGH ST
319-433-2400
Serves 1,153 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 15.6

EXPO HIGH SCHOOL
927 FRANKLIN
319-433-1930
A Non-traditional School
Serves 242 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 9.3

Waterloo Colleges

Click school name for a detailed profile.

Allen College

College of Hair Design

Hawkeye Community College

(List of All Iowa Colleges)

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