Cedar Rapids Public Library

About The Cedar Rapids History Archives

The Cedar Rapids Public Library offers free access to its extensive collection of historical newspapers and local history resources through a partnership with the Cedar Rapids Public Library Foundation, the Gazette, and Advantage Archives. The digital archive comprises over 2,400,000 pages, covering the span from 1840 to 2024. This invaluable resource allows users to explore the rich history of Cedar Rapids through firsthand accounts and primary source documents. Some of what this archive includes:

Newspapers

Cedar Rapids History

Linn County History

Iowa History

About The Gazette

The Gazette’s history is rich and storied, beginning with its first edition on January 10, 1883. Founders Lucian H. Post and Elbridge T. Otis printed four pages, sold for 3 cents each, from their office at 309 First Ave. SE, a city bustling with ten other newspapers at the time. In March 1884, Clarence Miller and Fred Faulkes acquired The Evening Gazette, with their families steering the paper for over a century. The Evening Gazette moved to “The Gazette Block” on First Avenue near Third Street NE in November 1885 and later to 83-87 First Ave. SE in December 1888, which is now Cedar Rapids City Hall. Celebrating its 21st anniversary in January 1904, the paper printed 108 pages, the largest edition ever published in Iowa. Significant milestones include the first aerial photograph of Cedar Rapids in July 1919, the addition of a comics page in November 1921, and a relocation to the corner of Third Avenue and Fifth Street SE in 1925, where it remained for 95 years.

The Evening Gazette purchased The Republican in April 1927, rebranding as The Evening Gazette and Republican, and launched its first Sunday morning edition. By June 1932, the name changed to Cedar Rapids Gazette, and in February 1936, it became The Cedar Rapids Gazette. The paper won a Pulitzer Prize for community service in May 1936 for exposing state government corruption. It marked other historical moments by publishing extras, such as the end of World War II in August 1945 and a verdict in the Rutledge “love triangle” murder trial in May 1949. The Gazette expanded its media presence by launching KCRG-AM radio and KCRK-FM in November 1947, followed by KCRG-TV in October 1953.

Technological advancements saw the replacement of manual typewriters with electric ones in 1973 and the transition from letterpress to offset printing in July 1977. The Gazette evolved with the times, becoming a morning paper in June 1981 and launching GazetteOnline.com in October 1995. The paper adapted to digital trends by introducing its e-edition in November 2004. Notable acquisitions and expansions included buying Spencer and Cherokee daily newspapers, launching Iowa Farmer Today, and opening various bureaus and commercial printing divisions.

About The Cedar Rapids Public Library

The Cedar Rapids Public Library (CRPL) serves the 250,000 citizens of Cedar Rapids and surrounding communities in Eastern Iowa. A passionate advocate for literacy and lifelong learning, the CRPL impacts the community by promoting education, civic engagement, the arts, and entertainment. The library is one of only ten in the country to have won the 2017 National Medal for Museum & Library Service, a testament to its impactful programs and services.

The library has been a cornerstone of Cedar Rapids since its establishment, continuously adapting to meet the needs of its patrons. From humble beginnings in 1897 to its modern facilities today, the CRPL remains dedicated to providing free and open access to information and resources, fostering a love of learning and community engagement.

The History Of The Cedar Rapids Public Library

The Cedar Rapids Public Library opened its doors on January 15, 1897, in a small room in the Granby building downtown. The initial collection consisted of 1,325 books, and the library quickly became a popular destination for residents. Over the years, the library expanded its facilities and services, moving to a larger space in the Dows Building in 1900 and then to a new building funded by Andrew Carnegie in 1905.

The library has always been committed to accessibility, offering services to all community members, including special programs for the blind and outreach to rural areas. During the World Wars and the Great Depression, the library provided critical resources and support to the community, from offering books to service members to employing workers through various federal programs.

Despite challenges such as the devastating flood of 2008, the CRPL has continued to grow and innovate. The new downtown library, opened in 2013, features state-of-the-art facilities and energy-efficient designs, symbolizing the community’s resilience and commitment to the future.

About The Cedar Rapids Area

Cedar Rapids, located in Eastern Iowa, is known for its rich history and vibrant cultural scene. Founded in the mid-19th century, the city grew rapidly with the arrival of the railroad in 1859. Cedar Rapids became a major industrial center known for its grain processing and manufacturing industries.

The city has a strong tradition of supporting the arts, with numerous theaters, galleries, and museums. For example, the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art houses the largest collection of works by Grant Wood, a native of the area. Cedar Rapids is also home to a diverse community, with significant Czech and Slovak populations contributing to the city’s cultural fabric.

Did You Know?

Cedar Rapids was once known as the “Parlor City” due to its numerous elegant homes and well-kept gardens.

The Wright brothers’ imaginations of flight may have begun in Cedar Rapids in 1878 when their father, a bishop, was assigned to a post there. He gave the boys a helicopter-like toy that flew around the room using a rubber band, which they duplicated before moving to Dayton, Ohio, where they built their historic airplane.

The city’s name comes from the Red Cedar River, which was named by the Meskwaki for the eastern red cedar trees and rapids in the river. The river’s east bank was originally called Rapids City in the late 1830s because of its abundant waterpower.

Cedar Rapids is nicknamed the “City of Five Seasons.” The fifth season is a time to enjoy the other four and find beauty in everyday life. However, some residents humorously called it the “City of Five Smells” in the 1970s due to the odors from local factories and a landfill.

Cedar Rapids is one of only three cities in the world with government buildings on an island, along with Osaka, Japan, and Paris, France.

What was once a large hole in the ground left by Otis Quarry in the 1800s became a landfill in 1965 and is now the highest point in Linn County. The 948-foot-tall attraction, built on top of the landfill containing 6 million tons of trash, is now known as Mount Trashmore.