Cedar Falls, Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa
City
Downtown Cedar Falls, August 2017

Location within Black Hawk County and Iowa
Cedar Falls
Location within Black Hawk County and Iowa
Cedar Falls
Cedar Falls (the US)
Coordinates: 42°31′25″N 92°26′47″W / 42.523520°N 92.446402°W / 42.523520; -92.446402Coordinates: 42°31′25″N 92°26′47″W / 42.523520°N 92.446402°W / 42.523520; -92.446402
Country United States
State Iowa
County Black Hawk
Government
 • Mayor Jim Brown
Area[1]
 • Total 29.61 sq mi (76.69 km2)
 • Land 28.75 sq mi (74.46 km2)
 • Water 0.86 sq mi (2.23 km2)
Elevation 879 ft (268 m)
Population (2010)[2]
 • Total 39,260
 • Estimate (2016)[3] 41,390
 • Density 1,300/sq mi (510/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code 50613
Area code 319
FIPS code 19-11755
GNIS ID 455240
Website cedarfalls.com

Cedar Falls is a city in Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 39,260.[4][5] It is home to the University of Northern Iowa, a public university.

History

Cedar Falls was founded in 1845 by William Sturgis. It was originally named Sturgis Falls, for the first family who settled the site. The Sturgis family lived in Sturgis Falls for years until the city was merged with Cedar City, another city on the other side of the Cedar River creating Cedar Falls. The city's founders are honored each year with a week long community-wide celebration named in their honor – the Sturgis Falls Celebration.[6]

Because of the availability of water power, Cedar Falls developed as a milling and industrial center prior to the Civil War. The establishment of the Civil War Soldiers' Orphans Home in Cedar Falls changed the direction in which the city developed when, following the war, it became the first building on the campus of the Iowa State Normal School (now the University of Northern Iowa).[7]

Geography

Cedar Falls is located at 42°31′24″N 92°26′45″W / 42.52333°N 92.44583°W / 42.52333; -92.44583 (42.523520, −92.446402).[8] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 29.61 square miles (76.69 km2), of which, 28.75 square miles (74.46 km2) is land and 0.86 square miles (2.23 km2) is water.[1]

Natural forest, prairie and wetland areas are found within the city limits at the Hartman Reserve Nature Center.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18703,070—
18803,020−1.6%
18903,45914.5%
19005,31953.8%
19105,012−5.8%
19206,31626.0%
19307,36216.6%
19409,34927.0%
195014,33453.3%
196021,19547.9%
197029,59739.6%
198036,32222.7%
199034,298−5.6%
200036,1455.4%
201039,2608.6%
Est. 201641,390[3]5.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]

Cedar Falls is part of the Waterloo-Cedar Falls metropolitan area.

2010 census

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 39,260 people, 14,608 households, and 8,091 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,365.6 inhabitants per square mile (527.3/km2). There were 15,477 housing units at an average density of 538.3 per square mile (207.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.4% White, 2.1% African American, 0.2% Native American, 2.3% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.0% of the population.

There were 14,608 households of which 24.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.5% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 44.6% were non-families. 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.88.

The median age in the city was 26.8 years. 17.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 29.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.5% were from 25 to 44; 20.1% were from 45 to 64; and 12.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.1% male and 51.9% female.

2000 census

As of the census[9] of 2000, there were 36,145 people, 12,833 households, and 7,558 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,277.2 people per square mile (493.1/km²). There were 13,271 housing units at an average density of 468.9 per square mile (181.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.14% White, 1.57% Black or African American, 0.15% Native American, 1.61% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.41% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races. 1.08% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 12,833 households out of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.1% were non-families. 25.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.91.

Age spread: 18.0% under the age of 18, 30.6% from 18 to 24, 20.5% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $70,226, and the median income for a family was $85,158. Males had a median income of $60,235 versus $50,312 for females. The per capita income for the city was $27,140. About 5.6% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.5% of those under age 18, and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

In 1986, the City of Cedar Falls established the Cedar Falls Art and Culture Board,[10] which oversees the operation of the City's Cultural Division and the James & Meryl Hearst Center for the Arts.

Library

The Cedar Falls Public Library is housed in the Adele Whitenach Davis building located at 524 Main Street. The 47,000 square foot (4,400 m²) structure, designed by Struxture Architects, replaced the Carniege-Dayton building in early 2004. As of the 2016 fiscal year, the library's holdings included approximately 8,000 audio materials, 12,000 video materials, and 104,000 books and periodicals for a grand total of approximately 124,000 items. Patrons made 245,000 visits which took advantage of circulation services, adult, teen, and youth programming. Circulation of library materials for fiscal year 2016 was 543,134. The library also provides public access to more than 30 public computers which provide Internet access, office software suites, high resolution color printing, wi-fi, and various games.

The mission of the Cedar Falls Public Library is to promote literacy and provide open access to resources which facilitate lifelong learning. The library is a member of the Cedar Valley Library Consortium(CVLC). Cedar Falls Public Library shares an Integrated Library System (SirsiDynix Symphony) with the Waterloo Public Library. Library management is provided by Sheryl McGovern MLS, Director of the Cedar Falls Public Library.

Historical Society

The Cedar Falls Historical Society has its offices in the Victorian Home and Carriage House Museum. It preserves Cedar Falls' history through its five museums, collection, archives, and public programs. Besides the Victorian House, the Society operates the Cedar Falls Ice House, Little Red Schoolhouse, and Behrens-Rapp Station.

Education

Lang Hall at University of Northern Iowa (UNI)
Seerley Hall at University of Northern Iowa

Besides hosting one of the three Iowa public universities, University of Northern Iowa (UNI), Cedar Falls is home to two high schools: Valley Lutheran High School, a private Christian school, and Cedar Falls High School, which is part of the public school district. The public school district, Cedar Falls Community Schools, includes two junior high schools and six elementary schools. There is also a private Catholic elementary school at St. Patricks Church. The Malcolm Price Lab School/Northern University High School, was a state-funded K-12 school run by the university. It closed in 2012 following cuts at UNI.

Utilities and Internet access

The city owns its power, gas and water, and cable TV service. Because of this, Cedar Falls Utilities provides gigabit speeds to residents, this became available on January 14, 2015. Cedar Falls has the power to do so because, unlike 19 other states, Iowa does not prohibit municipal broadband from competing with the private cable TV monopoly.

Media

FM radio
AM radio
  • 600 WMT – Located in Cedar Rapids
  • 640 WOI – Located in Ames
  • 950 KOEL – Located in Oelwein
  • 1040 WHO – Located in Des Moines
  • 1090 KNWS
  • 1250 KCFI
  • 1330 KPTY
  • 1540 KXEL
  • 1650 KCNZ
Broadcast television
Print
  • The Courier, daily newspaper
  • The Cedar Falls Times, weekly newspaper
  • The Cedar Valley What Not, weekly advertiser
Music

The underground music scene in the Cedar Falls area from 1977 to present day is well documented. The Wartburg College Art Gallery in Waverly, Iowa hosted a collaborative history of the bands, record labels, and music venues involved in the Cedar Falls music scene which ran from March 17 to April 14, 2007. This effort has been continued as a wiki style website called The Secret History of the Cedar Valley.[11]

Notable people

Actors
Athletes
Military
Musicians
Politicians
Scientists
Writers
Other

Sister cities

Cedar Falls has no sister city.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 24, 2012. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
  2. 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
  3. 1 2 "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Population & Housing Occupancy Status 2010". United States Census Bureau American FactFinder. Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved August 6, 2011.
  5. 1 2 "Data from the 2010 Census". State Data Center of Iowa. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved August 6, 2011.
  6. ↑ http://www.sturgisfalls.org/history
  7. ↑ "Central Hall". www.library.uni.edu. Rod Library. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
  8. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  9. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 11, 2013. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  10. ↑ "The Cedar Falls Art and Culture Board". Retrieved June 28, 2012.
  11. ↑ "The Secret History of the Cedar Valley". Main page. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
  12. ↑ School libraries: 29. 1964. A superb story-teller who makes the pioneer life of the American frontier leap into being, Helen Markley Miller has written many books ... Missing or empty |title= (help)
  13. ↑ Ward, Martha; Marquardt, Dorothy (1971). Authors of books for young people (2 ed.). p. 363. MILLER, Helen Markley – Born in Cedar Falls, Iowa, she graduated from Iowa State Teachers College and received her master's degree from Western State College ...

Further reading

  • Brian C. Collins. Images of America: Cedar Falls, Iowa. Arcadia Publishing, Inc. 1998. ISBN 0-7524-1358-9 ISBN 0-7385-4582-1
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