Cedar Falls

History

Cedar Falls was first settled in March 1845 by brothers-in-law William R. Sturgis and Erasmus D. Adams. Initially, the city was named Sturgis Falls. The city was called Sturgis Falls until it 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. Because of the availability of water power, Cedar Falls developed as a milling and industrial center before 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).

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. Natural forest, prairie and wetland areas are found within the city limits at the Hartman Reserve Nature Center.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• West High School
  High · Waterloo · 1,652 students · 17.2:1 ratio
• Cedar Falls High School
  High · Cedar Falls · 1,302 students · 13.9:1 ratio
• East High School
  High · Waterloo · 1,022 students · 17.3:1 ratio
• Hoover Middle School
  Middle · Waterloo · 883 students · 15.8:1 ratio
• Peet Junior High School
  Middle · Cedar Falls · 670 students · 13.7:1 ratio
• Holmes Junior High School
  Middle · Cedar Falls · 639 students · 13.9:1 ratio
• Kittrell Elementary School
  Elementary · Waterloo · 614 students · 13.1:1 ratio
• Expo Alternative Learning Center
  High · Waterloo · 609 students · 18.5:1 ratio