Historic Cedar Falls

Historic Cedar Falls. . , On lands acquired by the USA from Sac and Fox (Mesquakie) Indians in 1842, William Sturgis and Erasmus O. Adams settled near this spot along the Cedar River in 1845. Sturgis began construction of a dam and mill and the site became known as Sturgis Falls, the first permanent settlement in Black Hawk County. Early residents were Andrew Hullarky; John and Dempsey Overman, who completed the mill; A. J. Taylor and wife, the first "schoolmarm"; Peter Melendy, Zimri Streeter, Samuel H. Rownd; Moses Sawyer, S. A. Bishop, C. A. Wise, and others. The hamlet soon counted seven mills along its mill race. In 1849 it was incorporated as a village and the site name changed to Cedar Falls. Key developments in the city's history were: 1855: Cedar Falls loses the battle for the county courthouse to Waterloo. 1861: Illinois Central Railroad builds as far as Cedar Falls. 1861--1865: Cedar Falls stands strongly pro-Union during the civil War. 1865: Illinois Central Railroad resumes westward construction. 1860s: Danish migration to Cedar Falls and vicinity begins. 1876: Iowa State Normal School founded; later known as Iowa State Teachers College, State College of Iowa, University of Northern Iowa. , 1882-1950: Danish-language newspaper, Dannevirke, enjoys influential career. 1904: Invention of a rotary pump by Jens Nielsen, local quarry owner, leads to formation of Viking Pump Company in 1911, the city's largest employer. 1918: John Deere Company comes to Waterloo, with profound social and economic effects on Cedar Falls. Meanwhile the Clay Equipment Company (farm machinery) and many similar companies contributed greatly to the growth of Cedar Falls, "The Lawn City," a cultural, educational, recreational, and religious capital of Northeast Iowa. The Interdenominational Bible Conference has held annual encampments since 1922. The Cedar River, George Wyth Park, and Black Hawk Park are widely enjoyed sources of pleasure. Every census except 1910 has shown an increase in population. The figure in 1970 was 29,597. In 1980, about 36,000. Prominent residents have been: Bess Streeter Aldrich, novelist; Homer H. Seerley, college president; John Livingston, aviator; Ruth Suckow, novelist.