Quadrant Quirks

The key to understanding Cedar Rapids’ street names is understanding how the city is divided into quadrants: First Avenue divides north and south; the Cedar River divides east and west. Your location within that grid determines what quadrant you are in: NE, NW, SE or SW. Each area offers unique attractions and historical sites that contribute to the vibrant culture and community of our city. Take sometime to explore and get to know what makes each quadrant special. Here are a few iconic destinations to get you started.

Ushers Ferry Historic Village

Ushers Ferry Historic Village provides a venue for family-friendly activities, events, and programs that build community from the historical perspective of a small Iowa town at the turn of the 20th century. These historic buildings take visitors back in time, depicting what life was like for residents between the years of 1890 and 1910.

Noelridge Greenhouse

At Noelridge Greenhouse, the Friends of Noelridge volunteers work to propagate and nurture the 60,000 plants that are found in various public spaces in Cedar Rapids. A permanent display of tropical plants housed inside can make visitors feel transported to a warm desert climate, even in the midst of a harsh Iowa winter.

Northwest Gateway & Memorial Plaza

One of the many permanent flood control projects completed to date, this distinctive gateway welcomes residents and visitors to enjoy greenway space, communal benches, and a memorial wall. The “West Side Rising” sculpture pays tribute to neighborhood recovery and persistence following the devastating Flood of 2008.

City Hall

Constructed in 1933, this building has served as a Federal Courthouse and Post Office — prior to its current designation as City Hall. Visitors can find remnants of the various uses throughout the building to this day.

Hughes Park

Hughes Park is an example of historic preservation of outdoor environmental space where residents and visitors can recreate and play while enjoying nature. Artist Steve Huffman of Ottumwa created the iconic Hughes Horse — a life-size sculpture made from scrap metal pieces, old tools, and machine parts — that represents the draft horses once used in the landscape nursery business that the Hughes family established on the site.

Mount Trashmore

Mount Trashmore is a former landfill with six million tons of garbage, now transitioned to a recreational site with peak elevation at 948 feet. Walking and biking trails lead up to a scenic overlook with a unique and expansive view of the city below.

The Cedar Rapids HistoricMarkers project — also knownas the “History Happened Here!”program — is a collaborativecommunity history projectthat seeks to highlight notablehistoric sites throughout thecity. Discover architecturallysignificant buildings, narrativesrelated to the founding of CedarRapids, and lesser-known storiesabout our community’s past.

Find a list of Cedar Rapids Historic Markers at CityofCR.com/CRN.