Waterloo, IA

Waterloo was originally called Prairie Rapids Crossing and began in 1845 when George and Mary Hanna decided to park their wagon for good in a pretty area nestled on the banks of the Cedar River. By 1851, the area had grown large enough to warrant a post office, and the town's name changed to Waterloo in honor of the battle in which British troops defeated Napoleon.

Today, the population of Waterloo is more than 68,500. It is the county seat of Black Hawk County.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Waterloo enjoys a well-balanced industrial base. It is home to the Tractor Assembly Division & Product Engineering Center of John Deere. Waterloo is also the location of Hawkeye Community College, and the former location of Rath Packing, a meatpacking company that closed in 1985 after 94 years of operating in Waterloo.

The leading industries are educational services and health care. Other Waterloo industries include production, transportation and material moving companies.

Major Waterloo employers include:

• Target
• Deere & Co.
• Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare
• Nurse Options USA

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

Waterloo's residential neighborhoods include:

• Riverfront Village: Riverfront Village is a residential neighborhood that's designed with comfort and ease in mind. Its downtown location makes it easy for residents to walk to various attractions, such as the farmers market and the boardwalk. The area is a combination of restored historic homes and new construction designed to fit in with the existing properties.
• East Waterloo: East Waterloo is the section of town that has experienced the least economic development. While the city of Waterloo is experiencing an upswing in economic success, the East Side struggles to catch up. A local building company is attempting to place lower-middle-class manufactured homes in the area to provide housing options, while some residents believe the new homes will quickly devalue and harm an already struggling neighborhood.
• South Side: While there are some residential areas included in the South Side, it's better-known as the home of the Isle Hotel and Casino and the Lost Island Waterpark.

Main Street Waterloo is an organization that took notice when cities all over the country began to experience the decay and degradation of commercial districts. The organization began in 1975 with the intent of preserving the heritage and characteristics of traditional commercial districts while creating economic development. Waterloo became one of 33 Iowa communities involved in the Main Street method of revitalizing commercial districts when several committees with similar goals united under the Main Street umbrella.

SHOPPING

Waterloo offers a variety of shopping opportunities at locations including Alabar Plaza, Cedarloo Shopping Center and Crossroads Center.

Downtown Waterloo is enjoying a resurgence of activity, thanks to Main Street Waterloo. Many specialty shops, galleries and restaurants are successful in downtown Waterloo.

Waterloo offers a few other shopping venues for residents and visitors:

• Kimball Plaza
• Korner Antique Mall
• Logan Plaza
• The Gathering
• Villa Shopping Center

BEST BETS

• African American Historical and Cultural Museum: This museum, still under construction, is located on East Fourth Street. Currently, displays are held in a boxcar at the location. The boxcar was chosen to house the exhibitions during construction because many African Americans first arrived in Waterloo via boxcar in order to obtain work with the Illinois Central Railroad. Those who found employment were also housed in boxcars rather than traditional single-family homes.
• Bluedorn Science Imaginarium: This science center focuses on teaching scientific principles through hands-on interactive exhibits alongside formal demonstrations.
• Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute & Museum: This museum is dedicated to Waterloo native and 1972 Olympic Gold Medalist Dan Gable. Other famous wrestlers are noted through displays and a video room that shows wrestling clips from movies.
• Grout Museum: The Grout Museum has northeast Iowa's only planetarium, with programs offered three times every Saturday. The five-museum complex includes five full-scale dioramas that depict a log home, a mercantile store, a blacksmith's workshop and a carpenter's shop. The Grout Museum is also home to one of the largest genealogical reference libraries in the state of Iowa.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

• Black Hawk Children's Theatre: This award-winning theater group is a part of the Hope Martin Theatre in the Waterloo Center for the Arts and is known for putting on whimsical productions for children of all ages.
• Cedar Falls Community Theatre: Community members put on a variety of productions that range from contemporary plays to classic musicals. The theater was built in 1910 and restored in 1994. It is considered a local landmark.
• Galleria de Paco: Paco Rosic offers his spray-paint rendition of the Sistine Chapel in this stunning gallery. With statues, a restaurant and a bar, this is a must-see for anyone in the Waterloo area.

EDUCATION

Waterloo has three colleges for higher education. Allen College is dedicated to the education of health-care professionals. The College of Hair Design is a school for cosmetologists. Hawkeye Community College has satellite campuses in several nearby communities.