People climbing wooden stairs on a steep hillside toward a wooden observation tower - new deal and depression-era sites

Self-guided · metro area, Iowa

New Deal and Depression-Era Sites in Cedar Rapids, IA

Lodges, lookouts, bathhouses and public buildings put up by the WPA and the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Depression.

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Photo: Jeffrey Eisen on Unsplash

The Cedar Rapids, IA metro area has about 279,285 residents, ranking 183rd in the country. New Deal and Depression-Era Sites are spread across the country in places most people would not guess. The list below shows how close the nearest ones are to Cedar Rapids, IA.

Men gathered around a campfire in a forest - new deal and depression-era sites — Photo: The Oregon State University Collections and Archives on Unsplash

Group of loggers with a two-man saw in a forest - new deal and depression-era sites — Photo: The Oregon State University Collections and Archives on Unsplash

Man and woman sitting on black wooden rocking chairs - new deal and depression-era sites — Photo: Aaron Thomas on Unsplash

On the record near Cedar Rapids, IA

The 10 nearest

10 listed sites on the record match new deal and depression-era sites within 200 miles of Cedar Rapids, IA, out of 177 listed sites of every kind within 25 miles.

Woodlawn Cemetery Gates and Shelter47 miles from the center of Cedar Rapids · Building · Washington · listed 2016National Register of Historic Places
Civilian Conservation Corps--Prisoner of War Recreation Hall78 miles from the center of Cedar Rapids · Building · Eldora · listed 2012National Register of Historic Places
Geode State Park, Civilian Conservation Corps Area80 miles from the center of Cedar Rapids · District · Danville · listed 1990National Register of Historic Places
Decorah Municipal Bathhouse and Swimming Pool93 miles from the center of Cedar Rapids · Building · Decorah · listed 2012National Register of Historic Places
Lake Ahquabi State Park, Bathhouse Area (Area B)110 miles from the center of Cedar Rapids · District · Indianola · listed 1990National Register of Historic Places
Pilot Knob State Park, Picnic Shelter (Area 3)131 miles from the center of Cedar Rapids · Building · Forest City · listed 1990National Register of Historic Places
WPA Stock Barn and Pavilion166 miles from the center of Cedar Rapids · Building · Trenton · listed 1994National Register of Historic Places
Mark Twain State Park Picnic Shelter at Buzzard's Roost173 miles from the center of Cedar Rapids · Building · Santa Fe · listed 1985National Register of Historic Places
Burlington Community Swimming Pools and Bathhouse179 miles from the center of Cedar Rapids · Building · Burlington · listed 2013National Register of Historic Places
Wanata State Park Picnic Shelter198 miles from the center of Cedar Rapids · Building · Peterson · listed 1990National Register of Historic Places

Distances are straight-line from the center of Cedar Rapids, IA. Many sites are private property or working buildings - view them from the public way. See them on the map.

New Deal Sites in Cedar Rapids, step by step

1
Read the short history of the period for this area
2
Open the map filtered to the sites from that chapter
3
Visit the nearest site and read its full record
4
Ask what the marker leaves out and look for the rest
5
Add the site to a route that follows the period in order

What people in Cedar Rapids, IA ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in Cedar Rapids, IA?

Most listed sites can be seen from a public road or sidewalk at no cost, and the app is free to use. Some sites are private homes, working churches or museums with their own hours and fees. The record for each one says what it is, so you know before you go.

Where does the information on these sites come from?

From published records: the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program, and the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Department of Natural Resources marker program. Every site on the page names its source.

Are the hard parts of this history included?

Yes. The record is shown as published, and the stories behind the markers include what happened, who it happened to, and how it was remembered. Leaving the hard parts out would make the stop less worth the trip.

Why are there so many of these sites near Cedar Rapids, IA?

Most areas have more than people expect, because the registers list every surviving building and site tied to a period, not just the famous ones. The list on this page shows exactly what is on the record nearby.

How a visit works in Cedar Rapids

Step 1
Find the place
Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In Cedar Rapids, IA the map shows what is listed around you and how far each one is, so the first decision is where to go, and it takes a few seconds.
Step 2
Read the story
The record behind each marker is kept whole: what happened there, when, who was involved, and why it was worth a sign. You read it standing where it happened, which is the part a textbook cannot give you.
Step 3
Get there under your own power
Walk it, run it, hike it, ride it or drive it. Stops in Cedar Rapids, IA are chained into routes that fit the way you move, so a lunch break, a long run or a Saturday drive can all pass through history.
Step 4
Collect it and come back
Each stop you reach counts toward a badge, and a photo or a correction you send makes the record better for the next person. The map remembers where you have been, so the next trip starts where the last one ended.