Cedar Rapids, city in eastern Iowa and seat of Linn County. The city is located at the rapids on the Cedar River. Cedar Rapids is the economic hub of a rich agricultural area, and agribusiness is central to the city's economy. It is also becoming a center for telecommunications and other technologies. Products of its many manufacturers are varied, and include avionics, navigation equipment, construction machinery, pharmaceuticals, printing presses, polypropylene film, processed food, and chemicals. Cedar Rapids is the home of the Quaker Oats Company. The city is served by the Cedar Rapids Municipal Airport, an increasingly important regional distribution facility and free trade zone.
Coe College (1851), Mount Mercy College (1928), and a community college are the city's higher educational institutions. The city's museums include the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art; Science Station, an interactive science and technology museum; Duffy's Collectible Cars; the History Center; and the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library. The city is also home to the National Trust Brucemore Mansion, an 1886 Victorian estate; Bever Park Zoo; the Indian Creek Nature Center; and the Czech Village, which preserves the city's Czech heritage. Annual Cedar Rapids events include WinterFest in February and the Freedom Festival in early summer. South of the city are the Amana Colonies, built in the mid-1850s as religious communes by German immigrants. Visitors to these villages can see working woolen mills, furniture factories, bakeries, and wineries.
