Cedar Rapids

Cedar Rapids was named for the surging rapids in the Cedar River on which it sits. It is the second-largest city in Iowa. The city is a commercial and industrial city, as well as a distribution and rail center for an extensive agricultural area. Manufactures include food and beverages, electrical equipment, machinery and metal and plastic products. Cedar Rapids is home to Coe College and Mount Mercy College.

There are several interesting sights in Cedar Rapids. The Masonic Library dates from 1884 and the art museum houses a collection by the artist Grant Wood. The National Czech and Slovak Museum was opened in 1995. On Municipal Island, a strip of land in the main channel of the Cedar River, you can see the municipal building and a neoclassical war memorial. The Duane Arnold Energy Center is not far from town. It was the first nuclear-powered generator in Iowa.

There are several hotels and restaurants in Cedar Rapids. The city is in the east of Iowa, 170 km northeast of Des Moines and 1270 km west of Washington D.C.