Cedar Falls

Cedar Falls is home to University of Northern Iowa, the third-largest public university in the state of Iowa. It is part of a larger metropolitan area that also includes the cities of Waterloo, Hudson, Evansdale, Elk Run Heights, and Raymond. The Cedar River bisects the community from west to east.

Understand
It is a city of 41,000 people (2019) in Northeast Iowa. The Waterloo–Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area was hone to 170,000 people in 2010.

The city gets its name from the Cedar River which flows on the city's eastern side. On the other side of the river is the more populous Waterloo; collectively these two are known as the "Cedar Valley".

History
Cedar Falls was founded in 1845 by William Sturgis. It was named Sturgis Falls, for the first family who settled the site and who continued to live in the city for years. The city was called Sturgis Falls until it was merged with Cedar City (another city on the other side of the Cedar River), creating Cedar Falls. The city's founders are honored each year with a week long community-wide celebration named in their honor – the Sturgis Falls Celebration.

Because of the availability of water power, Cedar Falls developed as a milling and industrial center prior to the Civil War. The establishment of the Civil War Soldiers' Orphans Home in Cedar Falls changed the direction in which the city developed when, following the war, it became the first building on the campus of the Iowa State Normal School (now the University of Northern Iowa).

By car
Traveling east/west on U.S. Highway 20 or north/south on U.S. 218 are the most common routes. Iowa Highways 57 and 58 also provide access.

Do
The university has all the things you'd expect a public university to have, including music events, theater, sports, and guest speakers. The campus is home to over 90 undergraduate majors, including Iowa's No. 1 teaching program, and 50 graduate programs. The major venues on campus are Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, UNI-Dome and McLeod Center.

Buy
Cedar Falls is known for its selection of unique, locally owned gift shops. At the same time, it offers national retail chains including Von Maur, Aeropostale, Buckle, and Scheels.

Eat
The closest restaurants to campus are on The Hill on College St., northeast of campus. Popular standbys include Sub City (where they say the meat is piled high and they don't lie), Beck's, and the Other Place (O.P.) for pizza. Main Street downtown is a popular spot for a variety of restaurants, those of which are finer dining. Many restaurants, mostly chains, are located on University Ave.



Connect
Area code is 319.

Wireless
Most buildings on UNI's campus offer Wi-Fi. One of the most popular places is Maucker Union, which has food and drink vendors.