Waterloo (Iowa)

Waterloo is a city of 68,000 people (2020) in of Black Hawk County in Northeast Iowa. It adjoins the city of Cedar Falls. It is home to an important John Deere tractor factory, which offers tours.

Understand
Long a site for Meskwaki seasonal camps, permanent year-round settlement began when white settlers started the modern city in 1845 under the name Prairie Rapids Crossing.

At the start of the 20th century, manufacturing, railways, and warehouses drove city growth. Labor disputes led businesses to recruit Black workers. The eastern part of the city has long been home to Black communities.

Climate change has put the city at greater risk for flooding, with a record-breaking flood in June 2008.

By car
Waterloo is at the north end of Interstate 380. From the east or west U.S. Route 20 goes through the southern end of Waterloo. U.S. Routes 63 and 218 are the fastest routes from the north.

By bus
There is one bus arrival and departure from Chicago and Des Moines every day, provided by Burlington Trailways. There is a service from Mason City and Minneapolis-St. Paul provided by Jefferson Lines.



Get around
MET Transit offers local bus service.

Do

 * - in Waterloo

Sleep
There are a lot of ordinary cookie cutter corporate hotels in Waterloo, but not much in terms of places with genuine local color and really nothing in the way of hostels or budget accommodations. The cookie cutter hotels cluster along I-385 near the San Marnon exit.