Information
Landmark: Mays Island Historic DistrictCity: Cedar Rapids
Country: USA Iowa
Continent: North America
Mays Island Historic District, Cedar Rapids, USA Iowa, North America
Overview
In Cedar Rapids, the Mays Island Historic District stands out as a rare civic and architectural landmark-one of the few spots in the country where an entire county government runs from an island in the middle of a flowing river.The district sits along the Cedar River, showing the city’s early growth, bold civic planning, and grit in the face of floods and storms.The island began as a natural rise in the Cedar River, and it later took the name of Dr.George Mays, one of Cedar Rapids’ first settlers.Seeing the advantage of its spot in the middle of everything, civic leaders in the late 1800s and early 1900s chose to make the island the hub of Linn County’s government and daily life, where courthouse bells could be heard across the river.In 1909, crews broke ground on the Linn County Courthouse, the first step in turning the quiet island into the heart of local government.Over the next few decades, the island grew into the bustling heart of government for Cedar Rapids and Linn County, where the clang of typewriters once echoed through its offices.The district rose in importance, serving not only as the heart of local government but also as a proud symbol of Cedar Rapids’ push to become a modern, well‑ordered city-like fresh brick streets laid out in perfect lines.The Mays Island Historic District showcases a cluster of Beaux-Arts and Classical Revival buildings, the grand stone styles that often housed government offices in the early 1900s.In the district, you’ll find three notable landmarks, including the Linn County Courthouse, built in 1923 from pale limestone with crisp columns and carved friezes that still give it a sense of dignity and civic pride.Cedar Rapids City Hall, built in the same style, helps tie the island’s architecture together, its red brick matching the buildings around it.Built in 1932, the U. S. Post Office and Custom House followed the same civic tradition, giving the district a solid federal anchor with its tall, echoing marble halls.Together, these buildings create a unified civic whole, tied by shared style and materials, and framed by the slow curve of the river.Bridges link the island to the east and west banks, so it’s easy to reach, yet it still stands apart-its sharp white buildings marking it as the government’s hub.Choosing to place all government offices on Mays Island carried weight-it was a bold symbol and a smart move, with the river lapping quietly at its banks.It stood as a neutral link between Cedar Rapids’ east and west sides, making sure folks on both banks of the river could reach government services just as easily.The island stood as the city’s middle ground, both in spirit and in stone, where waves lapped softly against its edge.In 1978, the district earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places, honored for its striking architecture and the uncommon way its streets and buildings were laid out.Challenges and resilience shape the island, set low in the river where spring rains can swell the water and spill over its banks.In 2008, the Cedar River swelled to record heights, flooding much of downtown Cedar Rapids; muddy water swallowed streets and battered the government buildings on the island.The restoration took years of hard work, with crews repairing cracked walls and worn beams.After the flood, the district kept going, though every cracked wall and muddy street showed both how easily it could break and how stubbornly it held on.Today, the Mays Island Historic District still serves as the heart of local government, with stone-fronted buildings that house essential civic offices and quietly reflect Cedar Rapids’ history and resilience.Its mix of striking architecture, an unusual perch on a civic island, and decades at the center of city and county affairs give it a character all its own.It captures Cedar Rapids’ early 1900s dream of grand public spaces and its modern grit, standing firm after the floodwaters receded.The district still stands as one of the city’s defining landmarks, a place where Cedar Rapids’ history, tight‑knit community, and unshakable perseverance meet-like brick walls warmed by the afternoon sun.
