Which City Wins? Iowa’s Cedar Rapids vs. Nebraska’s Cedar Rapids

Longtime Cedar Rapids Gazette sports columnist Mike Hlas will no longer write for the paper he has been with for decades. His final column will be on November 30th. I've read Mike's columns for as long as I can remember. I love sports, but what he tapped into was more than just the sport. It was the people and odd facts that often surround these games. In a recent article, Hlas lists some random facts about Iowa and Nebraska ahead of Friday's rivalry game in Lincoln. One of those facts caught my eye.

Iowa and Nebraska Both Have a City Named Cedar Rapids

I'm guessing you know that the Cedar Rapids, in the state of Iowa, is located in Linn County. We have a population of just under 138,000 according to the 2020 census. Nicknamed the 'City of Five Seasons', it is known for attractions like Brucemore, the Czech and Slovak Museum, and the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, which features many works from Iowa native Grant Wood. The city survived a historic flood and continues to thrive and expand.

But there is also a Cedar Rapids, Nebraska. It is located in Boone County and has a population of 382. The city was founded in 1884 when Union Pacific began railroad operations in the area. And just like the city in Iowa, Cedar Rapids, Nebraska, sits along the Cedar River.

If you wanted to travel from one Cedar Rapids to the other, the trip would take you just under six hours, driving much of the way along Interstate 80.

So as Iowans and Nebraskans get set to do battle over football, remember we're more alike than you think. Just as long as you understand OUR Cedar Rapids is better!