THE HISTORY CENTER
Walking Tours
The History Center offers fun and informative walking tours March through October. Special walking tours may occasionally be scheduled, so keep an eye out for any announcements. Private walking tours are also available for your group or special occasion, click here for more information on private walking tours and historian presentations.
Tour Admission
$6.00 for History Center Members
$8.00 for General Public
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Please note: For the safety of guests and staff, walking tours will be postponed when the temperature or heat index is 100° or more, or if there is a heat advisory.
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Walking tours are sponsored by: Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust
Skywalk Tour - North
March 11, 2025
10:30 a.m.
Learn about the history of downtown Cedar Rapids from the Skywalk. The North Route Skywalk tour looks at areas between 4th Avenue and 1st Avenue.
Tour Guide: Jenny Thielman
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Meeting location: Second floor of the Cedar Rapids Public Library, 450 Fifth Avenue SE Cedar Rapids, IA 52401.
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Downtown Cedar Rapids
June 3, 2025
6:00 p.m.
Discover the oldest section of the city! This walking tour includes information on the development history of the evolving city center, its famous retail past as “Eastern Iowa’s Shopping Center”, railroads and streetcars, and the area known as Greene Square.
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​Tour Guide: Kyle Patrick
Meeting location: 3rd Ave Side of Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 3rd Ave SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
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Mays Island
June 17, 2025
6:00 p.m.
Showcasing the unique Mays Island Historic District. Learn about the early history of Mays Island and how Cedar Rapids transformed it into the only island government center in North and South America. Then experience the history of what was once known as “Commercial Street”. A walk along several blocks of First Street SE  will reveal details  about the  first downtown retail buildings before the Civil War, the construction of landmark “skyscrapers” and a closer look at surviving historic warehouse structures including the Smulekoff and Hach  Buildings.
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Tour Guide: Kyle Patrick
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Meeting location: City Hall, 101 1st St SE, Cedar Rapids, Ia 52401​​​​​​​
Mt. Trashmore
September 9, 2025
6:00 p.m.
This tour requires participants to have the ability to hike the Mt. Trashmore Stumptown Trail. The hike is approximately 1 mile. You will encounter board walks and stairs. Caution: steep grade in sections of trails. This is a self-guided audio tour. Participants will receive a personal MP3 player and a set of headphones.
Learn about the area known as Stumptown, the Quarry, Cargill & Ingredion, the Cedar River, Czech Village, the Czech Cemetery etc. all from lookout points on the trail.
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Tour Guide: Kyle Patrick
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Meeting location: Mt. Trashmore:
Creep the Alley 2
October 28, 2025
6:00 p.m.
It's so popular we do it twice! Same tour, different day.
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Tour Guide: Jenny Thielman
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Meeting location: Town Centre Plaza, Third Avenue & Third Street SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
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Skywalk Tour - South
March 18, 2025
10:30 a.m.
Explore the South Route of the Downtown Cedar Rapids Skywalk system starting from the Cedar Rapids Public Library. This route focuses on viewing areas along Fourth and Fifth Avenue SE between the train tracks and the Cedar River from the special viewpoint of the skywalk system. This tour features sections of the Wholesale District as well as areas redeveloped over the past 35 years that are not seen on the North Route Skywalk Tour.
Tour Guide: Jenny Thielman
Meeting location: Second floor of the Cedar Rapids Public Library, 450 Fifth Avenue SE Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
Hiawatha
June 10, 2025
6:00 p.m.
Explore the city of Hiawatha, Iowa, on a guided walking tour. Discover Hiawatha’s roots as a small rural community and its transformation into a vibrant suburb of Cedar Rapids.
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Tour Guide: Jenny Thielman
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Meeting location: Hiawatha City Hall
​101 Emmons St, Hiawatha, IA 52233
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NewBo District
July 15, 2025
6:00 p.m.
Learn about the historic New Bohemia neighborhood and the evolution of this unique Bohemian commercial district. Starting in the early 1870s, the area was known as the “South Side” but now it is known as “New Bohemia” since its comeback in the start of the 21st Century.
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Tour Guide: Kyle Patrick
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Meeting location:
Gateway to Czech Village.
2nd Street & 16th Ave SE (across from the Kickstand).
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Creep the Alley 1
October 21, 2025
6:00 p.m.
Downtown alleys reveal a great deal of history about Cedar Rapids buildings and they can be a little spooky too! Come explore the dark side of downtown architecture with this unique historic alley tour.
Included are stories of how alleys function as service and utility access, how they provided secret entrances for Prohibition era businesses as well as clever retail store designs. There will be a few surprises along the tour as well! Please wear alley appropriate footwear.
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Tour Guide: Jenny Thielman
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Meeting location: Town Centre Plaza, Third Avenue & Third Street SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401