A few weeks back I made a solo road trip to harvest the town signs of Cedar County.
Here are some facts about Cedar County:
+ Population is 18,505 making it the 38th most populous county in Iowa. Below Poweshiek County and above Dickinson County.
+ Tipton is the largest town and county seat.
+ Formed on December 21, 1837. Named for the Cedar River.
+ Birthplace of President Herbert Hoover.
+ Major highways are I-80, US-6, US-30, IA-28, and IA-130.
+ Adjacent counties are: Jones, Clinton, Scott, Muscatine, Johnson, and Linn.
+ Population peaked in 1870 at 19,731.
The Cedar County Courthouse isn’t much to look at:
The Cedar County Courthouse in Tipton, Iowa.
The Cedar County Freedom Rock is located in Tipton, Iowa, right next to the courthouse:
With Cedar County completed, this is the updated Photography 139 Conquest Map:
PURPLE=COMPLTED
54 counties completed. 54.5% of the Cyclone State conquered!
One note before we get into the town signs of Cedar County. I normally don’t consider a mural to be a town sign unless it is the only town sign in the town, or it is at the busiest intersection entering that town. The amount of high quality murals in Cedar County has made me rethink this policy somewhat.
Another note, Wilton is slightly in Cedar County, but just slightly. I will hold onto that town sign until I harvest the rest of Muscatine County.
Here are the town signs of Cedar County:
Tipton, Iowa
TIPTON
EST. 1840
Population: 3,149 (-72)
West Branch, Iowa (Partially in Johnson County)
BIRTHPLACE of HERBERT HOOVER
Historic West Branch
Population: 2,509 (+187)
Durant, Iowa
welcome to DURANT
Population: 1,871 (+39)
Clarence, Iowa
CLARENCE
“WELCOMES YOU”
Population: 1,039 (+65)
Mechanicsville, Iowa
HEAVEN AMONGST THE CEDARS
MECHANICSVILLE, IOWA
Population: 1,020 (-126)
Lowden, Iowa
Welcome to LOWDEN
incorporated 1869
Population: 807 (+18)
Stanwood, Iowa
WELCOM TO STANWOOD
1869
Population: 637 (-47)
Bennett, Iowa
BENNETT
Population: 347 (-58)
For the most part, I don’t think there is a bad town sign in Cedar County. If there are any that just bore me, they are the town signs of Tipton and Durant.
I think that the best town sign in Cedar County is really a no-brainer. While Bennett is the best named town in Iowa and I do love their sign, I have to give it to Lowden.
Lowden – Best in Show – Cedar County
There were a few alternate town signs in Cedar County:
West Branch – Alternate
West Branch – Alternate
Tipton – Alternate
Tipton- Alternate
Stanwood – Alternate
Lowden – Alternate
Lowden – Alternate
Durant – Alternate
Here is the current list of Best in Shows:
Best in Show – Adair County
Best in Show – Adams County
Best in Show – Audubon County
Best in Show – Benton County
Best in Show – Boone County
Best in Show – Bremer County
Best in Show – Butler County
Best in Show – Calhoun County
Best in Show – Carroll County
Best in Show – Cass County
Best in Show – Cedar County
Best in Show – Cerro Gordo County
Best in Show – Clarke County
Best in Show – Crawford County
Best in Show – Dallas County
Best in Show – Decatur County
Best in Show – Franklin County
Best in Show – Fremont County
Best in Show – Greene County
Best in Show – Grundy County
Best in Show – Guthrie County
Best in Show – Hamilton County
Best in Show – Hancock County
Best in Show – Hardin County
Best in Show – Humboldt County
Best in Show – Ida County
Best in Show – Jasper County
Best in Show – Jones County
Best in Show – Kossuth County
Best in Show – Linn County
Best in Show – Lucas County
Best in Show – Madison County
Best in Show – Marion County
Best in Show – Marshall County
Best in Show – Mills County
Best in Show – Monona County
Best in Show – Montgomery County
Best in Show – Page County
Best in Show – Pocahontas County
Best in Show – Polk County
Best in Show – Poweshiek County
Best in Show – Ringgold County
Best in Show – Sac County
Best in Show – Shelby County
Best in Show – Story County
Best in Show – Tama County
Best in Show – Taylor County
Best in Show – Union County
Best in Show – Warren County
Best in Show – Wayne County
Best in Show – Webster County
Best in Show – Winnebago County
Best in Show – Worth County
Best in Show – Wright County
The next time we hit the open road for THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT we will visit Monroe County.