Town Sign Project: Cedar County

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: