Photos by Ryan Moffatt
Home > Iowa Cities > Waterloo Photo Page
 

Waterloo Photo Page

Waterloo, Iowa is the principal city of Black Hawk County and the Cedar Valley region and is home to 68,245 people, with 128,012 in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls metropolitan area.  This industrial city is located on the banks of the Cedar River is 110 miles northeast of Des Moines and 58 miles north of Cedar Rapids.  Waterloo has always been a major agriculture equipment manufacturing and food processing center.  John Deere has major manufacturing operations in the city, and also served as a major meatpacking center.  During the farm crisis in the 1980's, no other Iowa city was as economically battered as Waterloo, but things have been turning around for the better recently.  Next door to Waterloo is the college city of Cedar Falls, home to the University of Northern Iowa.

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Waterloo Skyline- Downtown Waterloo is split into two different sections, with the Cedar River separating the eastern downtown from the western downtown.  This is a skyline view of the eastern portion of downtown with a bridge over the Cedar River.
August 2004
 
Waterloo Skyline- A view of the western skyline of downtown from a bridge over the Cedar River.
August 2004
 
Skyline View- Another shot of the western downtown skyline with Highway 218 cutting through the fringe.
August 2004
 
Skyline View- The taller buildings of the western downtown skyline.
August 2004
 
West Downtown Waterloo- Looking south down Commercial Street at three of the taller buildings in the western portion of downtown.
August 2004
 
Cedar River Pedestrian Walkway- A very iconic covered walkway over the Cedar River.  This walkway connects both sides of downtown while providing a lookout view of the river and adjacent dam.
August 2004
 
Down the walkway- A view looking west down the ped walkway.
August 2004
 
Cedar River Dam- Some interesting old industrial structures still sit at the dam downtown.  Notice the crate and pulley system still remaining.
August 2004
 
River Plaza Building- The original YMCA of Waterloo sits directly on the west side of the riverfront.  This beautiful art deco building has now been converted into shops and office space.
August 2004
 
River Plaza Building- Looking at the building from the east.  Notice the "green goddess" statues on top of building symbolizing agriculture, justice, knowledge and science.
August 2004
 
Cedar River Dam- A shot of the dam with another view of the crate and pulley system.  There is currently a proposal to install inflatable "balloons" along the dam to allow the river level to rise to accommodate more recreational boating.
August 2004
 
The Waterloo Building- This 10 story beauty was constructed in 1914 in the neo-classical style.  It's Waterloo's 3rd tallest building.
August 2004
 
The Waterloo Building- Another angle of this office building.
August 2004
 
Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center- Named after the now famous five Sullivan Brothers from Waterloo who perished in a WWII submarine attack, the Sullivan Brothers Convention Center is located in western downtown in an area that seems to be improving itself.
August 2004
 
Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center- A view of the 35,500 sq. ft. convention center that is connected to the Ramada Convention Hotel via the skywalk.  It was built in 1975.
August 2004
 
Commercial Facade- The detailed facade of a small building on the west side of downtown.
August 2004
 
Public Library- When the city outgrew their two Carnegie Libraries, they centralized their location in a building that used to house the main downtown post office.
August 2004
 
 

 Ramada Inn- The back end of the ten story Ramada Inn Convention Hotel.
August 2004
 
Hotel Russel-Lamson- This grand 8 story hotel has been converted into apartments and has several popular restaurants on the first floor.  This west downtown building is one of several that are on the National Register of Historic Places.
August 2004
 
Hotel Russel-Lamson- A close up of the entrance and popular restaurants.
August 2004
 
Statue of Liberty- A memorial of some kind in Soldiers and Sailors Riverfront Park.
August 2004
 
Starlite Village Hotel- The tallest building in Waterloo is the 11 story Starlite Village Hotel.  Located on a bluff at the edge of downtown, the building is currently undergoing renovation.
 August 2004
 
Commercial Buildings- A well kept row of offices and shops near the convention center.
August 2004
 
East Downtown Cluster- Most of the taller buildings on the east side of the river are clustered together and represented here.
August 2004
 
East Downtown- The taller buildings on the east side of downtown are poke out through the Cedar River trail system.
August 2004
 
East Downtown- Another view of the east downtown skyline and pedestrian walkway.
August 2004
 
Black's Building- Also known as 501 Sycamore Street, this 8 story former department store has been converted to a mixture of apartments, office space and ground level retail.  The sign on top is a nice touch at night.
August 2004
 
Black's Building- Looking at the same building from the north.  A very nice looking office furniture supply company is located on the first floor.
August 2004
 
Black's Building- The rear end of the Black's building and neighboring buildings along much somewhat vibrant E. 4th Street.
August 2004
 

Black's Building- One more photo of the sign, flagpole and cornice detailing on the top floors.
August 2004
 
Corner Building- This six story office building sits on the corner of Sycamore Street and E. 5th.
August 2004
 

First National Building- An 8 story former office building that looks to have be mostly vacant, but in good repair.

August 2004
 
A.W. Haffa Building- The A.W. Haffa building along the fairly active E. 4th Art and Retail District.  A good collection of historical buildings have been restored to house a multitude of art galleries, restaurants shops and offices.
August 2004
 
E. 4th Street- This block of buildings looks to be happening with the traffic parked out front.
August 2004
 
E. 4th Street- A shot of the attractive streetscape of E. 4th Street.
August 2004
 
Streetscape- More good looking buildings along E. 4th Street.
August 2004
 
Streetscaping- A guy named Bubba and a decorative light pole with basket plantings stand at the foot of the Black Building .
August 2004
 
Down Sycamore Street- A shot of several of the major buildings of eastern downtown.
August 2004
 
Elks Club- The Elks keep one of the best maintained properties in all of downtown.  Note the terra cotta tile roof which happens to be a common theme throughout many buildings in Waterloo.
August 2004
Carnegie Library- Waterloo actually has two Carnegie Libraries within its city limits.  This is the larger of the two located on the east side of the river.
August 2004
 
Public Art?- A red sculpture-like thing dresses up an otherwise bland surface parking lot, while the gritty buildings in the background look on.
August 2004
 
Newton's Jewelry- This old Jewelry Store adds a little bit of 1940's charm to this corner of Sycamore Street.
August 2004
 
Agricultural Heritage Mural- A recently painted mural covers a ghost sign on this brick building.  Waterloo isn't afraid to show its industrial and farming background in this mural that contrasts farm and city.
August 2004
 
La Tienda- An attractive little Mexican restaurant and grocery store.  Waterloo's Hispanic population has increased substantially lately and several Latino communities have popped up around the downtown core.
August 2004
 
Signs, Signs- A look back at the neon signs on top of several downtown buildings.  Union Planters civic park is pictured at left.
August 2004
 
E. 5th Street Buildings- Looking west down E. 5th Street.
August 2004
 
Levi Brothers- The Levi Brothers have a nice old building for their pawn shop to operate in.
August 2004
 
Lincoln Park Building- The Lincoln Park Building is still a good looking structure.
August 2004
 
Downtown Shops- A couple of stores on Sycamore Street in east downtown.
August 2004
 
Masonic Temple- Every city has a Masonic Temple and Waterloo's is still well maintained with a decorated facade.
August 2004
 
Office Building- A photo of what appeared to be the newest office building in downtown Waterloo.  It sits next to the Paramount Riverfront Park.
August 2004
 
Park Tower Apartments- This old 9 story department store and office building has been converted to senior apartments.  It's one of the more attractive buildings on the Waterloo skyline with its ornate facade and red terra cotta tiled roof.
August 2004
 
Park Tower Apartments- The backend of this building opens up into Union Planters Civic Park.
August 2004
 
Park Tower Apartments- The entrance and sign to the Park Tower Apartments.  Looks like a busy place...
August 2004
 
A parking garage going over the street- Looking north down Lafayette Street with a small parking garage covering the road.
August 2004
 
Heritage Village- A seven story low income housing complex near the east side of downtown.
August 2004
 
Qwest Building- The downtown office of Qwest Communications is located on the east side of downtown.
August 2004
 
Shops- More shops along E. 4th Street before you get to the river in east downtown.
August 2004
 
Cedar River Housing- A 9 story low income elderly housing complex on the eastern shore of the Cedar River.
August 2004
 
Needing TLC- This E. 4th Street building is still awaiting renovation, but the bottom floor appeared to play host to a good sized bar.
August 2004
 
Union Planter's Bank- This rather funky-shaped bank building sits in a very prominent spot on the eastern shore of the Cedar River.
August 2004
 
1960's Facade- An active but unattractive couple of shops on E. 4th Street, just before the riverfront.
August 2004
 
John Deere Plant/Cedar Valley Techworks- The now shuttered John Deere plant was once a busy place and a huge center of employment in Waterloo.  It now holds a skeleton crew of office staff, but John Deere has graciously donated the property to the city to develop into the Cedar Valley Techworks.  It is hoped that this will one day be a high tech incubator, combining research facilities and manufactures in a campus like setting.
August 2004
 
Rath Packing House- The boarded up doors to the main offices of the Rath Packing House.  Once the city's largest employer, the plant shut down during the 1980's farm crisis.  Waterloo was hit harder than any other Iowa city by the farm crisis and several industrial sites around town show the effects of this.  The neighborhood around the Rath Packing House is in severe decline but is receiving brown fields redevelopment money for improvements.
August 2004
 
Rath Packing House- The massive main building in the Rath facility is now occupied by a distributing company.  This photo doesn't capture the true size of this giant building.
August 2004
 
Young Arena- A 5,000 seat capacity multi-purpose arena in downtown Waterloo.  Home of the USHL Waterloo Black Hawks.
August 2004
 
Covenant Medical Center- The Cedar Valley's largest hospital is located on the southern end of the city.
August 2004
 
Crossroads Mall- The largest of the two enclosed malls in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls area, Crossroads Mall sits on the growing southern fringe of Waterloo in an area that is quickly becoming the prominent major retail destination for the Cedar Valley region.
August 2004

 

Churches

 
Mount Moriah Baptist Church- A beautiful Baptist Church just east of downtown Waterloo.
August 2004
 
Waterloo Baptist Temple- Another Baptist Church in the Washington Park Neighborhood.  Eight different churches of different denominations are all located within a few blocks of each other.
August 2004
 
Beautiful Church- Situated in the heart of Waterloo's black community is the Bold Missions Church.  The brick tower and architecture are relatively distinctive for a church.
August 2004
 
Sacred Heart Church- A church in the Washington Park Neighborhood.  Notice the small gold dome in the middle.
August 2004
 
First United Methodist Church- A church in the Washington Park Neighborhood.
August 2004
 
Queen of Peace Church- A church in the Walnut Historic Neighborhood/Lincoln Park District in west downtown Waterloo.
August 2004

 

 

 

Neighborhoods

 
315 Walnut Street- A large brick apartment complex on Waterloo's near east side in the Walnut Historic Neighborhood.
August 2004
 
Brick Apartments- A solid looking, urban building in the dense Washington Park Neighborhood.
May 2004
 
Brick Apartments- More brick apartments found near the one shown above.
August 2004
 
Beautiful Victorian- The Washington Park Neighborhood doesn't slouch on architecture.
August 2004
 
Beautiful Victorian- Well maintained beauties like this home sit amongst other not so well maintained homes in the Washington Park Neighborhood.
August 2004
 
Triple Decker- Somewhat of a rare form of architecture in Iowa, this triple stacked apartment is rough but interesting.  One of a variety of older apartment buildings in the Washington Park Neighborhood.
August 2004
 
Brick Apartments- These brick apartments were in the relatively dense Washington Park Neighborhood.
August 2004
 
Waterloo Row homes- Found in the Washington Park Residential Neighborhood near the east side of downtown.
August 2004
 
Rensselaer Russell House Museum- Nestled in bluffs just to the west of downtown in the Washington Park Neighborhood is the Grout Museum District.  This district comprises Waterloo's art and science museums, along with a couple of restored mansions that are available to tour, with this Italianate styled home being one of them.
August 2004
 
Snowden House- Another very Historic Home that's a part of the Grout Museum complex.
August 2004
 
Neighborhood Decline- Something is wrong when beautiful and sturdy homes like this are left to lay in ruin.  A testament to the rise and decline of wealth in inner city Waterloo. The following homes are found in the Walnut Historic District, which has been the heart of Waterloo's relatively large black community for some time.
August 2004
 
Neighborhood Decline- Another beautiful old home that should be far from abandoned.  These galleries are typically made to showcase what Iowa cities have to offer, but the story of Waterloo couldn't be told without showing some of the decline that has plagued the city.
August 2004
 
Neighborhood Decline- Showing a particularly rough stretch abandoned housing on the near east side of Waterloo. 
August 2004
 
Seedy Looking Row homes- A rare form of Iowa row home found near downtown in the Washington Park Neighborhood.
August 2004
 
Carnegie Library II- Waterloo's 2nd Carnegie Library on the west side of town.  It's been converted to a law office and legal library.
August 2004
 
Graystone Building- A unique apartment complex in the Washington Park Neighborhood.
August 2004
 
Washington Park Shelter- A Japanese themed shelter house in Washington Park overlooks downtown from a bluff and even has a waterfall nearby.  The surrounding neighborhood is home to several museums, beautiful churches and historic homes.
August 2004
 
Condo in a Cornfield- A new seven story retirement condo has sprung up in a new development on the city's south end of town.
August 2004
 
Tower Park- Located on the far south end of Waterloo is the Tower Office Park.  AT&T has operations in this office park, shown here is the signature signal tower.
August 2004

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