Waterloo Travel Guide, Iowa

Waterloo- Overview

Waterloo is one of the most prominent cities in the province of Belgium, with a rich historical background. Situated on the bank of the Cedar River since 1851 it was earlier called Prairie Rapids Crossing. It was changed to Waterloo after the inauguration of its first post office in1851. Traditionally Waterloo has been a hub of industrial and trade activities. The city is a centre for livestock industry and flour mills.

Waterloo has the reputation of a progressive city. Ever since the first bridge was built in 1859 the trading activities flourished in the city. Especially after the introduction of the first passenger train in 1861, the city never looked back and prospered even more day by day. When in Waterloo, one must visit Black Hawk County situated on the north-eastern side of Iowa. The special thing about Black Hawk County is that the Cedar River equally divides from northeast corner to the southeast corner in half. In1850 it had about only 135 settlers but now its population is estimated to be around 123,300.

Another notable thing about Black Hawk County is that it has been the birthplace of many famous personalities such as Dan Gable (Olympic gold medal winner), first lady Lou Henry Hoover, historian Carl Becker. If you have a special interest in history, then Waterloo is the place to be. There are various monuments in the city which one can visit such as the former headquarters of army divisions of Napoleon and the Duke of Wellington. They have now been transformed into museums showcasing the weapons used, army uniforms and many other personal memories.

Some of the most famous monuments and museums are The Hannover Monument dedicated to the soldiers who died in the war, the Wounded Eagle Monument and the panorama of the battle which has a spectacular circular painting depicting the battlefield. Nowadays Waterloo has been transformed into a cosmopolitan city which has all the facilities provided in the world.

The city experiences temperate climate and rain throughout the year. For a tourist a main attraction in Waterloo is the Oktoberfest which is held every year in early October. It has the reputation of being the biggest fest outside Germany.

Accommodation is easily available in the city as there are several hotels such as Waterloo Inn, Destination Inn, and St Jacobs’s country inn. To spend some nice time in Waterloo one can go bowling or take a stroll on the St Jacob’s farmers market and Brocante du lion which is a flee market. To sum up, Waterloo is the perfect city where you can go to get rid of the hustle-bustle of the daily life.