Founded in 1840, the City of Tipton, Iowa is rich with history. A town steeped in rural heritage, Tipton was once named the "agricultural and livestock center of the world". The first large victorian home in Tipton was built in 1841 for the first Cedar County judge - and the house still stands today.

Tipton's downtown has always been the center of commerce in Cedar County. Each of the historic downtown buildings have housed a number of businesses throughout the years. For example, the Community Development Office used to be an insurance office, a restaurant, a furniture store, and a real estate office just to name a few! Below is a wide-angle panoramic view of downtown Tipton, at the corner of Cedar and 5th Streets, in the early 1900's. Note the dirt streets, lack of any sort of street lights, and the large brick smokestack in the distance. The majority of Tipton's downtown buildings maintain their original brick storefront facades. City Hall was once located downtown, in the three-story building on Cedar Street. Click on the image below to enlarge.

The Cedar County Historical Society, as well as the Cedar County Friends of Historic Preservation are local advocates for preserving our historical buildings, sites, documents, photographs, artifacts, and stories.

Much more historical information to come! Be sure to check back!

Click Here for a list of Tipton sites that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.