The History Center in Cedar Rapids has launched an initiative to make online archive records of local businesses and residential homes accessible to the public.
Advantage Archives is leading the digitization project, which will make real estate listing files searchable online at no cost. As stated in a news release from the History Center, The effort is funded by a grant from the Linn County Historic Preservation Commission.
The archive includes photographs of homes and businesses sold between 1950 and 1990. These records, a key resource in the History Center’s research library, are expected to draw significant interest, particularly from individuals researching specific properties.
The first phase of the project will include 15,000 records — less than a quarter of the entire collection. Currently, 6,000 records are available, with more being added weekly, the release states.
The project aims to enhance public access to the center’s extensive collection of over 60,000 images of local homes and businesses. Originally created for real estate listings, each record provides details on square footage, building materials, ownership history, and available appliances and utilities at the time of sale.
With over 350 research requests annually, about 40% of them focus on the history of local residences and businesses, reflecting strong community interest in preserving architectural and historical heritage.
Previously, access to these records required in-person appointments or online requests with a research fee for scans. Digitizing the records will make them more widely accessible, allowing the public to explore the area’s architectural evolution, ownership histories, and community development.
This project aligns with the History Center’s mission to preserve and share local stories and connect people to the history of Linn County, as stated in the release. The digitized records can be accessed online at crpropertyrecords.historyarchives.online/home.
