Mays Island facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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May’s Island Historic District
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | Between 1st and 5th Aves. on May Island, Cedar Rapids, Iowa |
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| Built | 1923;1927;1933 |
| Architect | Hunter & Hatton Joseph Royer Office of the Supervising Architect under James A. Wetmore |
| Architectural style | Beaux Arts |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001240 |
| Added to NRHP | October 19, 1978 |
May's Island is a small island in the Cedar River in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It acts like a special center for the city's government. On the island, you'll find the Memorial Building, which is the city hall. You'll also see the Linn County Courthouse and the county jail.
This island, along with a nearby block, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. This means it's recognized as an important historical area.
In 2008, the Cedar River flooded badly. The water covered the island and reached above the first floors of all the buildings. This caused a lot of damage. Before this flood, having all the local and county government buildings on the island helped connect the city, which is split by the river.
The Memorial Building was designed by architects Hunter & Hatton. The Linn County Courthouse was designed by Joseph Royer. Both buildings have a grand style called Beaux Arts. The buildings are long and narrow, just like the island itself. They face each other, making the island feel like its own special place.
Government services also extend to the east side of the river. There, you'll find the Federal Building. This building also has the Beaux Arts style. Its design is credited to the Office of the Supervising Architect under James A. Wetmore. This building and its block are also part of the historic district. This means there are four main historic buildings in the district.
Contents
History of May's Island
Early Days of the Island
Before Cedar Rapids became a city, May's Island was a low, wet piece of land. It was often flooded and covered with thick bushes and trees. People said that horse thieves used the island to hide stolen horses because it was so hard to reach.
In the 1850s, a man named "Major" John May bought the island. He had earned the title "Major" for helping the governor of New York. May was interested in buying and selling land. He found out the island wasn't officially surveyed by the government. So, he managed to get the government to recognize it and then sell it to him.
Major May's Big Dreams
Major May first dreamed of starting a town called May Island. But this plan didn't work because the island flooded often. Also, there were no bridges across the Cedar River yet.
May then had a new idea. He wanted his island to be the center of a bigger Cedar Rapids. At that time, Cedar Rapids was only on the east side of the river. There was a separate town called Kingston on the west side. May convinced the Iowa State Legislature to rename Kingston to "West Cedar Rapids." This made it seem like the two towns were part of one big city.
The Island Becomes a City Hub
Major May left Cedar Rapids for a while but returned in 1871. He found that his dream for the island was coming true! Cedar Rapids had taken over West Cedar Rapids/Kingston. A new iron bridge had been built, connecting the two parts of the city. This bridge went right through the middle of May's Island. It was the only working bridge for the next 14 years.
Businesses started to appear along this new bridge route. In 1889, a man named Henry Smulekoff bought one of these buildings. He opened a furniture store. Over time, he bought more and more of the island as Major May's luck changed.
City Takes Over the Island
John May died in 1904. By then, people were already talking about the city buying the island. They wanted to build the City Hall there. There were often disagreements between people on the east and west sides of Cedar Rapids. City leaders hoped that putting the government in the "neutral" area of May's Island would help ease these tensions.
Henry Smulekoff sold most of the island to the City in 1909. His store even became the temporary City Hall. The city then began to change the island. They built concrete walls along the river and raised the island's ground level. They hoped this would stop the constant flooding. (However, May's Island still flooded in 2008.)
The city also made the island bigger by extending it to the north. Originally, the island only went as far as what is now Second Avenue. The part where the Veterans Memorial Building stands today is completely man-made.
In 1919, people in Linn County, Iowa voted to move the county government from Marion, Iowa to Cedar Rapids. This was partly because Cedar Rapids offered to give the southern part of the island for a county courthouse and jail. The city officially renamed the island "Municipal Island." But even today, most people in Cedar Rapids still call it "May's Island."
