Quaker Oats Plant (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Quaker Oats Plant |
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| General information | |
| Status | Operational |
| Type | Industrial |
| Architectural style | Chicago School |
| Location | 418 2nd Street, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States |
| Coordinates | 41°58′54″N 91°40′14″W / 41.981793392503064°N 91.67066745870926°W |
| Completed | 1927 |
| Owner | Quaker Oats |
| Height | |
| Roof | 190 ft (58 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 13 |
The Quaker Oats Plant in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States, is the biggest cereal factory in the world! This huge building makes many of your favorite breakfast foods. The tallest part of the factory is 13 stories high and stands about 190 feet (58 meters) tall. It's one of the tallest buildings in Cedar Rapids.
This factory is located in the northern part of downtown. The Cedar River flows right next to its west side. On the north and east, you'll find Cedar Lake, train tracks, and other industrial areas. Trains from the Union Pacific Railroad bring grain to the plant. Another train line, the Canadian National, also ends at the factory.
About 740 people work here. They make popular cereals like Cap'n Crunch, Life, and Quaker Oats Squares. They also produce Pearl Milling Company pancake mix and syrup, plus different kinds of Quaker Oatmeal.
Contents
How the Quaker Oats Plant Started
Early Days of the Factory
The story of the Quaker Oats Plant began in 1873. Three families started a company called the North Star Mill. They focused on milling oats. Later, in 1888, seven big oat milling companies in America joined together. They formed a new company called the American Cereal Company.
In 1901, the American Cereal Company changed its name. It became the well-known Quaker Oats Company. This is the name we still know today!
The Big Fire of 1905
On March 7, 1905, a large explosion happened at the mill. Much of the factory burned down. At that time, the Cedar Rapids Fire Department did not have modern fire trucks. So, firefighters from other towns rushed to help.
The biggest worry was that the fire would spread. It could have burned down a lot of downtown Cedar Rapids. Firefighters worked hard to spray water on all the nearby buildings. They kept the fire from spreading, even saving the lumber yards next door. Sadly, two people were hurt or went missing during the fire. Experts believed the fire started because of something called spontaneous combustion. This is when something catches fire on its own without a spark.
The Famous Neon Sign
In 1947, Quaker Oats put a large electric "neon" sign on top of the main building. It was the biggest electric sign in Cedar Rapids for a long time. On August 10, 2020, a very strong storm called a Derecho hit the area. This storm badly damaged the old neon sign.
But don't worry, the sign was replaced! On June 1st and 2nd, 2021, a new sign was put up. It looks almost exactly like the old one, keeping its historic style. The new sign uses modern LED lights, which are more energy-efficient.
Recent Events
On June 7, 2018, there was another fire at the factory. Employees quickly found that an oven on the 10th floor had caused it. Firefighters responded and put out the fire.
