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         Cedar County is twenty-four miles square, composed of Congressional Townships 79, 80, 81, and 82 north of Ranges 1, 2, 3 and 4, west of the Fifth Principal meridian, and is bounded north by Jones County, east by Clinton and Scott, south by Muscatine, and west by Johnson and Linn.

         Cedar River enters the county on its west side, some nine miles south of the northwest corner, and running in a southwesterly direction, passes out of the county at or near the center of the southern boundary.

         The Wapsipinicon River flows through the northeast corner, and both are skirted by large belts of timber. There are also numerous small groves upon their tributaries through the central portion of the county.

         These rivers, together with the streams, creeks and spring runs, which meander through the prairies, have peculiarly adapted the county to stock raising, and those who have engaged in the business have found it largely remunerative.

         Cedar River, from which the county derives it name, was so called from the fact that prior to the settlement of the country by the whites, large quantities of red cedar were found on its banks, principally in what are now Benton and Black Hawk Counties, much of which was cut and rafted down the river by outlaws from the Mississippi before the Government survey of the Territory.

         The Indian name of the river is Mosk-wah-wak-wah, meaning Red Cedar, the literal translation being Moskwah, red; wakwah, cedar or cedar tree.*

         The Wau-bis-e-pin-e-ka, orthographically modified to Wapsipinicon, has retained its aboriginal name, and translated, would be waubis, white; pineka, potato; so that, if rendered into English it would be the White Potato River.

         Wau-bis-e-no-noc, the Indian name of both branches of the small stream in Iowa Township, in English would be White Paps or White Breasts.

         Anamosa is a Chippewa word for dog or dog pup. Maquoketa is a Chippewa word for high bank. Wakoah is a Saukie word for fox.

*This information respecting the Indian name of Cedar River was given to the writer in 1859 by Antoine LeClaire, of Davenport, who was considered the highest authority upon all subjects relating to the Indians, and was, undoubtedly, the most accomplished Indian linguist of his day.

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         For agricultural purposes, Cedar is considered one of the best counties in the State. The soil is a deep, black loam, underlaid with clay, and is surpassed for richness and fertility. The prairies are high and rolling, supplied with a fair proportion of timber and an abundance of good water. It presents all the natural advantages to secure to its industrious citizens a bountiful harvest and comfortable and happy homes.

         Its physical and agricultural character is well described by Prof. David Dale Owen, in his geological survey. He says:

          “On leaving the northwestern margin of that portion of the Illinois coal field which, on the west side of the Mississippi, just into Iowa in the vicinity of Muscatine, a sudden change is observable, not only in the character of the soil, but, also, to some extent, in the climate. The soil which overlies the sandstones of the coal measures is of that warm quick, silicious, porous character, which rapidly advances vegetation, but is apt to leave it in a parched condition during the drouths of Summer or Autumn; while immediately north of the mouth of Mud Creek, the stiff, dark, calcareous soil, marking the transition to the limestone of the Cedar Valley, appears. Though less forcing in its character than the other, this soil is much richer and more retentive, storing up the successive acquisitions and infiltrations from organic decomposition, until the proportions of geine, humus and other organic principles rise from ten sometimes to even thirty per cent. For wheat and small grain generally, this soil is well adapted.”

TIMBER, ETC.

         The same authority says:

          “Though the valley of Cedar River cannot boast the dense forests of Indiana or Ohio, yet, for a provident people, it contains timber sufficient for fuel, fencing and building purposes; and the absence of continuous forests is well repaid by the facility with which the settlers in the prairie can, in a few years, reduce an extensive farm to excellent order, aided, as in these level meadow lands he has an opportunity to be, in his sowing and harvesting operations, by labor-saving machinery.”

         The timber consists of White Oak, Quercus Alba; Black Oak, Quercus Tinctoria; Red Oak, Quercus Rubra; Burr Oak, Quercus Macrocarpa; Hickory, Carya Alba; Elm, Ulmus Americana; White Maple, Acer Dasycarpum; Sugar Maple, Acer Saccharinum; Linden, or Basswood, Tilia Americana; Cottonwood, Populus Monilifera; Oak predominating.

         The natural fruits are crab apple, wild cherry, plum and grape.