This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
Ellis Harbor preserves Cedar Rapids boating culture
The Ellis Harbor story traces Cedar Rapids 1940s boating growth and postwar houseboats tied to Ed Sheffie, with the 1962 harbor opening, steady expansion through the 80s, and a strong family atmosphere. It covers harbor capacity, boathouse history, flood impacts in 1990s and 2008, and a 2010 law allowing houseboats to remain, reflecting a resilient river community.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cedar Rapids
Ed Sheffie
Cedar River
Ellis Park
Cedar Boat Club
Kelly Brothers
Waterloo
Boat Club
Stan Tisher
Kellys
Tisher
Ellis Harbor
McLaud
Henry
John Hesse
Hesse Brothers
2Nd St
History Center
Tara Templeman
the Gazette
Ed Sheftie
Templeman
Gene Dowie
Dowie
Derneath
Deanna
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Coast Guard
Chet Culver
Jeff McLaud
Nick Rohlman