Waterloo, IA 50701    

Waterloo, Iowa Tenant Credit Report Service

Waterloo is the county seat of Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 68,747. It was the home of the five Sullivan brothers, who were killed during World War II. It is the location of the Tractor Assembly Division & Product Engineering Center of Deere & Company. Waterloo is also the former location of Rath Packing. Due to its history of meatpacking the city is home to the National Cattle Congress.

Although located in the Midwest, which is historically and predominantly white, Waterloo and its industries have attracted a diverse population that often reflects national trends. African-Americans were first drawn to Waterloo because of the many entry-level jobs that were then available in meatpacking and other industries located in the city. In the 1990's, Bosnian war refugees were resettled in Waterloo by the federal government, and during the same decade a new IBP packing plant attracted hundreds of Hispanics.

This diversity of races has generally worked well, but Waterloo has experienced its share of racial tension and hostility. Early on, African-Americans settled on only the "East" side (geographically and more accurately north-northeast, but the term has become locally fixed), while Caucasians populated both the "East" and the "West" sides. Through the 1970s and 1980s the "East" side stagnated and the "West" side prospered, leaving a racially divided city. This clear division of the city magnified the awareness of differences and the need for fairness.

Waterloo was one of the very few communities to have two Carnegie-endowed libraries: one on the East side and one on the West.

The clear division of the city also contributed to the natural but sometimes fractious competition between East High School and West High School. Then, when Central High School was built, its location on the "West" (and it was truly on the west side of the city) aggravated the perception of racism within the city. In time, however, the racial tension become more a matter of economics as the East side experienced an enduring upswing in poor Caucasians and major business, including Rath, closed leaving hundreds of people unemployed.

Waterloo is home of the Waterloo Blackhawks, a team in the United States Hockey League which plays in Young Arena. It is also the home of the Waterloo Bucks, a summer collegiate league baseball team which plays in the Northwoods League. The team plays at Riverfront Stadium.

Waterloo was originally known as "Prairie Rapids Crossing". The town was built on top of a Native American village. The town is now named after Waterloo, Belgium. The city's primary waterway is the Cedar River.

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