"Then the joyous Hiawatha / Cried aloud and spake in this wise: / Beautiful is the sun, O strangers / When you come so far to see us! / All our town in peace awaits you / All our doors stand open for you;" H. Longfellow
Situated in Linn County, Iowa, the city of Hiawatha houses just over 7,000 people. It has however also become a suburb of the second largest city in Iowa, Cedar Rapids, along with several other towns that were incorporated as the city's borders expanded. Hiawatha may bear the name of the proud Mohawk Indian chief from the well-known Longfellow poem, but the city was actually named after the trailer company of Fay Clark. When this entrepreneur looked out over the farm fields in this area in 1945, he had a vision of a new city with a highway running through it and decided that he was going make it happen. The result we see today is a beautiful suburb-city that, just like its namesake, welcomes strangers with open arms.
Moving to Hiawatha
Before plunging neck-deep into an online search for apartments, it is important to know what you are getting yourself in to. Knowing a bit more about the rental market of the area will allow you to discern between good deals and no-gos, and prevent you from making possible blunders that can cost you your dream apartment.
What to Expect
No need to live extra frugal in Hiawatha as the cost of living is really not that bad. Although rental rates might be slightly higher than the rest of Iowa, life in Hiawatha is on average 10 percent cheaper than for the rest of the state. You will also be paying less for groceries, transportation and rent than most other Americans.
Finding a Place
If your name was Ashton Kutcher, Elijah Wood, or Ron Livingston you might have been able to hop on the Internet, schedule a viewing and rent an apartment in Hiawatha right away, but the rest of us mortals can expect a more extensive process. Obviously, Frodo and the others are all originally from Cedar Rapids, so don't act too surprised if you happen across one of them in the streets of Hiawatha. If this gets you all excited, don't start packing yet. Instead of just rocking up on Ashton Kutcher's doorstep, you will have to start your apartment search early, which means at least two months before the date you plan to move. Remember that most tenants need to give at least a month's notice (in some cases two months) before moving out, so house rentals are often advertised two months before they become vacant. Be prepared to apply a lot of patience: in a city where only 30 percent of the units are rented, availability of condos for rent may become an issue. If you really struggle to find the perfect place and you can't wait any longer, you can always try to negotiate a month to month contract.
What to Look For
Hiawatha does offer a menu with a wide variety of housing units, but 2 bedroom apartments are most abundant. If you were planning on snuggling into a cozy 1 bedroom apartment or wanted to browse the studio apartments for rent - well, you have a 3 to 10 percent chance to succeed according to census data. If you can't afford bigger, it may be time to call up some old friends to see who is willing to make the move with you, so you can split the rent.
Doing the Deal
As soon as you have narrowed your online search down to a list of possible options, it is time to go speed-dating. Nah, not really, but the process does share some similarities to dating: as soon as you have developed a fancy for a certain cheeky apartment, you still need to impress the landlord and convince him that it is wise to get into a business-relationship with you. He knows that there are plenty of other fish out there, so you need to convince him with an impeccable credit history and adequate income that you can make it work. Be sure to have a fat security deposit check ready to do the final coaxing.
Neighborhoods of Hiawatha
City Center: The City Center is where everything that is hip and happening takes place. The city center is mostly made up of smaller housing units and this is also where you are most likely to find an apartment in complexes such as Cambridge Townhouses or St. Andrews Apartments. There are plenty of interesting shops in this neighborhood, but for grocery shopping residents head to the Farmer's Daughter's Market and the Walmart Supercenter. Golf lovers will vote this as the best part of town with two golf courses, the Twin Pines Golf Course and St. Andrews Golf Club, to try out.
Buffalo Road / Tower Terrace: This suburban neighborhood mostly consists of medium to large family homes and mobile homes. Rent here is very affordable, if you are lucky to find a place, as most units are occupied by the owners. Residents can do business along N. Center Point Rd, where you will also find the Longfellow business park. The neighborhood borders with two beautiful parks, so those in the mood for greenery can sniff the fresh air to their heart's content at the Chain Lakes County Park or Rock Island Botanical State Preserve.
Living in Hiawatha
Getting around
Although Hiawatha is very walkable, most locals believe that the invention of the wheel was not for nothing, so virtually everyone around here drives their own car. Many would also commute into town, but the average commute for most residents is only about 15 minutes, so no need to get out of bed too early in the mornings.
Things to Do
Thanks to Hiawatha's location close to the city and other towns, you will never run out of things to do. Outdoor lovers and those who want to shape their calves outside of gym can try out the Cedar Valley Nature Trail, Cedar River trail or explore one of the myriad of other parks in the area.
If you get all excited about fresh produce, want to mingle with the locals or sell your own ware, the Hiawatha farmers market is a must-do in the summer months. You may also want to try the Noelridge Farmers Market and the Downtown Farmers' Market in Cedar Rapids.
History buffs and culture lovers will have a field day at the many interesting museums and historical places such as the Cedar Rapids Museum of Arts, African American Museum of Iowa, National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library and Ushers Ferry Historic Village.
If going to the movies gets old quickly for you, there is a wide variety of more distinguished, live performance theaters in Cedar Rapids. The city doesn't only have one or two of them, but six, each with its own interesting repertoire. And if you are more in the mood for another type of live performance, you can always go watch the Cedar Rapids Kernels play baseball at the Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Hiawatha is an unique place: a city, a suburb and a place where people still care. Throughout the city, you will come across a design that looks a bit like a stylized tree, which symbolizes five seasons. In this "City of Five Seasons" you will experience the beauty of the Midwestern landscape in spring, summer, fall and winter... and if you enjoy every season for what it brings, you will find beauty in the fifth season, life itself.
