This week in Traer
About Traer
Traer grew up around the tracks: the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railway reached this corner of northern Tama County in 1873, and the new town took the name of John W. Traer. Farm families had already put down roots nearby, among them James "Tama Jim" Wilson, whose family began farming outside town in 1855 and who went on to serve sixteen years as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture before coming home to Traer. The town's signature is on 2nd Street: after a fire in 1894, newspaper publisher E.E. Taylor had no room for an inside stairway, so Burlington Iron Works built him a freestanding iron spiral of 23 steps, later moved to the curb with a catwalk when the sidewalks were widened in 1916. That same year the Carnegie library opened a few doors down, and the welcome signs still invite everyone to "Wind Up in Traer." Today about 1,580 people live here, filling the volunteer-run Traer Theatre on weekend nights, cheering on the North Tama Redhawks, and gathering every August for the Winding Stairs Festival.
Along 2nd St
- A Wild Hair · 408 2nd St
- Traer Salt and Pepper Shaker Gallery · 411 2nd St
- Joe Morris - State Farm Insurance Agent · 413 2nd St
- Traer Memorial Building · 414 2nd St
- Home Town Foods · 420 2nd St
- NuCara Pharmacy · 500 2nd St
- Appraisal & Real Estate Services · 504 2nd St
- Circle K · 508 2nd St
- Uscellular Authorized Agent - Whannel's Cellular · 508 2nd St
- Verizon · 512 2nd St
- Traer Historical Museum · 514 2nd St
- Traer Theatre · 516 2nd St
- Roan Powell and Reinders · 517 2nd St
- Simply Blooming · 518 2nd St
- Pillar Insurance · 526 2nd St
- Dreamland Stained Glass Productions · 528 2nd St
- Iowa Estate Auctions · 528 2nd St
- Traer Public Library · 531 2nd St
- North Tama Veterinary Clinic · 532 2nd St
- Reuman's Clothing · 536 2nd St
- Sunnyside Tavern & Cafe · 538 2nd St
- The Junkyard Bar · 538 2nd St
- Rugged Edge Cuts · 539 2nd St
- H&R Block · 541 2nd St
- Mavens Market · 545 2nd St
- Retro Rooster · 548 2nd St
- Mercyone Traer Physical Therapy · 549 2nd St
- Thomas Jay Wicks · 551 2nd St
- Traer Chiropractic · 551 2nd St #1138
- Rubline Marketing · 555 2nd St