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History · Bertram

Bertram dates to 1858, and 1 of its places is on the National Register

Most of Bertram was built recently: 10% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1985. Its Register listing is the Bertram Bridge. Below: maps from 1887 on and the census since 1920.

1858founded
1on the National Register
10%homes built before 1940
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Quick answers

How Bertram began, and where its name came from

When was Bertram founded?

1858

Bertram dates its founding to 1858 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1920.

First census: 96 in 19202020 census: 269168 years

How did Bertram get its name?

Bertram was named for Capt. John Bertram, who was instrumental in bringing the railroad there.

Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1860. Name: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.The full story ↓

What stands out about Bertram’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Bertram are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18876 editions of the USGS map, 1887 to 1993. Watch Bertram change.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Bertram’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Bertram’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
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On the map

Bertram on the map, 1887 to 1993

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Bertram. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Bertram on the 1887 USGS mapBertram on the 1891 USGS mapBertram on the 1968 USGS mapBertram on the 1975 USGS mapBertram on the 1982 USGS mapBertram on the 1993 USGS map1887Cedar Rapids sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Bertram.

The story

How Bertram came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Bertram.

Read it all →

Bertram was laid out in 1858 as an outgrowth on the railroad, which was completed to that point in 1859. It was named for Capt. John Bertram, who was instrumental in bringing the railroad there.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Bertram, 1858 to 1916

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1858
    FoundingBertram is established
  3. 1860Post officeThe Bertram post office opens
  4. 1887On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  5. 20th century
  6. 1916Post officeThe Bertram post office closes
By decade

Bertram, decade by decade

Today2 recent
BertramIowaPopPlot2021BertramIowaPopPlotIAMap-doton-Bertram2004IAMap-doton-Bertram
On the National Register

1 historic place in Bertram

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
1
each building in a district counts
first listed
2014
Bertram Bridge
Bertram Bridge
Structures

Architectural styles listings

Pinned Pratt Through Truss1
Bertram BridgePinned Pratt Through Truss

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

People over time

Bertram, census by census

0100200300192019401960198020002020Peak: 294

Between 90 and 294 people in every census since 1920.

11 censuses, 1920–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Bertram’s Wikipedia page.

Places that used to be

Lost post offices and places now gone

Bertram had its own post office from 1860 to 1916.

Bertram
1860–1916
18601940today
Gone or out of use
Bertram Post Officepost office

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Cedar Rapids63 historic placesA

Questions about Bertram’s history

What year was Bertram founded?

In 1858, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Bertram’s post office opened in 1860, and the census of 1920 counted 96 people here.

What is on the National Register in Bertram?

One place: the Bertram Bridge (listed 2014).

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (2), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.