⭐ Hello, neighbors! Some famous folks were born here, some grew up here, and some just lived here for a little while. Every one of them called Linn County home at some point, and each card links to where we found it. – Kathy
Famous folks list
✈️ The Wright Brothers
Wilbur and Orville Wright lived in Cedar Rapids as boys, from 1878 to 1881, when their father’s church work brought the family here. In 1878 he brought home a little toy helicopter, and Orville later said that toy first got the brothers thinking about flight.
Source: The Gazette · National Park Service · Library of Congress
🎨 Grant Wood
The painter of American Gothic called Cedar Rapids home for many years. You can read about his studio and where to see his art on our Arts & Museums page.
💍 Elijah Wood
The actor who played Frodo in The Lord of the Rings was born in Cedar Rapids in 1981. He did his first modeling and school plays here before his family moved to Los Angeles when he was about eight.
Source: Los Angeles Times (1990) · Cedar Rapids Tourism
🎬 Ashton Kutcher
The That ’70s Show star was born in Cedar Rapids in 1978 and later grew up in nearby Homestead. While in college he worked a summer job at the General Mills plant in Cedar Rapids.
Source: Biography.com · Britannica
📎 Ron Livingston
The Office Space and Band of Brothers actor was born in Cedar Rapids and grew up in Marion, where he went to Marion High School.
Source: The Gazette · Marion Foundation
🖖 Terry Farrell
Best known as Jadzia Dax on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Reggie on Becker, she was born in Cedar Rapids in 1963.
Source: Library of Congress · Cedar Rapids Tourism
🎭 Michael Emerson
The Emmy winner from Lost and Person of Interest was born in Cedar Rapids in 1954 and grew up in Toledo, Iowa. After the 2008 flood, he helped raise money for Theatre Cedar Rapids.
Source: Drake University · Cedar Rapids Tourism
🏴☠️ Bobby Driscoll
Disney’s first contract actor and the original voice of Peter Pan was born in Cedar Rapids in 1937. His family moved away when he was a baby.
Source: Walt Disney Family Museum · Los Angeles Times
🏈 Kurt Warner
The Hall of Fame quarterback and Super Bowl MVP grew up in the Cedar Rapids area and graduated from Regis High School in 1989. He was born in Burlington, Iowa.
Source: The Gazette · Iowa Legislature
⛳ Zach Johnson
The golfer who won the 2007 Masters and the 2015 British Open was raised in Cedar Rapids, learned the game at Elmcrest Country Club and played for Regis High School. He was born in Iowa City.
Source: Zach Johnson Golf · Elmcrest Country Club
⚾ Cal Eldred
The longtime big-league pitcher was born in Cedar Rapids in 1967 and grew up in Urbana, graduating from Urbana Community High School in 1986.
📷 Carl Van Vechten
The writer and photographer, famous for his portraits of artists and writers of the Harlem Renaissance, was born in Cedar Rapids in 1880.
Source: University of Iowa Press · Britannica
📰 William L. Shirer
The journalist and best-selling historian moved to Cedar Rapids as a boy, went to Washington High School and graduated from Coe College in 1925.
Source: Coe College · Britannica
Know another famous neighbor who lived in Linn County? Email [email protected] and tell us where you read about it.