Tipton, IA

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Tipton was platted in 1840 and was named for General John Tipton, a personal friend of the founder, Henry W. Higgins. It was incorporated on January 27, 1857. Tipton is a community of approximately 3,200 residents nestled in the heart of Eastern Iowa and located amid the metropolitan areas of Iowa City, Cedar Rapids and the Quad cities. As the county seat, Tipton is the center of the area with a vibrant downtown, growing Business Park and plenty of amenities to make it an enjoyable place to live, work and play!

Whether Tipton is your destination or you’re just passing through, we have a number of attractions and amenities for visitors to enjoy!

Come play the links at the Tipton Country Club or Cedar Valley Golf Course, or have a day of family fun at the James Kennedy Family Aquatic Center. Take a step back in time and tour the Old Cedar County Jail (the last standing ‘Mom & Pop’ Jail in the country), visit the Cedar County Historical Society Museum and Prairie Village or stop by the Cedar County Attic and revel in the antiques and Civil War memorabilia. Pay a visit to the 1903 Carnegie Library which has been carefully preserved over the years and houses a stunning display of original Grant Wood art, including 17 lithographs and 2 oils. Visitors will also find an oil by Marvin Cone and an original oil naïf and two prints by Polly Kemp.

Also, take time to stroll through our historic downtown for some shopping and dine at one of our many local restaurants. And no trip to Tipton is complete without a stop at Tiffiny’s Tipton Bakery for a world famous Tipton Bakery Crescent™! People travel from all over for a traditional Crescent and they have shipped them as far as Australia, Afghanistan and South Korea.

If you are looking for overnight accommodations, you will find the Spear House Bed & Breakfast a delightful and charming choice. This Queen Anne home was built by Alex & Harriet Fulwider Spear in 1898 and features a large wraparound porch, gingerbread trim and prominent turret. A rare “in-town” horse barn which still stands was built on the property in 1889.