Ely: a railroad village that doubled its streets

Half of Ely's houses are newer than 2000. The other half include some of the oldest walls south of Cedar Rapids.

Foundation and basement help in Ely, Iowa, mostly concerns newer houses: 424 of the town's 839 homes were built in 2000 or later and the median year is 2000. Since 1 January 2021, Linn County has taken building permit applications for Ely. City Hall at 1570 Rowley Street answers other questions.

From a rail siding to a commuter town

Ely lies about 7.5 miles south of downtown Cedar Rapids, close to Highway 1 and the Cedar River. The Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern railroad bought land here in 1872 and the town was platted that June, named after the railroad builder John F. Ely. By 1878 it had a depot, a grain warehouse and a hotel, and the village and the farms around it were settled heavily by Czech families. One end of the Cedar Valley Nature Trail is at Seven Sisters Road near Ely.

Mostly newer houses

The Census 2020 to 2024 survey counts 839 homes. The 2010s alone added 235 and the 2000s 171, so about half the town is newer than 2000. The old core still counts 128 homes from 1939 or earlier, and there are 69 attached single family units such as duplexes and townhouses. About 82 percent of occupied homes are owned, with a median owner value of $311,900.

What newer basements tend to show

A poured wall less than 25 years old commonly shows thin vertical cracks that started as the concrete cured. Many never move again. What changes the picture is a crack that widens, lets in water, or runs at an angle from a window corner. On new streets, the soil around the house was dug out and backfilled when it was built, and that backfill can settle for years. If the ground next to the wall has sunk and now slopes toward the house, rain runs straight to the basement. Regrading and longer downspouts are often the first fix to try.

In the older houses by the old rail line, the questions are the same ones asked in any pre war basement: wall material, mortar condition, and where the water comes in.

Permits in Ely

The city's permit page says that from 1 January 2021 the Linn County Building Department accepts permit applications for Ely. That means Linn County Planning and Development, Jean Oxley Public Service Center, 935 2nd Street SW, Cedar Rapids, phone (319) 892-5130. City Hall is at 1570 Rowley Street, phone (319) 848-4103, extension 1 for building and permits, and lists commercial, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits under that department (city site, read by search summary 14 November 2026).

The nearest large city, Cedar Rapids, has its own page and permit office.

Questions people ask

Who takes building permit applications for Ely?

Linn County has accepted them since 1 January 2021. Call Linn County Planning and Development at (319) 892-5130, or Ely City Hall at (319) 848-4103, extension 1.

Is a hairline crack in a newer Ely basement a problem?

Often not. Thin vertical cracks from curing are common in poured walls. Mark the ends with a pencil and a date, and look again in a few months to see whether it grows or leaks.

Why does water reach my basement in a newer subdivision?

Backfill around a new house can settle and leave the ground sloping toward the wall. Check the grade and make sure downspouts discharge several feet away.

How old is Ely?

The town was platted in June 1872 when the railroad came through, and named after the railroad builder John F. Ely.

See the full town list, the permit table and basement wall cracks.