The Cedar Rapids house above doesn t look special at a glance, but it definitely is. It s a home with a history that, just two weeks ago, got it listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This is the story of that home and the family that built it.
Dr. Percy Harris, his wife Lileah, and his family moved to Cedar Rapids in 1957. According to Cedar Memorial, he became Cedar Rapids first black physician the following year. In a short time, Percy, his wife, and their growing family needed a larger home. The Harris oldest child, Bruce, said it wasn t easy for the family because, Not many people, in the nice neighborhoods of Cedar Rapids, would show homes to blacks.