Walford, IA

Walford is a city in Benton and Linn counties in the Cedar Rapids metro, with 1,366 residents in the 2020 census. It began as Terry, a railroad settlement laid out in 1884 when the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul line reached the area; the name changed to Walford in 1889 after postal confusion with Perry, Iowa. The town now covers about 1.1 square miles, so its rail-built footprint remains compact. Walford City Park sits in the middle of town with a pavilion, playgrounds, pickleball, and basketball; the ball diamonds and walking trail sit just west of the core, and Knapp Creek Park adds another neighborhood play space. A resident Parks and Recreation Board meets monthly at the community center, while fiber-optic connectivity is part of the town's current infrastructure. Walford's local map is a compact center with fields and parks close enough to define the town's routines.