The Spring House Family Restaurant

History tells us that the role of the "Spring House" has been of great importance to man. As a storage place of meats, fruits and vegetables and provider of its bountiful, cool waters. It has nourished and sustained man as he struggled to settle and tame his virgin lands. Our SPRING HOUSE, located on Center Point Road, stands on the site of McLeods Spring and recalls the drama of early Cedar Rapids. Here in 1841 John G. McLeod first saw the potential of the Big Spring on his claim and built one of the first sawmills in Iowa. In 1945 he added a run of stones for "craking corn," and in later years, other uses included: a conversion to a distillery, use as a fish hatchery in the 1870's and later as a source of bottled spring water delivered throughout Cedar Rapids. The great volume of cool, clear water always invited towns people to stop and fill their containers from the penstock beside Highway 150. As a manager/owner of the Spring House, I deeply regret that new laws regarding public use of spring water do not permit us to use this natural resource, even though the Spring Waters are still plentiful under our restaurant. We welcome you to visit this historic site...It is our desire to serve you in the tradition of all Spring Houses - providing the nourishment of good food.