CEDAR encyclopedia topics

cedar, common name for a number of trees, mostly coniferous evergreens. The true cedars belong to the small genus Cedrus of the family Pinaceae (pine family). All are native to the Old World from the Mediterranean to the Himalayas, although several are cultivated elsewhere as ornamentals, especially the cedar of Lebanon (C. libani), which appears in the Lebanese flag. This tree, native to Asia Minor and North Africa, is famous for the historic groves of the Lebanon Mts., frequently mentioned in the Bible. The wood used in building the Temple and the house of Solomon (1 Kings 5, 6, and 7) may, however, have been that of the deodar cedar (C. deodara), native to the Himalayas. It has fragrant wood, durable and fine grained, and is venerated by the Hindus, who call it Tree of God. The name cedar is used (particularly in North America, where no cedars are native) for other conifers, e.g., the juniper (red cedar), arborvitae (white cedar), and others of the family Cupressaceae (cypress family). Several tropical American trees of the genus Cedrela of the mahogany family are also called cedars. True cedars are classified in the division Pinophyta, class Pinopsida, order Coniferales, family Pinaceae.

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Western red cedar

Western red cedar: see juniper, arborvitae.

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Cedar Rapids

Cedar Rapids, city (1990 pop. 108,751), seat of Linn co., E central Iowa, on the Cedar River; inc. as a city 1856. The second largest city in Iowa, it is named for the surging rapids in the river. It is a commercial and industrial city as well as a distribution and rail center for an extensive agricultural area. Manufactures include food and beverages, electrical equipment, machinery, and metal and plastic products. Coe College and Mt. Mercy College are there. Of note are the city's Masonic Library (1884); an art museum with a collection by the artist Grant Wood; the National Czech and Slovak Museum (1995); and Municipal Island, a strip of land in the main channel of the Cedar River, on which the municipal building and a neoclassical war memorial are located. In 2008 Cedar Rapids suffered the worst flooding in its history; roughly one seventh of the city was inundated. The Duane Arnold Energy Center, the first nuclear-powered generator in Iowa, is nearby.

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Cedar Mountain

Cedar Mountain: see Bull Run.

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Cedar Falls

Cedar Falls, city (1990 pop. 34,298), Black Hawk co., N Iowa, on the Cedar River; inc. 1854. It developed as a milling center in the late 19th-century after the coming of the railroad; its name is derived from the cedar tree. Largely residential, the city has light manufacturing. Cedar Falls is the seat of the Univ. of Northern Iowa and of the Evangelical Campgrounds, scene of the annual Interdenominational Bible Conference.

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Cedar Creek

Cedar Creek, small tributary of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River, N of Strasburg, N Va. It was the scene of a Civil War battle (Oct. 19, 1864) in which Union general P. H. Sheridan defeated J. A. Early.

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Cedar Breaks National Monument

Cedar Breaks National Monument: see National Parks and Monuments (table).

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cedar

Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus libani)

Any of four species of tall ornamental and timber evergreen coniferous trees of the genus Cedrus, in the pine family. Three cedars are native to mountainous areas of the Mediterranean region and one to the western Himalayas. These “true” cedars are the Atlas cedar (C. atlantica), the Cyprus cedar (C. brevifolia), the deodar (C. deodara), and the cedar of Lebanon (C. libani). Cedarwood is light, soft, resinous, and durable, even when in contact with soil or moisture. Many other conifers known as cedars resemble true cedars in being evergreen and in having aromatic, often red or red-tinged wood that in many cases is decay-resistant and insect-repellent. The giant arborvitae, incense cedar, and some junipers (red cedar) provide the familiar “cedarwood” of pencils, chests, closet linings, and fence posts. Seealso white cedar.

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.

Cedar Rapids

City (pop., 2000: 120,758), eastern Iowa, U.S. Originally called Rapids City, it was settled in the 1830s next to rapids of the Cedar River, a source of waterpower. With the coming of the railroads, it developed as a grain and livestock market. Neighbouring Kingston was annexed in 1870, and Kenwood Park in 1926. Its manufactures include electronic equipment and farm machinery. It was the home of the artist Grant Wood.

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.

Cedar Breaks National Monument

Preserve, southwestern Utah, U.S. Established as a national monument in 1933, it consists of a vast natural amphitheatre (10 sq mi [26 sq km]) eroded in a limestone escarpment. Iron and manganese oxide impurities in the cliff produce an amazing variety of colours that change constantly.

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.