William Joshua Barney originally entered this 160-acre plot on June 6, 1852. Payment was made by land warrant. On December 13 of that year, it was sold to Zimri Streeter for $130, or 80 cents an acre.

Streeter came to Iowa from Illinois, bringing his possessions and teams of oxen across the Mississippi River by ferry. The land he purchased in Black Hawk County was well-situated near the wagon trail from Waterloo to Cedar Falls.

Streeter became an active politician in Iowa. He helped form the Republican Party and was a member of the Iowa House of Representatives. In those days, he would make the long trip to Des Moines on horseback and stay until the session was over.

Zimri was the grandfather of author Bess Streeter Aldrich, who wrote 13 novels and 160 short stories during her career. She was educated at the Iowa State Normal School (now UNI) and later taught there. Her most famous books include A Lantern in Her Hand, The Lieutenant's Lady, Miss Bishop and Song of Years. (Zimri Streeter was the basis for the character of Jeremiah Martin in Song of Years.)

Another descendent of Zimri Streeter was Clark Streeter. He was city engineer and superintendent of Cedar Falls Utilities for 38 years. Through his efforts, the original municipal power plant was built in 1913. When the addition to the plant was completed in 1964, it was named the Streeter Station in his honor.

The land that Zimri and Lucinda Streeter farmed, and where they raised the beginnings of a famous family, was purchased for the Waterloo Muncipal Airport in 1943. Control-O-Fax now occupies the original homestead site.