Dubuque

Dubuque, founded in 1833, is the oldest city in Iowa. A port on the upper Mississippi River, it is situated along scenic bluffs facing the river, and has its roots in a mining and trading settlement established in the area by Quebec-born entrepreneur Julien Dubuque in 1788. The city's population is 57,686 (2000 Census), and the estimated population of the Dubuque metropolitan area is 93,072.

Understand
Dubuque grew rapidly during the 19th century, due to its lead-mining, lumber-milling, brewing, metal-working, and river-trade-related industries. It was Iowa's largest city for most of the 1800s, and as a result contains many historically significant structures, many of which have been carefully maintained or restored.

Much of the city's character was established by heavy German and Irish immigration from the 1840s to the 1890s, with the Germans tending to settle in the "North End" and the Irish in the "South End." Large Catholic parishes associated with each group were established, and large, impressive 19th-century church buildings remain to this day. The large Catholic presence caused Dubuque to be elevated to the status of a Catholic archdiocese in 1893, and it is still the smallest US city to hold this distinction.

Noteworthy church buildings include St. Raphael Cathedral, St. Mary (with its jewel-like Bavarian stained-glass windows), Sacred Heart, Holy Trinity, Holy Ghost, St. Columbkille, and the Basilica of St. Francis in nearby Dyersville. St. Luke's Methodist Church contains a significant collection of Tiffany-designed stained-glass windows in a striking Romanesque Revival structure.

Dubuque, as a small industrial center, saw its economy falter in the 1980s as industries downsized or relocated. The city has made a concerted effort to attract tourists, with the establishment of historic districts, museums, a greyhound racing park, a casino, a riverside hotel and conference center, and a Smithsonian-affiliated museum devoted to the history and biology of the Mississippi River. In 2009, IBM named Dubuque one of its "Smarter Cities", and planned to move 1,500 jobs into the restored Roshek building downtown.

By car
Dubuque is connected to most of the surrounding cities by 4-lane highways.
 * From the north (Twin Cities): Take US Hwy 52 (2-lane)
 * From the northeast(Madison/Milwaukee): Take US Hwy 151 (4-lane)
 * East (Rockford/Chicago): Take US Hwy 20 (mostly 4-lane, some 2-lane)
 * South (Quad Cities): Take U.S. Highway 61 (4-lane)
 * Southwest (Cedar Rapids): Take US Hwy 151 (4-lane)
 * West (Waterloo): Take US Hwy 20 (4-lane)

By bus
Dubuque is 183 mi (295 km) west of Chicago via I-90 and US 20, 90 mi (145 km) southwest of Madison, Wisconsin, via US 151, 70 mi (113 km) north of the Quad Cities via US 61, and 189 mi (304 km) northeast of Des Moines via US 65, US 30, and US 151.

By train
There is no passenger rail service to Dubuque. The proposed Chicago-Rockford-Dubuque passenger line has been put on hold by the Illinois state government.

Get around
Once in Dubuque, most people travel by car as public transport is limited. There are a handful of major car rental offices in the city.

By bus
The City of Dubuque also operates a public bus system called The Jule (formally known as KeyLine Transit). The Jule operates 16 bus routes and a trolley route (in the summer) downtown. The buses generally operate in an east-west orientation, with major transfer stations downtown (W 9th and Main Sts.), midtown (N Grandview and University Aves.), and on the west side (Kennedy Cir./John F. Kennedy Rd.). Most buses operate on 45 min-1-hour long loops.


 * Bus Schedule

Bus fares are 50¢-$1. Discount tickets are available for students, elderly, and the handicapped, available at +1 563 589-4196 or KeyLine office at 2401 Central Ave.

By taxi

 * #1 Green Cab +1 563-495-4444

When driving around downtown Dubuque, be on the lookout for one-way streets because they are somewhat poorly marked. Also, take caution as many turn lanes become confusing with lanes simply ending or becoming turn lanes without warning.

See




Do

 * Mississippi Riverwalk Port of Dubuque. A 1/2 mile long walkway along the Mississippi River, running from the Ice Harbor in the south to the Alliant Energy Amphitheater in the north, situated atop Dubuque's flood protection levee. Provides excellent views of both the Mississippi and downtown Dubuque. Includes a pavilion, benches, and numerous informational displays on the history of the Port of Dubuque.
 * Mississippi Riverwalk Port of Dubuque. A 1/2 mile long walkway along the Mississippi River, running from the Ice Harbor in the south to the Alliant Energy Amphitheater in the north, situated atop Dubuque's flood protection levee. Provides excellent views of both the Mississippi and downtown Dubuque. Includes a pavilion, benches, and numerous informational displays on the history of the Port of Dubuque.
 * Mississippi Riverwalk Port of Dubuque. A 1/2 mile long walkway along the Mississippi River, running from the Ice Harbor in the south to the Alliant Energy Amphitheater in the north, situated atop Dubuque's flood protection levee. Provides excellent views of both the Mississippi and downtown Dubuque. Includes a pavilion, benches, and numerous informational displays on the history of the Port of Dubuque.
 * Mississippi Riverwalk Port of Dubuque. A 1/2 mile long walkway along the Mississippi River, running from the Ice Harbor in the south to the Alliant Energy Amphitheater in the north, situated atop Dubuque's flood protection levee. Provides excellent views of both the Mississippi and downtown Dubuque. Includes a pavilion, benches, and numerous informational displays on the history of the Port of Dubuque.
 * Mississippi Riverwalk Port of Dubuque. A 1/2 mile long walkway along the Mississippi River, running from the Ice Harbor in the south to the Alliant Energy Amphitheater in the north, situated atop Dubuque's flood protection levee. Provides excellent views of both the Mississippi and downtown Dubuque. Includes a pavilion, benches, and numerous informational displays on the history of the Port of Dubuque.
 * Mississippi Riverwalk Port of Dubuque. A 1/2 mile long walkway along the Mississippi River, running from the Ice Harbor in the south to the Alliant Energy Amphitheater in the north, situated atop Dubuque's flood protection levee. Provides excellent views of both the Mississippi and downtown Dubuque. Includes a pavilion, benches, and numerous informational displays on the history of the Port of Dubuque.
 * Mississippi Riverwalk Port of Dubuque. A 1/2 mile long walkway along the Mississippi River, running from the Ice Harbor in the south to the Alliant Energy Amphitheater in the north, situated atop Dubuque's flood protection levee. Provides excellent views of both the Mississippi and downtown Dubuque. Includes a pavilion, benches, and numerous informational displays on the history of the Port of Dubuque.

Parks

 * Allison-Henderson Park Five acre park on N. Grandview Ave, includes lighted in-line hockey rink, playground equipment, BBQ grills and a recreation program center.
 * AY McDonald Park At north end of Kerper Blvd on the Mississippi, includes fishing pier, boat ramp, walk/bike path, and a rentable council ring overlooking the river.
 * Bergfield Recreation Area Just west of the city, includes fishing pond with two accessible fishing jetties and a 0.78 mile path around the pond.
 * Eagle Point Park Named one of the most outstanding city parks in the Midwest, featuring 164 acres of blufftop views of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Facilities include Riverfront Pavilion, Shiras Memorial Pavilion, Log Cabin Pavilion, six tennis courts, viewing towers, band shell, playground equipment, spray pool, and rock garden/fish pond. In 1930, a WPA grant was used for renovating the park, incorporating Frank Lloyd Wright prairie architecture into its buildings and gardens.
 * Louis Murphy Park On the south end of Dubuque, with picnic shelters, three tennis courts, horseshoe courts, and playground equipment. Overlooks the southern end of the city and the Mississippi River from its bluff top location.
 * McAleece Park Recreation Complex On Chaplain Schmitt Island, the complex features three lighted softball diamonds, John Petraikis Field (lighted regulation baseball diamond with seating for 1,700), two soccer fields, a skate park, and a concession stand.
 * Miller Riverview Park 20-acre park on Chaplain Schmitt Island, next to Mystique Casino, with camping facilities, a walk/bike path, and great views of Mississippi River traffic.
 * Pet Park A 2.5-acre park next to Bunker Hill Golf Course. Fenced in and separate areas for large and small dogs.
 * Veterans Memorial Park A 73-acre park on the north side of the city with three softball diamonds, four tennis courts, disc golf course, and a large amount of heavily wooded area.
 * Wahlert Park A 35-acre park on Pennsylvania Avenue that includes five tennis courts, two softball diamonds, volleyball courts, Flora Park swimming pool, horseshoe courts, and a concession stand.

Events & festivals

 * Dubuque Renaissance Faire May. Held at Union Park YMCA Camp location on John F. Kennedy Blvd. Hosted by the Dubuque Museum of Art. Featuring jousting, renaissance market, jugglers, musicians, and food vendors.
 * DubuqueFest Fine Arts Festival Annual all arts festival third full weekend every May in Washington Park and Town Clock Plaza. Dubuque's only fine arts festival. Juried fine art fair, interactive art for all ages, old house tour, live music on 3 stages, music. art. culture. Free. www.dubuquefest.org
 * Irish Hooley At Alliant Energy Amphitheater. Featuring live Irish music and dancers, genealogy and travel information, and food and merchandise vendors.
 * Riverfest in Washington Park. A weekend of free family entertainment, including flea market and craft fair, continuous live outdoor music, and children's events.
 * Taste of Dubuque at the Port of Dubuque. 15th annual event with over two dozen food vendors featuring local cuisine, as well as live music and children's activities.
 * Tri-States Chili Cook-off at Cable Car Square. A day filled with entertainment, food, and beverage vendors, including the ever-popular chili cook-off contest. All proceeds donated to area charity.
 * Taste of Dubuque at the Port of Dubuque. 15th annual event with over two dozen food vendors featuring local cuisine, as well as live music and children's activities.
 * Tri-States Chili Cook-off at Cable Car Square. A day filled with entertainment, food, and beverage vendors, including the ever-popular chili cook-off contest. All proceeds donated to area charity.

Learn
There are thousands of students who attend colleges in Dubuque. The largest are the city's 3 liberal arts colleges: Clarke College, Loras College, and the University of Dubuque. Collectively, the schools are known as the "Tri Colleges" and enjoy a friendly rivalry with one another. Other students attend the various religious institutions in the city, or Northeast Iowa Community College, which has a satellite location downtown.


 * Clarke University 4-year Roman Catholic college
 * Divine Word College Roman Catholic missionary college in Epworth
 * Emmaus Bible College Evangelical seminary, college
 * Loras College 4-year Roman Catholic college
 * Northeast Iowa Community College 2-year community college
 * University of Dubuque 4-year Presbyterian university
 * Wartburg Theological Seminary Lutheran seminary

Buy

 * Asbury Plaza Corner of Asbury Rd and Northwest Arterial. Outdoor shopping complex in the West End. Home to Kohl's, Sam's Club, Hy-Vee, and Star Cinemas.

Stay safe
Dubuque is a very safe city with a below-average crime rate. By and large, all areas of the city can be enjoyed day or night without fear of robbery or attack. Visitors are very common to the area, with the high number of tourist attractions and the presence of multiple colleges, and attacks on tourists are rare. The main tourist destinations and hotel locations are well-traveled and safe. However, as with any city of a certain size, there are some pockets of crime.


 * For emergencies, call: 911
 * For non-emergencies, call the Dubuque Police Department: +1 563 589-4410.

Stay healthy
Dubuque is home to two major hospitals, and is the region's center for health care. Mercy Medical Center (250 Mercy Dr; +1 563 589-8000) is a 263-bed hospital just west of downtown. It also has received Magnet hospital designation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. It handles 55,000 patient visits annually. Finley Hospital (350 N. Grandview Ave; +1 563 582-1881) is the Tri-State's leader in cancer care.

Go next
Trips along the Great River Road afford an appreciation of the upper Mississippi River valley's natural splendor, as you travel through dairy and corn country, down into tree-lined valleys, along limestone bluffs, all the while getting glimpses of the majestic river. This is not prairie Iowa - there's a great deal of scenic variety and interest. The drive north of Dubuque to McGregor, via Sherrill, Balltown, and North Buena Vista, and the drive south through St. Catherine's, St. Donatus, Bellevue, and Sabula, are especially commendable.

Heading 19 mi (24 km) east on US Hwy 20 to Illinois takes the traveler to Galena, the "town that time forgot" and worth at least a day to soak up the atmosphere of a small town that attracts thousands of visitors each year. The historic former lead-mining and commercial center features numerous antique shops and restaurants, and the Ulysses S. Grant Home.