My Home Town....Dubuque, Iowa

I've been meaning to do a blog piece, with this group of photos, for some time and was prompted to post this when a fellow artist friend, Toni Bergeon,  asked about the town. A Quilter Extraordinaire, she is on her way to Iowa to purchase a sewing device, which I know is far above my head, but I'm sure she will use to do great things with her quilting. Another friend, Nancy Pierce, who is a Photographer, is going along to help and wanted to know about possible sites for some good photographs. All of this reminded me that I had taken some photos while attending a reception at Outside the Lines Gallery, for a group show that I was participating in there.  I had also just read a post on wandering the stairways of Dubuque  and was delighted to recognize many of these old steps in the city. So to give you an idea of just a few things you might see in this quaint old town, this is for you Toni and Nancy and anyone else who just might like looking at their home town. As always simply click on the photo to enlarge. The old clock tower in the down town area.

My friends Cheryl Schilt Kocian and Jean Johnston Ives looking over the historical reminders of the Roschek Building. When we were in high school this was a 7 floor department store and a definite, go to  place. One of my first jobs was in the book Department there. 

Remembering ordering French Fries in the Packet Room....

Turns out I actually still have one of those Christmas boxes.

The Star Brewrey houses a winery now and has been restored. It sits facing the Mississippi River where you can take a long walk. 

This area was in the film F.I.S.T. starring Sylvester Stallone. One of theses days, I'll drag out the slides I took when my dad took me to watch them film and boosted me up in a box car  to get a better angle.

The Shot Tower, where they dropped hot lead through graduated screens, from the top of this structure to make shot. During the Civil War,the Union army was supplied with most of their bullets from this area.  

The East Dubuque bridge and a barge heading up river, a common sight.

Along the River Walk they periodically change the art sculptures and on this day I was lucky enough to see one of my favorite things......glass!

The old railroad bridge across the river.

Probably one of the oldest and most popular things in the city is the old Fourth St. Elevator. It still runs today. It originally took people who lived up on the bluffs to the down town area in a short ride, as opposed to having to zig zag around the hills to get to the same place.

And here we go!

It was dusk when my friends and I arrived at the top, so the city and surrounding area twinkled like Christmas lights. 

The view to the south, down river.

The view to the north, where the Roschek building stands out as well as the Post Office. 

The top of the Court House with it's golden domes.

Back down the hill we go, where at the bottom is the 4th St. District  and Outside the Lines Gallery, where you can peek in the window. 

Recently, Dubuque has undertaken a project to remodel the old Carr Ad Co buildings and make them useful once again. Years ago they were a  window, sash, and door company. Now they house condos, an Art Gallery, Food Co-op, Furniture store and other businesses.

They have kept as much as is feasible and the beauty of these old buildings really shines through.

Court yard for some of the businesses and condos. The tubs used for the flowers were found in the building and put to good use.

Balconies of the condos.

I always loved all the old arches present in the buildings and am so glad they have been preserved. Hope you enjoyed the tour.