Center for Dubuque History: Center for Dubuque History Collections

James Beach and Sons was a soap making company located in Dubuque that operated between 1858 and 1930.

Finding Aid

Mr. Bonson was an early settler of Dubuque. He served on the committee to settle land claims, was twice elected as Representative to the State Legislature, served on the County Board of Supervisors.

Finding Aid

Originally the South Dodge Street School, the Bryant Elementary School has been in operation since 1869. 

Finding Aid

William Butt is the grandson of W. M. Hanson, who established the Dubuque Fruit Company. After graduating from Dubuque Senior Highschool he attended the University of California at Berkeley, served in WWII, and returned how to work at the Otis Elevator Company. The collection includes information about W. M. Hanson & Sons Co., Nick Paradiso, Connie Butt, and Shirlee A. Schroder.

Finding Aid

A collection of books, photographs, paintings, and other miscellaneous items owned by the Cassat family. 

Finding Aid

James Collier (1869-1947) of Dubuque received a graduate degree in chemistry from John Hopkins University. James returned to Dubuque after his marriage to Susan Adams in 1895 where he worked at Carr, Ryder, and Engler Company. The company was reorganized in 1899 and renamed Carr, Adams and Collier Company. Collier served as the company's vice-president and president.

Finding Aid

Thomas Connolly moved to Dubuque in 1858 and formed Connolly & Roberts, a successful manufacturer of carriages, wagons, and sleighs. In 1903 Thomas passed and his son, Maurice Connolly, took over the company. In 1905 the company began producing chassis for the Adams-Farewell automobile. Maurice successfully ran for Congress in 1912 where he served for one term. He enlisted during WWI and served a captain then major in the Aviation Corps and flew in the "flying circuses" to raise money for the Liberty Loan program.

Finding Aid

Augustin A. Cooper was an early settler of Dubuque and the famed creator of the "Old Reliable" wagon which was used for transportation around the world. The collection also includes information about his granddaughter, the actress Virginia Cooper Gilmore and other Cooper family members.

Finding Aid

Finding Aid

Includes: Dubuque Ladies Literary Association, Young Men's Library Association, Dubuque Art Association, as well as miscellaneous others.

Finding Aid

The DMPA, Local #289, was formed in 1903 in affiliation with the American Federation of Musicians to provide services to instrumental musicians in the Dubuque Area. Other names for the association were: Dubuque Musicians Union and Dubuque Musicians Association. 

Finding Aid

Vol 1-11

Inventory

Minutes, Treasurers Reports, Bingo Receipt books, and Membership books from 1929-1980.

Inventory

Louis Fautsch Sr. was a police judge for the City of Dubuque and founded the City's first Alcoholics Anonymous group. He established the Fautsch Alcoholism Treatment Center at Mercy Hospital and help found alcoholism treatment centers throughout the Midwest.

Finding Aid

Finding Aid

Documents from 1977-1980.

Finding Aid

Fly-by-Night was co-founded by Doug Donald and Lenore Howard in 1982 to foster diverse theatrical opportunities for artists and audiences alike.

Finding Aid

Records of the Railroad Retirement Club

Finding Aid

Bob Gribben was a well known disc jockey with radio station KDTH for more than 40 years starting with his own radio show at age 9. He most popular program was "Stairway to the Stars". He also was responsible for the concept of "Sock Hops" in the Dubuque area. 

Finding Aid

Bendetta Guinta enlisted in the Navy in 1942 as an ensign and was promoted to the rank of full lieutenant during World War II in Europe. She shared in a unit commendation from the president in regard to exceptional work done during her naval service and received an honorable discharge in 1947. After the war she studied with Dubuque artist, Criss Glasell.

Finding Aid

This collection includes both high schools and colleges located in Dubuque.

Inventory

Includes Reflections in the Park.

Finding Aids

Clippings from local and national newspapers and magazines.

Finding Aid

John Klauer was a founding member of the Committee for Civic Responsibility, the group that led the movement for change in Dubuque's ward system of government in 1980.

Finding Aid

The Kretschmer Manufacturing Company was founded in 1907 by Herbert and Frederick Kretschmer to manufacture plumbing and heating supplies and had a specialty in bath trap and double flush water closets. In 1911 they bought out Tredway and Sons to form the Kretschmer-Tredway Company. The company was purchased in 1998 and renamed First Supply Dubuque. The collection also includes items from their father, Charles Kretschmer, who was a teacher/principle at the Fifth Ward School from 1853 to 1897.

Finding Aid

Materials from the Chicago Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad.

Finding Aid

Frank Robinson and Benjamin Lacy were prominent attorneys and judges in Dubuque in late 1800's.

Finding Aid

Finding Aid

Dr. McNamara led the Finley Hospital pathology laboratory for 23 years, from 1921-1944.

Finding Aid

Helen Mercer moved to Dubuque in 1939 where she served as the assistant to the executive secretary of the Red Cross. She was also a founding member of the Dubuque County Historical Society where she served principally in the society's Building and Sites Committee. Her work resulted in a state record of 30 county landmark sites being added to the National Register of Historic Places, including the Dubuque City Hall.

Finding Aid

Between 1920 and 1942, Nennig served as editor of the Catholic Tribune, a daily denominational newspaper. For many years he was also in charge of the National Catholic News Service.

Finding Aid

The Dubuque Saegerbund Society was formed in 1883, though it had its roots in Maennechors society's formed in 1869/1870. These Society's allowed German immigrants to explore their heritage, especially as it related to song. The society disbanded during WWII.

Inventory

The St. George Hotel and Saloon was built in 1886 by George Schaffhauser Sr. and was one of the first to have steam heat and fire escapes. The hotel eventually passed to his sons, William and George Schaffhauser, Jr. The Hotel continued operating under various operators until 1957. 

Finding Aid

Includes partial records for Bloody Run, Cottage Hill, Washington Mills, and an unknown school.

Finding Aid

Contains minute books and ledgers from 1887-1961 (incomplete).

Finding Aid

John D. Sullivan moved to Dubuque from Ireland in 1839 with his mother and several brothers. He was an accomplished bricklayer and plasterer and helped build the Court House, the Julien House, the Peosta House, and additional prominent buildings. He was married to Elizabeth Ann Newman on Oct. 5, 1843. They had eight children. He died on April 1st, 1865. 

Finding Aid

Tom Tully served in Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense-International Security Affairs in Washington, D.C. as the senior assistant for Southern Europe from 1963 to1970. He returned to Dubuque in 1971 and in 1975 was elected to a four-year term to the Dubuque City Council during which he led successful efforts to initiate a rolling five-year capital improvement program for the City and several referenda covering bond issues, local option taxes and annexation. During 1978 and 1979, Tully served as one of six elected Iowa municipal representatives on the eighteen member Iowa Temporary State Land Preservation Policy Commission. From 1985 to 1991 Tully served on the Northeast Iowa Regional Coordinating Council. During this time he also served as the President of the Dubuque Lumber Company (1970-1990). The documents in this collection principally cover his time on the Dubuque City Council.

Finding Aid

A collection of documents related to the Dubuque Community School Districts Multi-Cultural Non-Sexist Committee (MCNS) & the NAACP.

Finding Aid

John David Walachy (1951-2011) Loras class 1974 started his own rock band, Lavendar Hill, in Dubuque. The band performed around the Tri-State area from 1970-79 when it broke up after John moved to Massachusetts. 

Finding Aid

The Father Wilkie Research Seminar Local History Collection consists of invaluable content useful to both local and academic researchers. Half of the papers focus on the history of the City of Dubuque in the antebellum nineteenth century.  The remaining eighty-one essays explore the history of other townships in Dubuque County such as Table Mound, Cascade, and Peru.  In addition to their fine analysis of primary documents and sources, each student also compiled appendices of data from plat maps, census records, tax lists, newspapers, and city directories.  Indexing is still in progress and the indexes will be updated as additional essays are completed.

Essay Abstracts

Building Index

Data and Graphs

Name Index

Subject Index

The official publication of the Archdiocese of Dubuque.

Available online

Running from 1965 to 1994, the Follies were a biennial event hosted by Xavier (later Mercy) Hospital as a public relations and fund raising event. The musical revue featured a visiting director and local talent presenting skits, songs, and dances.

Finding Aid

The collection includes videos from Artscape, Dubuque Symphony Orchestra, Question Box, and Grand Opera House.

Finding Aid

The Wa-Tan-Ye Club is a women's service club originally formed in Mason City, IA in 1921. The Dubuque Chapter started on September 25, 1937. The Dubuque club is best remembered for its fund raising booth at the Dubuque County Fair. 

Finding Aid