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Center for Dubuque History: Center for Dubuque History Collections

Dubuque History Collections Collection Notes
365ink Magazine Weekly paper detailing events happening in the Dubuque Area
American Association of University Women (AAUW) Finding Aid
Adams, Marie  
Adams, Matthias J. Collection Finding Aid
Aerial Photographs of Dubuque and Surrounding Areas Finding Aid
Antique Dubuque By M.M. Hoffman  
Artifacts of Loras College and Dubuque Inventory
Assessors Birth Records  
Atlases - Local and Iowa Finding Aid
Baptisms and Deaths from St. Philomena/Anthony and Mercy Asylum  
Beach, James & Sons Collection

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

Finding Aid

Bethany Home  
Birthplace Of Iowa By The Telegraph Herald  
Blocker, Virgil  
Blueprints, Rolled Maps, and Aerial Photos Inventory Inventory
Bonson, R. M.

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

Books, Ledgers, etc. in Archive Inventory
Bryant School Records

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

Finding Aid

Business & Professional Women's Club: Dubuque Chapter Finding Aid
Business Times Newsletter  
Butt, William Collection

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

Carnegie Stout Public Library  
Carroll Co., Il. Nuclear Station  
Cassat Family Collection

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

Finding Aid

Central High School History Projects Finding Aid
Civil Service Examinations  
Dubuque Clio Club Finding Aid
James C. Collier Collection

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

Communicable Diseases Report Book  
Connolly Family Collection

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

Cooper, A.A. Collection

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

Cooper, Helen Mercer 42 boxes of colored slides 'vacation pictures' from Dr. Samuel Mercer. Part of the A. A. Cooper Collection.
Coughlin, Fr. Charles

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County/City Authority Finding Aid
Court Records  
D.A.C.C.C.R. Dubuque Area Citizens Council on Community Relations
David Dahlquist Madison Street Steps Collection Finding Aid
Doherty/Schwinn Collection Finding Aid
Dubfest Scrapbooks  
Dubuque And Its Neighborhood  
Dubuque Area Christians United Records Finding Aid
Dubuque Area Postcard Collection Inventory
Dubuque Building And Loan 1923-67, 1979-81
Dubuque Catholic Schools: Shared Time 1965-72 Finding Aid
Dubuque Centennial Committee Finding Aid
Dubuque Chamber Of Commerce Finding Aid
Dubuque County Auditor Finding Aid
Dubuque County Directories Available online
Dubuque County Fine Arts Players  
Dubuque County Fine Arts Society  
Dubuque County Voting, Elections, Insurance, and Tax Assessments Finding Aid
Dubuque Dog-track  
Dubuque Enterprise Papers  
Dubuque Human Rights Commission Minutes 1982-83  
Dubuque Humane Society Finding Aid
Dubuque Literary Association

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

Finding Aid

Dubuque Musicians Protective Association

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

Dubuque Newsfile 1965-67  
Dubuque On The Mississippi By Fr. Wilkie Research files for the book
Dubuque School District Annual Reports 1942-64 Finding Aid
Dubuque Senior High School Newspapers & Sports Programs Inventory
Dubuque Star Brewery  
Dubuque Visitor

Vol 1-11

Inventory

Dubuque: Frontier River City Production Files
Dubuque-Wisconsin Bridge Company Finding Aid
Durrant Group Project Slides  
East Dubuque PTA Records

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

Inventory

Evans, Mary Ellen Collection  
Fautsch, Louis

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

Federation For Local Musicians  
Finley/Wallace Collection

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Fire & Police/ Civil Service/ Urban Renewal  
First National Bank Finding Aid
Five Flags Theater Collection

Documents from 1977-1980.

Finding Aid

Flood Insurance 1983  
Fluetsch, Donald (Sternwheel Don)  
Fly-by-Night Productions

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

Fox Collection  
Frank Richardson Mss. Coll.  
Friendship Force Dubuque Chapter  
Fuerst, Andrew 

Records of the Railroad Retirement Club

Finding Aid

Gannon Mental Health Association Finding Aid
Gannon Mental Health Center Finding Aid
Genealogy Files  
General Assembly Books  
German Newspapers Translated by Downing  
Grand Opera House Collection Finding Aid
Grant, Terry Photos
J.C. (Jules) Gregoire Family Collection Finding Aid
Gribben, Bob

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

Griffin Catholic Worker House Collection  
Guinta, Bendetta;

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

Halliburton, Louise Louise Halliburton was a pacifist, an activist, and an artist. She is best known for her seven year silent vigil held in Washington Park to protest the Vietnam War.
Hamilton, Fr. Philip A.  
Hanna Collection  
Harpers Weekly 1865  
Heritage Trail Finding Aid
Local School Year Books

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

Inventory

Hillcrest Family Services Archives

Includes Reflections in the Park.

Finding Aids

Msgr. M.M. Hoffman Collection Finding Aid
Hoffmann Family Items Finding Aid
Hoffmann- Schneider Funeral Records Inventory Inventory
Hogan, Mike Photos
Iowa State Dept. Of Health: Premarital Exams  
Iowa Street Parking Ramp Finding Aid
John F. Kennedy Files

Clippings from local and national newspapers and magazines.

Finding Aid

Daughters of the American Revolution: Julien Dubuque Chapter  Finding Aid
Julien Dubuque Collection Finding Aid
Kempker Collection Finding Aid 
Kilburg Family Collection  
Klauer Glass Plate Negatives Available in our Digital Collections
Klauer, John: City Council

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

Kretschmer-Tredway Company Collection

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

Kruse, Len Collection  
Kurt, Martin B. Railroad Collection

Materials from the Chicago Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad.

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Lacy-Robinson Collection

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

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Land Deeds (Very Old) Abstracts And Documents

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Local Newspapers Daily Express And Herald, Daily Morning Sun, Dubuque Evening Globe Journal, Dubuque Herald, & National Demokrat
Loemker Lanten Slide Collection Digitized
Locomotive Engineers 1933-51 Donated by John Corbett
McCarten Collection  
McCarthy, Loretta Collection Finding Aid
McNamara, Dr. Francis (Frank)

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

Finding Aid

Menster, Fr. William J.  
Mercer, Helen

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

Mervyn Dew-Brittain Theater Collection Finding Aid
Meyer, Harvey  
Midendorf, Arnie  Lantern Slides
Miller, Tom  
Mines Of Spain (Notes, Final Report, Correspondence, Etc.)  
Moon Landing Finding Aid
Most, Fr And Fr. Nye Collections Finding Aid
Msgr. Maurice Sheehy  
My Old Dubuque By Len Kruse Notes and research for book
Nash Collection  
Nennig, Charles

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

Newspaper Headlines - National and International news  
Nye, Fr And Fr. Most Collections Finding Aid
Operation New View Materials  
Oral Histories Finding Aid
Parishes Of The Archdiocese Of Dubuque Collated by Wilkie
Photojournalism  
Plamondon, Edward J. WWII Letters
Plat Books Inventory
Poinsett, Cecilia & William (Unpublished Mss)  
Preston, Anna West "West Letters"  
Research for the Grand Opera & Shot Tower by Jim Jacobsen  
Rhomberg Agriculture Collection Finding Aid
Roshek-Armstrong Collection Finding Aid
Saegerbund Society Song Books

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

Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps  
Schaffhauser Brothers/St. George Hotel

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

Scherman Circle Club Records  
Schmitt, Fr. Al  
Parish School Records

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

Finding Aid

Schroeder Music School  
Schroeder, Fr & Fr. Bahl Correspondence  
Schubert, Fred "Fritz" Finding Aid
Schulte, Msgr. George Finding Aid (move to Loras Collection)
Scrapbooks  
Slides  
Souvenir Gems Of Dubuque  
Sports History  
Sports Misc.  
St. Pius X Seminary Records Rohlman Hall  
St. Vincent De Paul Society

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

Finding Aid

Star Brewery Finding Aid
State Maps / Foreign Lands  
Stein Baking Company Finding Aid
Streets And Roads (Environmental Impact) Finding Aid
Sullivan, John. D. Collection

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

Tigges, John  Typescripts from various stages of the writing process for the novels The Legend of Jean Marie Cardinal, Ybarra, and Nightfeeders, and photographic contact sheets for the book Milwaukee Road Narrow Gauge.
Tully, Thomas

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

Urban Flood Plan  
Vernon, Mimi

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

Finding Aid

Vue & Pulse Magazine  
Walachy, John David Collection

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

Weather and River Reports Finding Aid
White, Fr. Norman (Notes For Thesis On John Taylor Adams)  
White, Prof. James  
Wilkie, Fr.

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

Witness

The official publication of the Archdiocese of Dubuque.

Available online

Works Progress Administration  
WWI Artifacts Finding Aid
WWII & Korean War Scrapbooks  
Xavier Follies

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

VHS Collection

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

Finding Aid

Wa-Tan-Ye Club

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 

City of Dubuque Collections  
City Ordinances - Bound  
City Of Dubuque Financial Records  
City Of Dubuque: Ad Hoc Committee On Investment Finding Aid
Dubuque City Auditor  
Dubuque City Budget  
Dubuque City Budget Reports  
Dubuque City Budgets 1978-81  
Dubuque City Budgets And Financial Reports  
Dubuque City Budgets And Reports  
Dubuque City Checks  
Dubuque City Construction Projects  
Dubuque City Council Agendas /Documents 2001-11 (Cd)  
Dubuque City Council Minutes  
Dubuque City Council Proceedings  
Dubuque City Council Records  
Dubuque City Directories Full-text Available Online
Dubuque City Fire Engine And House Records Finding Aid
Dubuque City Manager  
Dubuque City Manufacturing Directories  
Dubuque City Projects  
Dubuque City Projects 1959-60  
Dubuque City Projects 1978-79  
Dubuque City Reports Finding Aid
Dubuque City Sewer Projects  
Dubuque City Street Improvements