Eagle Point Park

● Oliver P Shiras took a walk through the Eagle Point Area in 1882
○ Loved the land that is now Eagle Point Park
○ Wanted to make more recreational
○ Said to a friend it was his duty to plan for generations yet to come
○ Many, including Shiras, were concerned about the lack of parks and recreational
spaces in Dubuque and the rapid increase of population
● In 1907, a letter was sent to Charles M. Robinson, who was a landscape architect from
Rochester, NY, to review the potential capabilities there were for beautifying and
improving Dubuque
○ This was supported by the Commercial Club, Civic Federation, and the Trades
and Labor Council
○ Robinson’s response stated how the only city parks were triangles and squares
and did not contribute to any space for recreation and that Dubuque had much
potential for parks, so much that the city would go bankrupt if each “beautiful” or
“Ideal” location was turned into a park
○ Robinson favored Eagle Point Park
○ “Eagle Point an extraordinary noble site, the great wall of rock rising sheer from
almost the river’s edge and affording superb views up and down the stream. The
rolling upland that forms the back of the bluff is covered with an oak grove,
already sufficiently thinned for park purposes, while such a park as this demands
no elaborate development or planting. Its own wild beauty and stunning view,
when roads and paths have given it accessibility, would make it a park of which
any city in the world might well be proud” Robinson on Eagle Point
○ He also suggested parkways to be added on Rhomberg and Garfield Ave to
make the park location more convenient

● April, 1908, a citizens committee to stimulate interest and to raise funds to purchase and
maintain property for public park use
○ Shiras was elected chairman because of his very active interest
○ The intent was to use part of the area as picnic area and playground area, the
rest of the land would be used recreationally.
○ Deeds of 100 acres were transferred to the city on 1st.
○ Robinson was retained by the committee as landscape architect for the park
○ Charles Lowrie was made the park planner and Thomas Jess was made
surveyor.
○ Improvements were to begin immediately after the land was handed over.
○ $10,000 was spent on improvements in 1908
■ A fence along the bluff was added for safety
■ An entrance, Ravine Rd, was built by hand and horses
 ■ Restrooms, hitching posts, tables and benches were added due to the
fact the labor was so convenient at the time
■ Trees were removed from the area to make a park drive, which is known
as loop drive
○ 1909 there was a trade made for half an acre with Eagle Point Lime Works
■ A set of stairs was constructed on the land adjacent to the park to make
park access more convenient
○
■ Tables, benches, swings and a toboggan slide were added along Ravine
Rd. which made up a recreation area
■ A water system was installed in the main park which included pipes, a
windmill and a well
■ The first pavilion in the park was completed by October

● Dedication was June 17,1910

○ Shiras accepted a flag to on behalf of city from the Daughter of the American
Revolution
○ The park was offically named Eagle Point
■ This is said to be because a eagle was realeased with a silver plate tied
around its leg intended to go to Louisville Kentucky from Courtlandville
New York. This plate was found near the “point” and is also the highest
Point between St. Paul and St. Louis on the Mississippi
○ The Park was under supervision and care by the Dubuque Park Commission
■ Shiras was elected as the Park Commission chairman
● 1911
○ There was a propsal for a street car entrance to the park, but there was a large
estate owned by Sarah Ham, after negotations both parties agreed on a price of
$8,500 but Ham backed out at the last minute
● 1912
○ The Ham house was finally owned by the park and the road to the street car
entrance was paved.
○ The Ham House was turned into a house for caretakers and tired visitors
○ September 28 Union Electric Company started laying a track, turnaround, and
waiting area for $10,000
● Following years…
○ Minor improvements were made
○ P. L. Phillips, forestry expert, was hired by the Park Commission to supervise the
forestry during the developing stages. He was in charge of keeping the land
beautiful and clearing dead trees
○ The park had not only become a place for picnics and recreation, but also
became a focal point for political and religious gatherings
■ the Park Commission deemed advisible against holding gatherings that
may have different views so the gatherings were moved more toward the
Ham House and away from those picnicing
 ○ Shiras refused any park to be named after him, so they honored him with a
plaque at his favorite spot.
● 1933
○ During the city’s centennial celebration, the Cooper Cabin was moved from
Second and Locust to the park.
■ Cooper Cabin shows what it was like in dubuque in the early years
○ Alfred Caldwell, the park superintendent, planned for some renovations in the
park which included a series of Indian council rings with connecting trails for
more private spots to picnic along the bluff
○ Cladwell’s work was later nominated for National Historic Register
● 1934
○ A reforestation project was started
○ Many trees were planted on the land
○ Plans for a reservoir and bridge across the road were announced
○ Lily pond was added shortly after
In 2017 was awarded a $320,000 grant for Restoration
Now 164 Acres
First Large Public Park

From Center of Dubuque History

Washington Park and the Gazebo

● The Gazebo occupied the center of the park from 1877 to about 1900
○ The concrete base of the gazebo was still standing until 1961
○ Was removed to make more room for sidewalks
● Park was the cite of Dubuques first Church, first Church and first settlers meeting
ground
● Buffalo Bill presented his “Authentic Wild West Show” at the park in 1896
● President William McKinley delivered a political address from the gazebo in 1899
● A statue of Dr. Henry Cogswell was reportedly buried in the park
○ A part of the hand of the statue was found, but nothing else when
construction workers were looking for it
■ Legend is that the people of Dubuque were “duped” to build double
sided drinking fountains for people as part of a memorial to 19th
century central Iowa heroine Kate Skelley, who crawled across the
Des MOines bridge in 1881 to avert a passenger train disaster by
waving a lantern in front of a washed out rail road. But when the
statue showed up, it was a statue of Cogswell
■ Supposedly in 1900 a group of construction workers were hired to
pull the statue off the pedestal with ropes and bury the statue 30 ft
to the east
● Toepel, of 1610 Loras Blvd, donated a 8’4 statue of Liberty, which stands in
Washington Park, to the Dubuque Boy Scout in honor of Lt. Arthur c. Toepel, a
former scout who gave his life for our country in 1944
● In 1976, there was a dedication to the new gazebo in Washington Park
○ The new gazebo is a replica of the original gazebo that stood at the turn of
the century built to a 3 quarters scale
● In 1974-1976
○ $57,000 restorations were made
■ 72 new trees
● To replace those trees that were destroyed by Dutch Elm
disease
■ 16 lights crafted to look like gas lamps
■ New flowerbeds and shrubs were planted
■ Gazebo
■ 2 Dubuque attorneys, Russell Neuwoehner and Randy Nigg,
supervised the burial of a time capsule designed to be dug up in
2076
● Washington Park/Square was eyed to be
 ○ A courthouse
○ Post office
○ Civil War memorial Hall
○ City hall
○ Downtown mall extension
○ Parking lot
■ All ideas were turned down
● Park held a memorial for JFK after he had been assassinated

From Center of Dubuque History

Union Park and the Flood

● Located northwest of the city

● Began as a publicity tool
● Opened in April 1891 as Stewart Park
○ The Dubuque Electric Railway Light and Power Company purchased the land
from a local farmer in an attempt to get more publicity for the use of electricity by
using tolleys
● The day after the park officially opened construction began on a dance hall and
refreshment booth
○ A small pavilion, bowlin alley and living quarters for the park employees were in
other buildings
○ Money quickly became a problem and Union Electric owned the park by 1900
● Union Park
○ Stewart Park was renamed Union Park in honor of its new owner
○ The company hired an on site superintendent and a park manager
○ 1908
■ More land was purchased
■ Rustic bandstand was added
■ Children's playground was built
● Carousel
● Slides
● Sandboxes
■ Swimming pool
■ the Mammoth theater began construction
● Was made up of the valley floor
● “Largest theater in the west”
● Home to vaudeville shows and concerts
■ Rollercoaster was built
○ 1916
■ Union Electric sold the property to Dubuque Electric
○ July 9, 1919
■ Flash Flood
■ Swept away the park in an instant
■ 5 people lost their lives
■ Hundreds of people were at the park this Sunday afternoon, when rain
began to fall hard north of the city
■ Within minutes a wall of water came and took up nearly the entire park
and everyone that was there
■ It was reported that water reached up to 30 ft deep at one point
■ Park opened a week later
 ○ Took 4 Years for the Mammoth theater was rebuilt and the park was restored to
the condition it was in before the flood and was sold to Interstate Power
■ Tennis courts were added
■ A road was built out to the park to attract publicity through the rapidly
growing popularity of automobile
■ Dismantled around 1934 due to the fact that te company was losing
money and this was the peak of the great Depression
● Park buildings and equipment were broken down and sold for
scrap pieces
● 1946
○ Interstate Power sold the property to the Boy Scouts and the YMCA
■ The plan was to build a playground there
● 1950
○ The YMCA gained possession of the land and operates as the YMCA Day Camp
site
From Center of Dubuque History