Encyclopedia Dubuque
"Encyclopedia Dubuque is the online authority for all things Dubuque, written by the people who know the city best.”
Marshall Cohen—researcher and producer, CNN
Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
BABEL
BABEL. The southern part of Dubuque was called Dublin, the northern part Germany, and the center was called Babel.
"Babel" was the name given by 19th century Dubuque residents to the downtown area. Here the mixture of different languages distinguished it from the predominantly German-speaking northern end of the city and the Irish-speaking population to the south.
---
Source:
Oldt, Franklin T., History of Dubuque County, Iowa. Chicago: Goodspeed Historical Association, 1880. http://www.ebooksread.com/authors-eng/franklin-t-oldt/history-of-dubuque-county-iowa-being-a-general-survey-of-dubuque-county-histor-tdl/page-12-history-of-dubuque-county-iowa-being-a-general-survey-of-dubuque-county-histor-tdl.shtml
