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.
BELVEDERE
BELVEDERE. Belvederes, often with four glass walls, perched high on the roof of ITALIAN VILLA ARCHITECTURE homes. They provided spectacular views of the surrounding area and served the useful purpose of being observatories in early days to guard Dubuque against fires.
It is claimed that some of the belvederes on Dubuque homes were used during PROHIBITION to warn bootleggers of police raids. From such lofty vantage points, signals using lanterns could easily be seen in time to hide illegal liquor shipments.