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.
Welcome
Welcome to Encyclopedia Dubuque! With tens of thousands of articles and images, Encyclopedia Dubuque is the most comprehensive online resource to the history and culture of Dubuque, Iowa.
Funding to provide this online resource came from a competitive award established by The City of Dubuque to encourage community-based groups participation in the city's 175th anniversary. Submitting the encyclopedia as a proposal were Michael May and the staff of the Carnegie-Stout Public Library. This project was unanimously approved by the Dubuque City Council as one of 10 to receive funding. There were 46 grant applications received. Encyclopedia Dubuque was continuously revised and updated by Randolph W. LYON, author of the reference book, Dubuque: The Encyclopedia, the basis of this website. The one-millionth reference "hit" on the Encyclopedia was recorded in early October, 2024.
In January, 2025 the title of editor / publisher of the Encyclopedia Dubuque was entrusted to Michael Day, one of the Tri-States' premier historical researchers and authors. Bringing thirty-eight years of newspaper writing to this unique publication, Day's qualifications include being the project editor for Telegraph Herald books. This includes The '50s Vol. 1 and 2. The '60s Volume 1 received the prestigious Gold Abby Award from the American Advertising Federation Dubuque. Day served as the writer, photographer, and designer of such Telegraph Herald magazines as The Tri-States' One-Room Schools and The Tri-States' Ballrooms & Bands. Each of these publications received the coveted Iowa Newspaper Association 1st Place Award for Best Special Section and the State Historical Society of Iowa's George Mills & Louise Noun Popular History Award. Day's "Drive-In Days" received the Iowa Newspaper Association 3rd Place Award for General Feature Story. "The Legend of Kimball Park" received the Iowa Newspaper Association's 1st Place Award for General Feature Story. Michael has contributed significantly to the Encyclopedia's photographic collection over many years.
The research and writing would mean little if the website did not have expert attention from staff at the Carnegie-Stout Public Library. For this our sincere appreciation goes to Michael May and the staff of the CARNEGIE-STOUT PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Special appreciation for contributions goes to Robert Joseph REDING, former owner of Bob's Antiques and Collectibles of Dubuque; Steve Repp; Tom Sigwarth; Gerda Preston Hartman; Josephine Shea--Library Company of Philadelphia; Kathy Bower, National Senior Vice President-National Woman's Relief Corps; Larry HOELSCHER; Dave Arnold; Dan Konig; Mike Brooke; Dan Mcallister; Dr. Sheila McGinn; Mike Miller; Paul W. LEWIS; David Vanderah; Taylor Kellogg; Pamela Brandt; Jim Winter; Janet Lobianco; Heidi Pettitt; Christine Happ Olson; Tricia Baum; Brigid Berger; Andrew M. Harvey; Mantea Schmid; Carl Ingwalson; David J. Pilmaier; Gary L. Gansemer; Mike Avitt; Raphael (Ray) GRANT; Dr. Kristin Anderson-Bricker: Brice Nagelmaker: Rachel Harpham: Jeanne Kopf; Daniel Boland; Mac Kolar; David Ryan; James T. Yardley: Brother Xavier Werneth, S. C.; Earl Lester; Alex Wehrspann; Richard Vorwald; Michael Day; Kendall C. Day Family Collection; James Cox; Michelle Oberhoffer; Susan Bazelides; Dr. Brian Link; Susan Henricks, Director--Carnegie-Stout Public Library; Brad McGowan; Jeff Schroeder; Katherine Sullivan; Robert Willman; Gabrielle Martin; Robert Bonson; Dr. Darryl and Terry Mozena; Paul HEMMER; William Deibel; Lawrence (Larry) FRIEDMAN; Jim Massey; Bradley and Diane Chalmers; Joseph Jacobsmeier; Ken Kozak; Richard E. Dunbar; Ken Tully; Chee Wang Ng; Donald R. Kunz; Kenneth J. Arthofer; Paul Lembke; Gerald C. Gordon; Nelson Klavitter; Lyn Klavitter Jungblut; Sandy Massey-Meyer; Timothy Ahlgrim; Ralph SCHARNAU; John Hohnecker; William K. Hammel; Mike Larkin; Joe Schallan; Bob Johnsen; James SHAFFER; Neal Sprenglemeyer; Brian E. COOPER; Amy GILLIGAN and the Telegraph Herald; Craig Nowack for videos; CENTER FOR DUBUQUE HISTORY at LORAS COLLEGE; and Paul Beck and the Murphy Library Special Collections, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
Extensive research, material, and editing has been provided by Judith K. Schwartz, Tom Larson, Andrea Wallis Aven, Jeff Gruber, Carole and Paul Porter, Michael Spautz, Richard G. Bridges, Catherine Page, Katherine FISCHER, John P. KLAUER, Diane Harris, Ryan Larson, John T. PREGLER, and Paul W. LEWIS.
Encyclopedia Dubuque is now offering GPS coordinates for those attempting to locate many graves of those who fought in the Civil War and the Spanish-American War. This information is being brought to you through the efforts of the Robert Mitchell Camp #206 SONS OF UNION VETERANS OF THE CIVIL WAR and the website Find-a-Grave.
The Civil War virtual cemetery with more than 600
graves from Dubuque County of which over 85% have
their GPS coordinates can be found at:
https://www.findagrave.com/virtual-cemetery/1212768
The Spanish-American War virtual cemetery with graves
from Dubuque County featuring GPS coordinates can be
found at:
https://www.findagrave.com/virtual-cemetery/1215071?page=1#sr-38169430
The Black Hawk War virtual cemetery with graves
from Dubuque County featuring GPS coordinates can be
found at:
https://www.findagrave.com/virtual-cemetery/1250076
The virtual cemetery Native Dubuquers Who Died in World War I
(developed by Michael Spautz) can be found at:
https://www.findagrave.com/virtual-cemetery/1253411
The virtual cemetery Mexican War with graves found in Dubuque
County (developed with Michael Spautz) can be found at:
https://www.findagrave.com/virtual-cemetery/1281148
In citing references to entries, newspaper pages are indicated by their appearance in the Carnegie-Stout Library ResCarta-Web reference and are not necessarily the actual page of the paper.
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We appreciate your help in making Encyclopedia Dubuque comprehensive and accurate. If you believe we should add a subject or topic, have information or pictures to share, or if you notice any factual or typographical errors, please let us know.
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