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Encyclopedia Dubuque

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EAGLE POINT: Difference between revisions

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[[Image:imp121.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Enjoying the beach at Eagle Point. Photo courtesy: Robert Klauer]]
[[Image:imp121.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Enjoying the beach at Eagle Point. Photo courtesy: Robert Klauer]]
Below the Point and near where the Dubuque Municipal Swimming Pool was constructed in 1936 was the Eagle Point beach. When opened in 1912, James Gould, who operated a candy store at the end of the streetcar line, was hired as the caretaker with full police power. He was on duty "from early in the morning until late in the evening, about 8:00 p.m."  He also carried swimming suits which could be rented for men, women and children. Swimmers could also provide their own suits and children could swim in old clothes. To avoid the cost of building dressing rooms the first year, two large tents divided into small areas were used for dressing. (6)
Below the Point and near where the Dubuque Municipal Swimming Pool was constructed in 1936 was [[EAGLE POINT BEACH]].  
 
A popular recreation spot on hot summer days, the area was normally packed with youth who were often guarded by [[PAPE, Oran H.|Oran H. PAPE]] who easily swam to work from a cottage in Wisconsin. Pape was also known to dive into the river from the Iowa-Wisconsin Bridge just upstream from the beach. The city-run beach had no admission charge. In 1924 members of the committee in charge of the municipal beach at Eagle Point promoted a "Boost the Bathing Beach" program to encourage swimming.
 
Further encouragement for using the beach came in 1926. Maintenance issues included improvements to the driveway into the beach, a thorough cleaning of the bath houses and needed repairs, and new suits and towels for rental. New to the beach was a new 30-foot chute, an "ocean-wave contrivance," and a new high diving tower. Constructed of iron pipe tubing, the tower had platforms at 5, 10, 15, and 20 foot heights in such a position that any number of divers could use the tower at the same time without interfering with the other swimmers. (7)
 
[[Image:THREESTATES.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Photo courtesy:John Knepper]]
[[Image:THREESTATES.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Photo courtesy:John Knepper]]


Revision as of 03:33, 27 January 2018

Eagle Point in Dubuque

EAGLE POINT. The naming of the hill on which EAGLE POINT PARK is located goes back to 1828-1829. A man discovered an eagle's nest in a tree near the town of Dryden, New York, east of Ithaca. The tree was cut down, and the young eagles were captured. (1)

E.jpg

One of the eaglets was given to Mr. Roswell Randall, a prominent merchant in Courtland Villa, New York, who carefully raised the bird over the next two or three years. Randall kept the magnificent bird caged along the walk leading to his mansion. He later gave the bird to a neighbor, Mr. William Bassett, a local engraver and silversmith. (2)

On the Fourth of July 1831, Bassett released the bird after riveting around one of its legs a silver clasp that read," To Henry Clay, Louisville, Ky., from Wm. Bassett, Courtland Villa, Courtland County, N.Y." (3)

On July 11, 1831, according to a story that appeared in western newspapers, a large bald eagle was shot by a Native American on a towering bluff on the western shore of the MISSISSIPPI RIVER. (1) The eagle, measuring an immense seven feet three inches from wing-tip to wing-tip carried the silver band attached by Bassett in New York. Since that date, the site of the eagle's death has carried the name Eagle Point. (4)

Early town with just the start of mining. Lime kilns may be seen behind some buildings.
Business thrived at Eagle Point. Image courtesy: Joe Jacobsmeier
Image courtesy: John Knepper
Eagle Point stone quarry. Photo courtesy: Paul Lembke
A stone from the quarry caused damage to this house. Photo courtesy: Paul Lembke
Postcard showing boat building. Image courtesy: Bob Johnsen


In 1837 the area was laid out as a town established by Mathias HAM, Thomas MCCRANEY, F. K. O'FERRALL, and John Foley. A center of business activity, the area was the home of BOAT BUILDING, the EAGLE POINT FERRY and the EAGLE POINT LIME WORKS. (5)

Enjoying the beach at Eagle Point. Photo courtesy: Robert Klauer

Below the Point and near where the Dubuque Municipal Swimming Pool was constructed in 1936 was EAGLE POINT BEACH.

Photo courtesy:John Knepper

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Source:

1. Oldt, Franklin T. The History of Dubuque County, Iowa. Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1880, Online: http://books.google.com/books?id=u9xDAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA464&lpg=PA464&dq=Burton%27s+Furnace+%28dubuque+history%29&source=bl&ots=0CkCGLFR0v&sig=a0Ou1vN3ew6nQUYoq2aOJsXF9Mg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=j3HVT5XALaP42QXVp9iFDw&ved=0CGgQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=Burton%27s%20Furnace%20%28dubuque%20history%29&f=false (p. 525)

2. Ibid.

3. Ibid.

4. Ibid.

5. Ibid.

6. "Bathing Area Ready for Public," Telegraph Herald, August 5, 1912, p. 5

7. "Formal Opening of Beach Saturday," Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, June 17, 1926, p. 19

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