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.
BROWNE, James W. (Brownie)
BROWNE, James W. ("Brownie") (Pittsburgh, PA, Jan. 29, 1868--Dubuque, IA, Sept. 9, 1931). Browne was one of Dubuque's best known residents. For many years he operated a popular popcorn stand at Ninth and Main STREETS.
He came to Iowa in 1868 settling first in LaPorte City. In 1890 he entered the Wells Fargo Express service in Waterloo where he lived until 1896. He was transferred to Oelwein as an agent for the company and moved to Dubuque six years later. He operated his popcorn stand for several years at Eighth and Main and then relocated to Ninth and Main in 1912. The stand was finally closed in 1962.
The accompanying sketch was made by famed Dubuque artist Norman ZEPESKI for the calendar series "Not So Long Ago: The Dubuque of Our Memories" in 1993.