Dubuque, IA: Risen from the Ashes

Nestled amongst the bluffs surrounding the Mississippi River and on the east coast of Iowa lies Dubuque, IA.? The bluffs are a reminder of the driftless area which was developed when the region escaped the slide of the glaciers from the Ice Age.? As a regional tourist destination, Dubuque is in the “Tri-State” area, which includes Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois.? Dubuque has five institutions of higher education, maintains a center of manufacturing, and a robust health care and financial center.? It is a wonderful location for hiking, boating, bird watching, and historical research.? Yet, Dubuque was decimated by the farm crisis in the late 1970s and early 1980s.? At one point, unemployment was 23% and the highest in the nation.? Cities rarely experience transformative growth in a brief period, yet Dubuque was able to navigate a public-private partnership and broad community support to bring itself out of the farm crisis and subsequent unemployment crisis.?

Changes in manufacturing and the Farm Crisis of the 1980s led to a large decline in the manufacturing sector and the city's economy. Many individuals and families left the region for greener pastures elsewhere.? The Farm Crisis heavily impacted the region (and the state) as the high interest rates of the late 1970s, preceded by aggressive sales tactics to acquire more land and machinery, led to agricultural debt. However, since the 1990s, the economy rapidly diversified and shifted away from heavy machinery.? Dubuque has grown from the doldrums of the farm crisis into the shining star on Iowa’s east coast.? Recently, Dubuque was named a ‘city of character’ due to the decades of transformation that has occurred.? Mayor Brad Cavanaugh said,

"While the award is fitting, it was a wonderful surprise and a very big honor for us. I am really proud of the work we do here. I am proud of this place we are all creating together. For the last 20 years, there have been a lot of changes in Dubuque, which have been nothing but improvement."[1]

This research aims to fill a notable gap in existing scholarship by examining the rise of Dubuque from the ashes of the farm crisis.? How did that happen?? Why did that happen?? What has been the result of diversifying its population, as well as the type of businesses that operate locally?? The growth between the depths of the farm crisis (‘last one out of Dubuque, turn out the lights’) to the rise of public-private partnerships, a tourist destination, two casinos, and numerous high-quality restaurants was historically swift and effective.? When compared against other Iowa river cities, such as Clinton, Burlington, and Council Bluffs, the main research question to ponder is why Dubuque?? What allowed Dubuque to grow and develop when others did not?? Where did the public-private partnership begin and who were its leaders?? No comprehensive study has been initiated to examine the steps that led to Dubuque’s success.?

Public history is the remembrance and application of history to real-world issues.? Often synonymous with applied history, a public history approach fits the research into Dubuque’s rise as many applicable, real-world issues will be considered as the dissertation develops.? Presently, the dissertation bibliography needs more attention to the rise and growth of Dubuque.?? It is currently heavy with a farm crisis background, as that is how the topic will be introduced and the scene set.? There are also many secondary sources on the farm crisis, while those same resources do not exist for the research questions.? However, the meat of the dissertation and the hopeful answers to the research questions reside in the question of why Dubuque developed while others struggled.? Most of that information will come from newspaper articles from the period.? The Dubuque Telegraph Herald will prove to be the most relevant repository of this information.?

This project will include numerous oral interviews from people who lived through Dubuque’s transformation.? As research produces more names and connections, the list of oral interviews will grow and evolve.? The tricky part of the oral interviews is to catch people who remain with us.? A former mayor has passed away.? The instigator for the Dubuque Racing Association passed away.? One of the most impactful questions to ask each person concerns who else is knowledgeable concerning the topic.? Additional oral histories may be found simply by tapping into a web of relationships developed among the people of Dubuque.? ?

Any dissertation requires a commitment to research and writing over a prolonged period.? As few secondary sources exist – outside of materials on the farm crisis, many of the primary documents will be found in newspaper and magazine articles from the period.? Using the Center for Dubuque History at Loras College, the National Mississippi River Museum, and the Dubuque Telegraph Herald, a solid foundation of primary sources has been curated which will assist with answers to the research questions.? ?

The research will contribute to the field of public history, as it is a real-world, direct example of a city pulling together its resources, both public and private, to revitalize a community.? With so many issues attacking smaller communities in the country, especially the Midwest, the contribution should provide a roadmap for other cities and scholars to determine what can work for growing a community out of the ashes.

I am qualified to begin this research process as I have been a member of the Dubuque community since 1998.? Due to familiarity with many of the people with whom I wish to meet, interviews should not be difficult to schedule.? Much of my time in corporate America involved networking, joining boards, and becoming a familiar face in Dubuque.? In addition, my undergraduate and graduate backgrounds in History and English Literature have prepared me to tackle an intense, sustained research process.? My professors from Loras College and Liberty University taught me tools for a successful research process.? Finally, I am excited to begin answering a question that has not been comprehensively considered.?

[1] https://cbs2iowa.com/community/character-counts/dubuque-named-city-of-character-after-decades-of-transformative-growth