Presentation to Discuss Architectural and Historical Surveys of Two Dubuque Neighborhoods

The hour-long sessions are both scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 25, in the Aigler Auditorium on the third floor of the Carnegie-Stout Public Library, 360 W. 11th St. The first session will begin at 12 p.m., followed by an evening presentation beginning at 6 p.m.

Assistant City Planner Chris Happ Olson will support the discussion of the Voelker Highlands and Deereville neighborhoods. The presentations will provide an overview of the history of both neighborhoods, including the findings of the architectural and historical surveys. Residents of the two areas, as well as the city at large, will have the opportunity to discuss the survey results and the shared histories of the two neighborhoods as they relate to the overall history of Dubuque.

The Voelker Highlands was an early modern neighborhood constructed primarily between 1916 and 1934. It takes its name from the "Peer-a-Mid stone" concrete blocks created and popularized by Christian Voelker, a Dubuque businessman and mayor.

Deereville was a mid-century modern neighborhood built in the years immediately following World War II. The iconic brick veneer homes on concrete slabs were constructed to accommodate the growing workforce of the John Deere Dubuque Works.

The architectural and historical surveys of the Voelker Highlands and Deereville neighborhoods were partially funded through a Certified Local Government grant from the Iowa State Historic Preservation Office. The surveys were conducted with the assistance of Dubuque-based Heritage Works.