Dubuque, Iowa

Our current lifestyle has given us a real aversion to hotels/motels, so when we arrived in Dubuque, we checked into a bed and breakfast that overlooks the Mississippi river and is located in a secluded and quiet area. We stayed at the Four Mounds Retreat, which was built in 1904 , part of an estate which at the time was referred to as a gentleman’s farm. Here the wealthy from Dubuque retreated to the country to enjoy the river and relax. Our suite provided us with a view of the river. The public rooms remain in the country style of the early 1900’s.

http://www.fourmounds.org/FourMoundsInn/tabid/54/Default.aspx

After spending some time enjoying the B&B, we visited the Army Corp of engineers (ACOE) Lock and Dam 11 and spent some time watching the river and the boat traffic including a lock passage by tug and barge. The 29 locks and dams on the upper Mississippi are designed to create navigational pools to allow commercial and pleasure craft to navigate the river. These locks and dams also provide many other recreational activities including camping facilities, some of which are operated by the ACOE. They quickly point out that these dams are not for flood control. They are simple not large enough for that task.

After leaving the Lock/dam, we headed to the locally famous Eagle Point Park and got a bird’s eye view of the river and the lock and dam.