Dubuque: Iowa's oldest city

On the steep banks of the Mississippi River, Dubuque remains the oldest city in the entire state of Iowa, originally founded by French lead miners.

The historic downtown can be comfortably walked in just a few hours.

The Fenelon Place Elevator, the world's shortest cable railroad according to Guinness World Records, climbs a particularly steep hill in the heart of the city.

A short walk away, the National Mississippi River Museum tells the history of river navigation and the entire ecosystem of the great American river.

Walking along the river, you stroll on the Mississippi Riverwalk, with beautiful views of the locks and river boats in transit.

In the evening, the historic Millwork District comes alive with restaurants and bars in converted nineteenth-century factory buildings.

Dubuque, founded in 1785 by French miner Julien Dubuque to exploit the rich local lead deposits, remains Iowa's oldest permanent European settlement, well before the state's admission to the Union.

The Fenelon Place Elevator, built in 1882 by a local banker to reach his home more quickly during his lunch break, remains fully operational today as a beloved tourist attraction.