6 mos in Dubuque now and reporting in (Sioux City, Iowa City: tornado, insurance)

[Dubuquer1]

I have been here 6 mos. now, having relocated from Wisconsin and would like to share my observations for anyone wanting current information about what the city has to offer.

I researched Dubuque before moving here and before I even looked for a job here and it is pretty much what I expected, except that I didn't realize it was so Catholic. There are two Catholic colleges here and many Catholic churches. I'm told there are 5 "mother houses." There is a lovely retreat center that used to be run by a group of sisters and then I'm told was an orphanage that caters to spirituality --- there is a massage therapy business there, as well as class offerings on spiritual and new age topics.

There are two or three Catholic bookstores in town. No Family Christian bookstore, but there is a very small family owned Christian bookstore to offset the Catholicism.

There is an adequate amount of arts here -- the Grand Opera Center, an art museum downtown, Five Flags Center, and more which I haven't yet explored.

For outdoors lovers, there's the Mines of Spain, which is a state park with large acreage and many walking trails you can take your dog on. There is also Bergfeld Recreation Center west of town with a fishing pond and paved walking trail that goes around the pond. There is also a dog park, though there's some talk it may be relocated. The dog park is pretty nice - two large fenced off areas, one for smaller dogs and one for larger, though in the spring all go on one side due to the muddiness on one side, which sits higher.
There is also an area called Swiss Valley that I'm told has walking trails you can take your dog on. There's a nice but short walkway beside the river, down by the casino called the River Walk. Eagles can be seen there -- this past month I saw 5 perched in a tree along the bank only yards away! There were others sitting on the ice floes and diving for fish.

If you're in the health care industry, avoid Finley Hospital. There are longstanding problems there with high staff and management turnover, animosity between staff and management and a union, which doesn't seem to be accomplishing a lot. The culture is not pro-employee; there is a lot of misplaced animosity and the expectation is that you work til you drop. Finley will be adding beds with new construction starting soon, but right now they are short staff. Pay for Iowa nurses I'm told is 48th in the U.S.

The big employer in town seems to be John Deere as well as the local colleges, including a technical college, Northeastern Iowa Technical College. The other hospital in town is Mercy Hospital, which has a heart program - important if you are approaching middle age.

I'm told there are many gangs here, but I would say it's pretty safe, at least on th west side of the city. Some people find the downtown charming, but to me, there are many run down brick buildings and an industrial river port that to me is not appealing. There are some quaint shops in some of these older buildings downtown just off Hwy 20, but I haven't ventured in any of them.

Other things to do and see - there is Greyhound racing and a national Mississippii River Museum.

There's a mall, but it's not the greatest.

There are several movie theatres, outdoor ice skating rinks, and most of the major large department stores.

I have found people here generally friendly. Some of course are not, like anywhere. There is a great amount of swearing and taking Jesus' name in vain, more than anywhere else I've worked - in public in general conversation and in the hospital where I worked. It seems to be the culture here. It seems to me the majority of people who live here have lived here all their life or not too far from here. There is some racial diversity; I haven't seen or experienced any racial tension.

The job market here isn't booming. There are some low paying jobs and some openings for nurses, plus a few in the local publishing and insurance companies. It's hard to find a decent rental here, especially one that allows pets. Rent is unusually high, I think for Iowa, at least if you're looking for anything half decent. Another thing that is challenging about Dubuque is the hills -- it is hard to get a car up the hills in the winter. A four wheel drive would be a real plus in the winter here!

Overall, Dubuque is a pretty nice, quiet place to live and work, but I'm not sure it's a good place to retire. I think better medical care could be found elsewhere. I think it is a pretty good place to start a business, esp. a francise because there isn't a lot of competition here and there are some businesses that don't have a presence here yet.

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by Dubuquer1

I have been here 6 mos. now, having relocated from Wisconsin and would like to share my observations for anyone wanting current information about what the city has to offer.

I researched Dubuque before moving here and before I even looked for a job here and it is pretty much what I expected, except that I didn't realize it was so Catholic. There are two Catholic colleges here and many Catholic churches. I'm told there are 5 "mother houses." There is a lovely retreat center that used to be run by a group of sisters and then I'm told was an orphanage that caters to spirituality --- there is a massage therapy business there, as well as class offerings on spiritual and new age topics.

There are two or three Catholic bookstores in town. No Family Christian bookstore, but there is a very small family owned Christian bookstore to offset the Catholicism.


There is an adequate amount of arts here -- the Grand Opera Center, an art museum downtown, Five Flags Center, and more which I haven't yet explored.

For outdoors lovers, there's the Mines of Spain, which is a state park with large acreage and many walking trails you can take your dog on. There is also Bergfeld Recreation Center west of town with a fishing pond and paved walking trail that goes around the pond. There is also a dog park, though there's some talk it may be relocated. The dog park is pretty nice - two large fenced off areas, one for smaller dogs and one for larger, though in the spring all go on one side due to the muddiness on one side, which sits higher.
There is also an area called Swiss Valley that I'm told has walking trails you can take your dog on. There's a nice but short walkway beside the river, down by the casino called the River Walk. Eagles can be seen there -- this past month I saw 5 perched in a tree along the bank only yards away! There were others sitting on the ice floes and diving for fish.

If you're in the health care industry, avoid Finley Hospital. There are longstanding problems there with high staff and management turnover, animosity between staff and management and a union, which doesn't seem to be accomplishing a lot. The culture is not pro-employee; there is a lot of misplaced animosity and the expectation is that you work til you drop. Finley will be adding beds with new construction starting soon, but right now they are short staff. Pay for Iowa nurses I'm told is 48th in the U.S.

The big employer in town seems to be John Deere as well as the local colleges, including a technical college, Northeastern Iowa Technical College. The other hospital in town is Mercy Hospital, which has a heart program - important if you are approaching middle age.

I'm told there are many gangs here, but I would say it's pretty safe, at least on th west side of the city. Some people find the downtown charming, but to me, there are many run down brick buildings and an industrial river port that to me is not appealing. There are some quaint shops in some of these older buildings downtown just off Hwy 20, but I haven't ventured in any of them.

Other things to do and see - there is Greyhound racing and a national Mississippii River Museum.

There's a mall, but it's not the greatest.

There are several movie theatres, outdoor ice skating rinks, and most of the major large department stores.

I have found people here generally friendly. Some of course are not, like anywhere. There is a great amount of swearing and taking Jesus' name in vain, more than anywhere else I've worked - in public in general conversation and in the hospital where I worked. It seems to be the culture here. It seems to me the majority of people who live here have lived here all their life or not too far from here. There is some racial diversity; I haven't seen or experienced any racial tension.

The job market here isn't booming. There are some low paying jobs and some openings for nurses, plus a few in the local publishing and insurance companies. It's hard to find a decent rental here, especially one that allows pets. Rent is unusually high, I think for Iowa, at least if you're looking for anything half decent. Another thing that is challenging about Dubuque is the hills -- it is hard to get a car up the hills in the winter. A four wheel drive would be a real plus in the winter here!

Overall, Dubuque is a pretty nice, quiet place to live and work, but I'm not sure it's a good place to retire. I think better medical care could be found elsewhere. I think it is a pretty good place to start a business, esp. a francise because there isn't a lot of competition here and there are some businesses that don't have a presence here yet.

I can explain the Catholic influence as I am Catholic myself. Dubuque is the Ecclesiastical See of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, which covers the entire state of Iowa.

[Nanygote]

This is my first time posting on these boards. I'm from Michigan but couldn't help responding here. My mother is from Dubuque and I grew up visiting my grandma and grandpa and other relatives there every summer. I have very fond memories of Dubuque, and most recently visited there last summer for a second cousin's wedding.
Not having grown up there, perhaps I have a romanticized view since I have always lived in a large metropolitan area out-of-state.
A few things about Dubuque that I can think of that still exist that I didn't see mentioned are: Eagle Pointe Park - beautiful Frank Lloyd Wright-esq bandstand and pond areas, wonderful trees and view of the Mississippi River; the Fourth Street elevator, Crystal Lake Cave - somewhere nearby... I remember as a child going through the cave and seeing the stalactites and stalagmites - I believe there was a "Lot's wife" one that really struck my imagination back then!

Now other things I recall (from the 70's) that were fun to do and might still be there or nearby:
The Dickeyville grotto - yes another Catholic thing, but it was neat to visit (in Wisconsin)
You're not too far from "The House on the Rock" - also in Wisconsin - a MUST visit sometime.
Galena Illinois - wow has it grown! I remember taking shelter inside one of the bar/restaurants right in town there while a tornado siren went off.

I remember going to Swiss Valley as a child - if I recall there's an area where the water flows over a road and it was fun to play/wade in back then.

There are so many beautiful Victorian/old houses in the city. Obviously I am out-of-touch with any "bad" areas of town. I mainly knew the Loras University/Clarke street over-looking downtown (my aunt used to live on a "scary" part that was sooo steep!)/N Grandview area - I still drive by my mom's old house every time I visit that was on Wood Street - oh how I loved that house/street!
And then the "newer" areas near Kennedy Mall which I don't know are so new anymore?

I remember loving to go to Kennedy Mall with my cousins and getting chocolate pie at Bishop's cafe (don't know if it's still there), buying triangle-shaped chunks of chocolate at the candy/chocolate store - I don't recall the name, and sneaking into Spencer's gift shop to look at all of the weird stuff and the big Bridget calendars (oh my! - we all got in trouble when our parents caught us), and loving the changing lights of the fountain in the center court - of course the Mall was "new" back then! (Now that was another 70's memory.)

I sometimes wish my husband could find a job (IS technology) in Dubuque - or elsewhere in Iowa - because it seems a lovely place to raise kids. (Although I attended my first ever "kegger" as a teen while in Dubuque!) I've always defended Iowa when people "knock it". They just don't know -much of it is really beautiful - I remember driving from Dubuque to Iowa City for a cousin's wedding and seeing thousands of sparkling lightning bugs hovering over the rolling country-side.

As for the Catholic thing... I think it's a blessing. My mother's whole family was Catholic and I have wonderful memories of going with my Grandpa to Mass and him dipping his finger in some water and putting it on my head. (I was Lutheran)
Also, if I recall, supposedly some Catholic Bishop blessed the hills of Dubuque and that's why a tornado has never really hit the city? http://pics3.city-data.com/forum/ima...lies/smile.gif
Anyways, I love the churches and the college campuses there of Loras University (If I recall, it used to be Clarke College for women - my mother went there and the U of Iowa - and Loras College for men.)
There is an area of San Antonio that reminds me of Dubuque which also has large Catholic schools/churches.

I've also worked remotely for a year in Sioux City, IA and have fond memories of there. I will always love Dubuque and Iowa I guess.

[metro223]

Originally Posted by Nanygote

Also, if I recall, supposedly some Catholic Bishop blessed the hills of Dubuque and that's why a tornado has never really hit the city?

There has been discussion on this forum before on how some towns around the state claim to be blessed or have a miracle tornado shield/bubble - whether it be tribal ..... or Catholic - which I have to admit that's a new one, but it's fitting for Dubuque.

[wisconsinwoman]

Eagle Pointe Park is still here - charge for admission is $1. No dogs allowed. Same as with the other city parks - no dogs allowed. Dubuque is a bit behind the times with regards to pet friendliness. Shock collars are the big dog training methodology here. Positive reinforcement is not a philosophy practiced by most trainers and those doing the most business here. Hard to find a decent place to rent that accepts pets and rent is very high. Higher than in Wisconsin for a decent place that will accept pets.

In Eau Claire, Wisconsin there were very nice parks that you could take your dog to.

Dogs are allowed at Swiss Valley and the Mines of Spain, which both have trails. I don't recommend the dog park -- a lot of untrained, some unsocialized and aggressive dogs and ignorant owners. Dogs get hurt there, and I'm told there is a high rate of lack of vaccination here.

I am not taking by dog to Swiss Valley or Mines of Spain, which are both nice trail areas during the summer due to populations of rattlesnakes here. People have reported seeing them in populated areas, so I'm not taking any chances running into them on trails.

Bishops at the mall is still here - I haven't eaten there yet.