HISTORIX Vintage 1889 Dubuque Iowa Map and 50 similar items

Located on the banks of the iconic Mississippi River, Dubuque is part of the so-called tristate region where Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin share a border and remains an important cultural and economic hub for the Midwest for importing and exporting goods. By the latter portions of the nineteenth century, the city was experiencing a period of significant prosperity spurred by a growing manufacturing industry that attracted residents from Western Europe and Germany as well as the American South who established neighborhoods and communities across the region based on cultural traditions and shared heritage, many of which exist to this day. Produced and published by Henry Wellge, this bird's eye perspective bears a distinctive style and unique aesthetic that immediately transports the viewer back in time, giving them a glimpse of the development of Dubuque during a transformative time. Wellge was among the most prolific producers of panoramic maps and, along with four other producers, is responsible for more than half of all the bird's eye perspectives found in the permanent collection of the Library of Congress. Wellge's work bears a signature style that features a refined touch without the usual bold colors, instead favoring a more elevated palette of dark hues that define his work. During this time, Dubuque was one of the largest urban areas in the United States and became an essential center for exporting lumber from neighboring Wisconsin for growing markets in the Northeast and ports in the South, especially New Orleans, where goods would leave for European markets.