Market House

East Dubuque Local Area History Project

	by M.M. 5/1/00
	In the old days, people grew much of their own fruits and vegetables, but it was hard to get meat and grain in town. City people needed a market. It was a butchering place. They butchered beef, hogs, and chickens. They also had grain, flour, vegetables, and fruit. It was like a grocery store.

	In 1842, the Dubuque city council started a city market. The construction began in 1845. The market was located at 5th street between Main and Locust. The price for the project was $1,100. It was a brick building. At first, the market was open one day a week. Soon after that, it was increased to six days a week. It was open from May through October. It closed at 1:00.

	The market had a market master. The market master settled disputes, inspected for quality, rented stalls, provided licenses, and cleaned up. In 1852, repairs were made, and the hours were changed to stay open until 9:00. By 1857 the city had grown. This place was too small.

	The second market house was located between 12th Street, 13th Street, Central Avenue (Clay), and Iowa Streets. It had three floors. The first was the market house, the second was the offices, and the third had the meeting rooms. The basement had the jail, police offices, and two saloons. The designer was Rague. It was a rectangular building which had 11 foot windows. The windows were wagon height so it would be easier for the farmers to stock the food. The pillars were made out of cast iron, a new material at that time. Rague made it with no posts, pillars or columns at all on 3rd floor. In 1856 they got the land, and finished it in 1859. In 1879,the market area was remodeled, and the market was moved outside. Eventually, supermarkets took over most of the business.

	Dubuque still has a farmers’ market on Saturdays in the spring, summer, and fall. The farmers’ market is still a popular attraction here. People can buy produce, baked goods and plants.

	Bibliography Dubuque Folklore : A Contribution from American Trust and Savings Bank to Dubuqueland in Celebration of Our Nation’s Bicentennial 1776-1976. East Dubuque, Illinois: Tel Graphics, 1975. Lyon, Randolph W. Dubuque :The Encyclopedia. Dubuque Iowa: Union Hoermann Press, 1991. Photo Courtesy of Center for Dubuque History. Loras College, Dubuque, Iowa.