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About the Book

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike.
John Muir, 1912

We seek refuge at many points in our lives and the natural world is the haven in which solace may be found. A morning walk among the trees, sitting on a bench and gazing at the broad vistas, or dangling feet in the cool water of a prairie stream can heal and refresh a person exhausted by modern life. This is the story of such a place.

Many Dubuquers know it simply as ‘The Park’ as if no other park existed anywhere, since it is as comfortable and familiar as your own neighborhood or backyard. For generations ‘The Park’ has served as the setting for family get-togethers, community celebrations and personal reflection. Going to ‘The Park’ could be expected or exceptional depending on the event. As a retreat on a hot summer day, the wading pool and shady glens were always ten degrees cooler than elsewhere in the city. The annual opening celebration on Mother’s Day with the Order of the Arrow Pancake Breakfast was generally cold and windy and damp! It is a place of memories and a place to make memories – some shared and others deeply personal. This is my story of memories of this place.

Eagle Point Park is a place of outstanding beauty where nature and man have worked harmoniously to please and thrill, enchant and awe. Each generation over the past 100 years has left cherished indicators of their relationship to beauty in ‘The Park’ – those tree lined drives, cozy stone shelters, familiar beds of peonies and sublime panoramas. ‘The Park’ also provides a window into how closely our ideas of home, relaxation, security, inspiration and spiritually are intricately linked to a place. These chapters explore the impact each subsequent generation has had on the activities and design of ‘The Park.’ Additionally, this is my story of ‘The Park’.

About the Author

Dr. Julie Schlarman is an art, urban and architectural historian, preservationist, visual artist, retired university professor, and museum professional. She was born in Dubuque, Iowa, a sixth-generation resident of the county through French ancestors that were founders in the area. The preservation of the history of this place has driven her work and research throughout the years.

Julie spent many years as a professor in England, Saudi Arabia, and the United States, as well as presenting her research on eighteenth-century London, its architecture and public spaces, including parks and pleasure grounds at many notable institutions including Oxford University, Tate Modern, and the Georgian Society. She has received numerous awards for her scholarship. Dr Schlarman conducted the research and wrote the successful National Register of Historic Places nomination for Eagle Point Park, Dubuque, IA. She currently resides in Albuquerque, NM with her 12-year-old Yorkie Saffron and a rescue cat named Augustus.

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