Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States located along the Mississippi River. In 2007, its population was estimated at 57,313, making it the eighth-largest city in the state.
The city lies at the junction of 3 states: Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin, a region locally known as the Tri-State Area. It serves as the main commercial, industrial, educational, and cultural center for the area. Dubuque is the oldest city in Iowa, and played a key role in the early settlement of the state, and the Upper Midwest. For this reason, it is commonly called the "Key City." Geographically, it is part of the Driftless Area, a portion of North America that escaped all three phases of the Wisconsinian Glaciation.
Dubuque has a rich history and culture that gives it greater prominence than its size would suggest. It is one of the few large cities in Iowa with hills, and is home to a large tourist industry, driven by the city's unique architecture, and river location. Also, it is home to 5 institutions of higher education, making it a center for culture and learning.
While Dubuque has long been a center of manufacturing, the economy has recently witnessed rapid growth and diversification in other areas. In 2005, it led the state and the Midwest in job growth, ranking as the 22nd fastest-growing economy nationally.
Growing up in Dubuque, Iowa we regularly visited all three states of the tri state area. One common game was to see how fast you could get to all 3 states. It took about 10 minutes to drive from Dubuque Iowa, cross the Mississippi River to East Dubuque Illinois (where the cache is hidden) , then drive a few miles North into Wisconsin.
We regularly swam and fished in the Mississippi River. It was always fun to stand on the shore of this great American waterway watching the barges and boats traveling up and down the river. We all dreamed of the day in which we might grow up to pilot one of these huge barges.
Have fun with this race!
[This entry was edited by Downrigger1 on Sunday, March 08, 2009 at 7:46:26 PM.]