About half a mile up Southern Gate Road in Dubuque’s Eagle Point Park, a cluster of buildings begins to rise over the hill, nearly blending in with the trees. Over the next several months, a coalition will prepare a report outlining how the city can preserve the nearly century-old buildings and their immediate environment. City assistant planner Christine Happ Olson said the buildings — designed by architect Alfred Caldwell — are part of the fabric of Eagle Point Park.
“They’re uniquely designed for the specific landscape in which they sit,” she said. “So it really poses a challenge to preservation and continued use to be able to understand how we can work to make this great resource available to our community.” Happ Olson said the historic structures report will examine everything from the mortar to the finishes and include assessments and drawings of each structure, along with strategies for preservation and cost estimates.
The report will be created by a coalition of city employees; local architect Jeff Morton; Illinois-based architecture firm Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates; consultants and local nonprofit Heritage Works. The work is being funded with $75,000 from the city of Dubuque and a $50,000 grant from the Wisconsin-based Jeffris Family Foundation. The Indian Room, Veranda Room and Bridge Complex at Eagle Point Park are the brainchild of Caldwell, one of the last followers of the “Prairie School” architectural style that emerged around the turn .