Encyclopedia Dubuque
"Encyclopedia Dubuque is the online authority for all things Dubuque, written by the people who know the city best.”
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Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
ALLISON-HENDERSON PARK
ALLISON-HENDERSON PARK. (This entry is being edited.) Bounded by Loras Boulevard, University Avenue, Nowata Street and Grandview Avenue, the park honors William B. ALLISON and David B. HENDERSON, two of Dubuque's most illustrious citizens.
Some residents expressed their opinion that a statue was sufficient. An organized effort to honor these men began in 1908 with an association formed to collect funds to purchase land along the river for a park. The subscription goal was $10,000. A large thermometer was erected on 8th and Main to record the donations made. Records of the contributions kept by the Association's treasurer showed that much of the money came from outside of Dubuque. By 1913 the goal of $10,000 was reached.
The Memorial Association formed a committee to investigate possible sites for a park. The committee reported favorably on a parcel of land owned by M. H. McCarthy that was once occupied by the STANDARD LUMBER COMPANY. The site lay on the river front north of the Illinois Central bridge. The Association upon receipt of the report offered to pay an initial $8,000 for the land.
What was originally considered a long-over-due honor for the two politicians became a bitter local campaign issue. Mayor Saul was elected in a campaign which was dominated by the issue of how to proceed on the park issue. Those opposed to the river site called it "The Sand Pile" because it was filled in with sand residue dumped there by the lumber company. Both sides of the debate agreed that if the city took over the site, the location would need substantial improvement including the trucking in of soil to support plants. Saul was elected by those opposed to the river front park. Saul twice vetoed the council's acceptance of Memorial proposals.
One of the last propositions was that the Association purchase the property for $9,000 encumbered by a mortgage and some back taxes, and then deed it to the city. On October 7, 1915 the city council accepted the proposal and the Association proceeded to buy the property from the McCarthy estate. On October 20th, however, Mayor Saul, exercised his veto leaving the Association with the land.
The memorial association transferred the deed to land surrounding the SHOT TOWER to the city on August 26, 1916. The City Solicitor, however, ruled that the deed was invalid because the city had not accepted the the arrangement. The issue remained a dead issue for five years.
In 1920 the city went under the city manager form of government. On March 15, 1921 the council instructed the city solicitor to address the issue. The council proposed that the City should devote the property to the development of a park to honor the congressmen. However, the city should have the right to divert the use of the property to other than park purposes. If this course of action was taken, the property should be appraised and four-fifths of the appraised value should be used for a memorial, preferably a park, if the riverfront property was sold for commercial purposes.
In 1940 the city exercised its option on the riverfront site. Four-fifths of the value of the land was used to purchase the Bush property where Allison-Henderson Park is now located.
By 1937 only two of the original Memorial Association members were still living--John Rider WALLIS and Frederick E. BISSELL.
