EAGLE POINT BEACH

Enjoying the beach at Eagle Point. Photo courtesy: Robert Klauer

EAGLE POINT BEACH. In the Western world, beach bathing was a late 18th-19th century phenomenon. Bathing became fashionable because, like taking spa water, it was thought to be healthful. Before then nobody went to the beach since "having a tan" was considered only for peasants. It was a sign that you labored outdoors. In Dubuque, the portion of the MISSISSIPPI RIVER near EAGLE POINT was popular as early as 1890. The danger posed by the river, however, led to a watchman being stationed there to keep people out of the water. (1)

When Eagle Point Beach was unofficially established in 1912. James Gould, who operated a candy store at the end of the streetcar line, was hired as the caretaker. Granted full police power, he was on duty "from early in the morning until late in the evening, about 8:00 p.m." He also carried swimming suits which could be rented for men, women and children. Swimmers could provide their own suits; children could swim in old clothes. To avoid the cost of building dressing rooms, two large tents divided into small areas were used for dressing. (6)

In 1916 the Commercial Club offered $200 if the City matched the amount to begin a beach project. With some private money included, a 700-foot site of sandy soil south of the boat landing at EAGLE POINT and north of the City Water Works building was chosen. The city engineer found no drop-offs or deep holes, so willows and weeds were cleared from the area. Large booms were used to rope off the south and east sides of the swimming area. The largest boom running parallel to the river channel could be pulled closer to shore with ropes if the river level rose. The diving tower had another boom.

The official opening of the beach was August 19, 1916 when a crowd estimated at 3,000 people jammed the area. The city-run beach had no admission charge. There was a five cent charge for checking clothes and another small charge for renting swimming suits. In 1920 adults who brought their own suits were still charged ten cents while children were charged five cents. Miss Helen Ross, a local teacher, was in charge of the bath house. In early June, 1920 she organized a group of women to form a sewing circle to repair the swimming suits rented for the reason. (2)

Eagle Point Beach continued to develop. In July 1923 a long-distance swim meet was held. Canoes carried competitors to Sinipee, Wisconsin where the 2.5 mile competitive swim began. Playground equipment was added along with stands where cold drinks and food could be purchased. The American Red Cross offered instructions with such local lifeguards as Oran H. PAPE who easily swam to work from a cottage in Wisconsin. Pape often dove into the river from the Iowa-Wisconsin Bridge just upstream from the beach. A group of local ladies performed synchronized swimming.

By 1923 a quarter allowed a person to rent a bathing suit, use of a dressing booth, a locker and a shower. The cost dropped to ten cents if you had your own suit. A "Tots Crib" at the edge of the river had only 1.5 feet of water in it. In 1924 members of the committee in charge of the municipal beach promoted a "Boost the Bathing Beach" program to encourage swimming.

Further encouragement for using the beach came in 1926. Maintenance issues included improvements to the driveway into the beach, a thorough cleaning of the bath houses and needed repairs, and new suits and towels for rental. New to the beach was a new 30-foot chute, an "ocean-wave contrivance," and a new high diving tower. Constructed of iron pipe tubing, the tower had platforms at 5, 10, 15, and 20 foot heights in such a position that any number of divers could use the tower at the same time without interfering with the other swimmers. (7) The beach was open daily 10:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. aided by lights installed in 1927. (3)

The last year for the beach was 1936. A municipal pool partially funded by the Works Progress Administration was constructed and opened for the public on June 26, 1937. The same pool was later replaced by an up-to-date facility named the Nicholas J. Sutton Pool.

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Source:

1. "Safety at Eagle Point," Dubuque Daily Herald, July 4, 1890, p. 9

2. "Beach Will Open June 6th; All Will Have to Pay Fee," Telegraph Herald, June 17, 1920, p. 1

3. "People Swarm to Municipal Beach," Telegraph Herald, July 1, 1927, p. 5

Kruse, Len. "Bathing at the Beach," My Old Dubuque. Center for Dubuque History, Loras College, 2000 p. 323-324