J. W. MARKLE--572 FENELON

J. W. MARKLE HOME. Located at 572 Fenelon Place, the brick and stucco home is an example of what has been called 'Dubuque German.' J. W. Markle in addition to his business was once the recorder of Dubuque. In 1859 he joined with others in traveling to the Pike's Peak region of Colorado in search of gold. In a letter of May 22, 1859 he reported:

                     I have met Mr. Bates just in from the mountains. He showed us the
                     washing of 17 pans, which yielded between $80 and $90 of the most
                     beautiful quartz gold ever seen. He has struck, it is said, one of
                     the richest quartz lodes ever discovered--estimated by good judges
                     to be worth a million and a half dollars. (1)

The house was actually built by Charles' father and mother, J.W. Markle AKA Captain Markle and Eliza Markle. This is based on information from the NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES registration form for the Fenelon Place Residential Historic District that was certified in 2015 as well as the original abstract of the property. (2) By 1894 Charles F. Markle, a banker, owned the premises. (3)

Contrary to what the city assessor lists, it appears the home was built in 1875 rather than 1862. Charles did own the house for a period after his mother's death and had previously built his own house on Fenelon. That house was torn down after a fire a few years ago. (4)

1886 advertisement. Photo courtesy: Telegraph Herald

The homeowners participated in an unusual advertisement in 1886 for a type of range.

See: J. W. MARKLE & CO.

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Source:

1. "Additional From Pike's Peak," Express & Herald, June 16, 1859, p. 4

2. Brandon Duccini, e-mail, March 12, 2019

3. "In the Social Realm," Dubuque Herald, July 8, 1894, p. 5

4. Duccini

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