Used to be a great place to find out about Galena. However, they were locked up tight on a Sunday…read moreand all the cubbyholes on the wall where info and flyers used to be were gone. No signs in the windows about being moved. The building itself is highly interesting. It was a train station, back in the day... Newsflash: I have learned that the tourist info stuff was moved to the Market House joint in the northeast area of the downtown. West side of river of course.

The grave of Julien Dubuque is placed on a point that offers a beautiful view of the area, above…read morethe mouth of Catfish Creek and the Mississippi River. Julien Dubuque was born in Quebec in 1762 and died in 1810 in the city that bears his name. Dubuque was granted rights by the Mesquakie Indians to mine lead in the area, and he remained in the area for the rest of his life. When he died, he was buried on this high point overlooking the Mississippi River and city. The log crypt was replaced by this stone monument sometime in the 1880s. Not only is the city named for him, there is an upscale hotel, a bridge and a film festival that also bear his name. He befriended Chief Peosta, who is also the namesake of Peosta, Iowa. Legend has it that he married Chief Peosta's daughter, supposedly named "Potosa." There is little evidence to support the legend, which also claims that Potosa was the namesake of the Wisconsin lead-mining community of Potosi. Residents of Potosi claim the city was named for Potosi, Missouri, which, in turn, was named for the silver mining town of Potosi, Bolivia. Julien Dubuque opened Iowa for European settlement. The governor of Spain also granted Dubuque permission to mine lands under Spanish control, and the park that contains Dubuque's monument is named Mines of Spain. The area was mined until 1914. It is a beautiful site, with a view of the City of Dubuque, a few miles to the north. The monument is a short walk from a parking area.

The Mines of Spain Park is fairly small but has some great hiking trails. Not to be missed is the…read moreDubuque Monument Tower where Julien Dubuque is buried. Yes, the town of Dubuque received it's name from the French Canadian who arrived to these shores of the Mississippi River as one of the First European men. Unlike most settlers who tortured and murdered the local tribes, Dubuque befriended the Meskwaki Native American tribe's Chief Peosta and peacefully received permission to mine lead in 1788. (He may have even named his daughter "Potosa" after the tribe...a little Pocahontas story in the making.) Subsequently, the Spanish gave Dubuque a land grant for such a feat in 1796. After his death, the Meskwaki constructed a log crypt for Dubuque's corpse, which was later replaced in the late 19th century by this stone monument tower. A little history for you! There is a plaque commemorating Dubuque next to his grave which explains the story more in depth. For those who are unable to hike, there is a parking lot at the top of the hill where the monument stands tall to allow cars up to enjoy the views of downtown Dubuque, the Mississippi River, and the rest of the Mines of Spain. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area and only a 5 minute short drive from Downtown.

Discovered this nice , small waterfall in the Galena Illinois area. You don't need to spend much…read moretime here , maybe fifteen minutes tops. If you're in the area , it's worth a quick stop for some nice photos. The parking area is located very close to the falls. Maybe a two hundred yard walk. The terrain is a little bit bumpy for elderly people to walk on, but you can still view the falls from the road above if you don't want to get out of the car. The water empties into a beautiful , slow moving stream , surrounded by wildflowers. This attraction is free to view.

I meannnn... the waterfall was dry when we went so that was a bummer. Not much of a trail to walk…read morearound either. It's nice to visit but definitely probably better to go in the spring or summer when the water fall is actively running. There are a few posts that provide information about why Thunder Bay falls is important to the area. Still pretty cool to check out and get some fresh air.

It's a court house, most people do not want to make a habit of needing to visit on a regular basis…read more Interesting fact about the building, during the civil war it was nearly tore down. Before being built court was held in a blog cabin that was located on the south east corner of Washington Park.

Was recently brought in on a driving while barred. And the arresting officers and jail staff were…read morevery professional and helpful. They got me processed and back out the door very quickly. Tip your hats to these individuals. There job isn't easy and it's not personal. Remember behind the badge they have a heart feeling and make mistakes just as ourselves. Mr. You know who.

Thought the Lock & Dam was certainly worth a visit, though the kiddos got a little less of an…read moreendearing after thought. Uncle Bruiser loved the barges in action & Ken/Cindy thought the waitress was nice. My Busch Heavy Draft was ice cold. Would come back for a foosball game & app.