Julien Dubuque - Dubuque’s Own Explorer Our city is named after a famous explorer named Julien Dubuque. He was originally born in Quebec, Canada on January 10, When he was younger he loved listening to tales of fur traders going on grand adventures all over new land. He knew he wanted to be a fur trader when he grew up.

The Journey He was a fur trader and Traveled to Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin at the age of 21. The French traders settled there. Native Americans already living in that area came from miles around to trade furs for cloth, gunpowder, and other trinkets from the Frenchmen.

The First White Man of Dubuque Julien Dubuque traveled down river to Catfish Creek. He became friends with the Native Americans in the area and decided to live here permanently. The Native Americans of the Fox Tribe introduced him to lead mining. He already knew it was a valuable metal to make bullets and shot. They allowed him to mine in their mines. Other Frenchmen settled with Dubuque in the area that is now Iowa. They set up corn fields, started mills, and melted lead into bars.

Princess Potosa Julien Dubuque got along well with the Fox Tribe. Eventually he met a lovely Native American woman, named Princess Potosa. It is believed that Dubuque and Potosa enjoyed each other’s company. Some say they may have even been married. The tribe gave him the nickname of “Little Night” probably because of his dark complexion. The Fox Tribe valued his advice and even considered him a leader in their community.

Julien Dubuque the Businessman Julien Dubuque had several different businesses and needed help from other Frenchmen to manage all of them. His mining business was one of the largest operations in this area. He wanted to keep this land has his own, so he asked the Spanish government to name the property the “Mines of Spain,” hence how it got its name. Julien Dubuque traveled down the Mississippi twice a year to trade lead and furs in St. Louis. He was considered a great and wealthy trader to the people of the area. They had large celebrations in his honor. He exchanged his goods for: blankets, kettles, cloth, salt, beads, and other trinkets.

Julien Dubuque was not a very good businessman and eventually was unable to be able to afford everything he once had. He signed over almost half of his land in 1788 and later had to hand over more. Around 1808 he became very ill and died on March 24, He lived to the age of 45. A log shelter was built in memory of his log home over the grave. The Fox Tribe destroyed any evidence of his life to keep other white men from entering their village. No one could compare to the leadership and impact that Dubuque made on their tribe. A Fox chief, and close friend, was later buried next to Dubuque. In 1897, Dubuque citizens decided to make a circular tower of limestone to honor Julien Dubuque. His body was moved to the bluff above Catfish Creek and the Mines of Spain in October of 1897.