EB Lyons Interpretive Center — Attraction in Dubuque

This was a great place to go to find out more about Mr. Dubuque, himself. He was a kind, charismatic French-Canadian fur trader who formed a tight bond with the Fox tribe (Meskwaki). They referred to him as 'Little Prince.' His relationship with the tribe earned him rights to mining lead/galena in the Dubuque area. He married the chief's daughter, Potosa, and he passed away in his 40s.

There were galena specimens at the museum to see as well as a giant slab of calcite. I learned about the wetlands and animals in the surrounding area. It's free to the public and they have a tiny gift shop with some snack food options as well as a fridge full of beverages (for $1 per beverage). There are indoor clean bathrooms. There's a paved parking lot as well as hiking trails that lead to the...

The interpretive center was closed when we got there, but that did not really detract from our experiece. We had a lovely little stroll on the accessible trail and were treated to some great views.

Mines of Spain and Dubuque have forced me to change my terrible stereotype of the State of Iowa; it is much more than pig barns and cornfields. Awesome geology and a rolling picturesque landscape dominate this part of the state at least. Not what I expected at all. Beautiful. Some of the attached photos are from the Mines of Spain Recreation Area, which is close to the...

This is a hidden gem for the community of Dubuque,IA. The interpretive Center has a lot to offer for adults and children. DNR park manager Andy Roach, is one of Iowa's own. He lags behind no other in terms of knowledge, history and willingness to go the extra mile to make visitors feel welcome. Along with numerous volunteers from the community this is a place that puts their best foot forward for all guests to enjoy some of Northeast Iowa's precious Prairie lands and beautiful Timber. One is made to feel like they're stepping back in time visiting the...