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    Jeffris Family Foundation > Exhibitions > Dubuque, Iowa > Steeple Square

Steeple Square

Steeple Square - church in full

Located in: Dubuque, Iowa

Built as St. Mary’s Catholic Church between 1864 and 1867, this structure quickly became a monument to the economic, social, and educational achievements of its German immigrant parishioners.  Today, this soaring landmark of the Dubuque skyline is a center for culture, community and education.

St. Mary’s Parish closed its doors in June of 2010.  Both church and municipal officials then set to work to find a new use for the historic campus that would continue to benefit the neighborhood and preserve its iconic steeple.  It took over 8 years, but the former home of St. Mary’s Parish is once again a hub for personal growth, celebration, and community empowerment, now dubbed “Steeple Square.”

Empowered by a $600,000 Capital Campaign Challenge Grant from the Jeffris Family Foundation, rehabilitation and adaptive use of the former church began in 2016 with steeple restoration which was completed in early 2019.  A second Jeffris challenge enabled the restoration of the stained-glass windows and their intricate gothic tracery, implemented by an innovative historic preservation trades training program that was developed by Steeple Square.

The former church is now Dubuque’s most unique event space, the Steeple Square Community Event Center, hosting a wide-range of events. In 2021, the basement of the former church was renovated into an educational center that features a full culinary teaching kitchen serving a culinary arts educational program and cooking classes for people in the community.  Additional classroom space in the basement is available for other vocational training programs and community uses.  The former school is now the Francis Apartments, supportive and market-rate housing.  The former rectory is now the Marita Theisen Childcare Center, offering affordable childcare for downtown neighborhoods’ families.

Photo credit: Courtesy Steeple Square

Dubuque, Iowa

Dubuque was long a manufacturing city, today with a population of 60,000. It is well known for its solid commitment to historic preservation. It is also home to the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium, which explores life in and around the river, and the Dubuque Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, which include rose, herb and Japanese gardens. It is also home to the Mathias Ham House,a 19th-century mansion with opulent furnishings (and another Jeffris challenge grant recipient).

Learn more
  • Steeple Square – church in full
  • Steeple Square – detail stained glass
  • Steeple Square – interior
  • Steeple Square – Rosette
  • Steeple Square – steeple upper detail
  • Steeple Square – steeple in full
  • Steeple Square – interior stained glass