Fenelon Place Elevator
About this property
The Fenelon Place Elevator (also known as the Fourth Street Elevator) is a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge funicular railway located in Dubuque, Iowa, United States. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. It was included as a contributing property in the Cathedral Historic District in 1985, and in the Fenelon Place Residential Historic District in 2015. A predecessor to the Fourth Street Elevator was built in 1882 for the private use of local banker and former state senator J.K. Graves, so he could go home, eat, and take a nap on his break, since he would be unable to do so when he commuted with horses. The funicular was opened to the public in 1884, charging 5 cents per ride. After several fires, the existing funicular was rebuilt in 1893 on the footprint of the 1882 incline; the 1893 funicular inaugurated the use of the cable car technology that continues in use. The upper station of the elevator is located at 512 Fenelon Place, while the lower station is located at the western end of Fourth Street. At the top, there are two observation decks, which offer a commanding view of the downtown Dubuque area. The states of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin can all be seen from the observation decks. The funicular is 296 feet (90 m) long, and angles up at 41 degrees with a vertical elevation of 189 feet (57.6 m). The two cars start at opposite ends, passing each other at the midpoint of the elevator. The two cars counterbalance each other, drawing motive power from an engine in the station house at the top of the hill. The engine only needs to overcome inertia and friction and compensate for the varying weight of the passengers in the cars. The 4th Street Elevator is one of the few remaining funicular railways in the United States, making it a rare attraction. The 4th Street Elevator is also known as the "World's Shortest and Steepest Scenic Railway", though a more accurate claim would be that it is the shortest, steepest railroad in the United States. Easton's Article web site - production used the Fenelon Place Elevator as a featured movie location in December 2010
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Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Questions about this property
When was Fenelon Place Elevator listed on the National Register?
Fenelon Place Elevator was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 2, 1978.
What type of historic resource is Fenelon Place Elevator?
Fenelon Place Elevator is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Fenelon Place Elevator?
The period of significance for Fenelon Place Elevator is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Fenelon Place Elevator?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Fenelon Place Elevator will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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