JULIEN DUBUQUE MONUMENT IN THE MINES OF SPAIN

The earliest known inhabitants of the Mines of Spain State Recreation Area during historical times were the Mesquakie. Their village was located at the mouth of Catfish Creek, just south of where the Julien Dubuque Monument now stands. From this site, the Mesquakie carried on a fur trade with French voyagers. They also worked the lead mines for many decades dating back to before the Revolutionary War. There is also evidence of prehistoric Native American cultures, some dating back as much as 8,000 years. Mounds, village sites, rock shelters, trading post sites, and campsites dot the landscape.