The Fenelon Place Elevator is probably the steepest and shortest scenic railway in the world. It takes passengers from Fourth Street up to Fenelon Place, stretching296 feet in length and 189 feet up in the air. The view of the Mississippi River, Dubuque business district, and three surrounding states is spectacular.

The elevator is the brain child of Mr. J. K. Graves, a former Dubuque mayor and state senator who lived on top of the bluffs and worked at the bottom; he had to spend an hour every day going around the bluff. The original cable car was used only by Mr. Graves, and it had a simple wooden building with a winch and a coal-fired steam engine. A hemp rope pulled a simple wooden up and down. The cable cars were rebuilt in 1977, and the original gear was replaced by a modern gear box powered by a DC motor.

Address: 512 Fenelon Pl, Dubuque, Iowa 52001, Phone: 563-582-6496

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