Along Dubuque’s southern edge, Mines of Spain State Recreation Area preserves a landscape shaped by thousands of years of human use, from Late Archaic, Woodland, and Oneota occupations to Meskwaki villages engaged in farming, hunting, trade, and lead mining. In 1788, Julien Dubuque made an agreement with the Meskwaki to mine lead on a Spanish-owned tract called The Mines of Spain, establishing a trading post near Catfish Creek. Mining and smelting continued until 1914, leaving a layered complex of prehistoric, Native, colonial, and industrial sites. Recognized nationally for this significance, the park also includes the 1897 Julien Dubuque Monument overlooking the Mississippi.