Langworthy Historic District
The Langworthy Historical District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was originally platted in the 1840s by four Langworthy brothers: James, Edward, Lucius, and Solon. The area was considered a "suburb" of Dubuque, and the family rerouted the Hill Street cable car to travel up Third Street to service their neighborhood.
The Langworthy brothers were instrumental in early Dubuque history. Lucius was the first to use the term "Iowa" to refer to the territory which would become this state, named after the Iowa Native American tribe. He published an article referring to the area as "Iowa," and the general public followed suit. Lucius also played a major role in bringing the telephone and railway systems to Dubuque. The location of his Langworthy neigborhood home was on the northwest corner of Hill and Langworthy Streets, with his carriage house being located just next door on Langworthy Street. While Lucius' house still exists, it has been altered from its original design.
Edward built the second brick house in Dubuque, on the corner of 12th and Iowa. He was also one of the first settlers in Dubuque, but was driven out by soldiers from Prairie Du Chien as the area was not yet under settlement treaty. He returned a little more than a year later, and became a key figure in the community. He is best known as the builder of the octagonal house on the northeast corner of Third and Alpine Streets.
At 14, Solon became the first to ascend the bluff with a team of horses. He later became the first to plow land in Iowa when he expanded his estate (264 Alpine) to include planting fields. He fought in both the Blackhawk Indian War and the Civil War. The towns Solon and Langworthy, situated between Dubuque and Iowa City, are named for the contribution made by Solon and his brothers in building the military highway, now Hwys 1 and 151.
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