Fenelon Place Elevator, Dubuque, Iowa 1977

This photograph, taken in 1977, shows the Fenelon Place Elevator in Dubuque, Iowa—often called the shortest, steepest scenic railway in the world. Built originally in 1882, the narrow funicular was designed to carry residents up and down the dramatic bluff separating Dubuque’s business district from the residential neighborhood on top. What began as a private convenience for banker and politician J.K. Graves soon became a beloved public transportation curiosity.

The two small white cable cars run on parallel rails up the steep incline, passing one another at the midpoint as they always have. At the bottom sits the modest ticket house, tucked beneath trees and utility poles, while a 1970s pickup parked outside dates the scene firmly to the era when Dubuque was transitioning from an industrial river town to a heritage and tourism destination.

Surrounded by dense greenery and rising sharply toward the ridge above, the elevator reflects both the ingenuity and charm of 19th-century engineering. Today, the Fenelon Place Elevator remains in operation, offering visitors a short ride to sweeping views of downtown Dubuque, the Mississippi River, and the tri-state region.

This image captures the elevator during a quieter, less commercialized time—still serving locals, still climbing the same rails, and still one of Dubuque’s most enduring landmarks.