Letter to Iowa American Revolution Bicentennial Commission on Five Flags Center Project_03.13.1974FLBS Ate' YR G, D T111 FUND
'=rch 13, 11174
Ica- 6rnerlcan Revolution 91centenni?I Commission
��=te House
Pos "oln" , Iowa
^ent l e-en :
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Robert J. Dyer
George A Freund
Donald B. Grnu
Frank T. Hard a
Mrs. F. 8 m)omm Merrill
Wayne A. Norman
Robert W. Rundc
Loverne J. Schmz
Richard 1. Slattery
Gent M. Withmbar,
William Woodward
Few cities, if any, west of the "tississinni River can clFlm a link in the chain of
c-vents associated with the American Revolutionary Vlar nericd. Dubuque, Iowa's oldest
cl-L,t end the first city in Iowa d9sionated e 3icentAnnial City, Is unique as the Site
OT the battle of the lead mines and the departure point Of "id America's PaUI Revere,
J-3-r!'-rje C=rdinal, Who oaddled down the "ISSiSsiDoi to warn of the approach of the
drlti=h. The Five Flags Center Proiect fornes that link in a reaninaful way for Dubuque-
1>_r,d, and provides a oermenent salute to the 200th anniversery of thjs nation's birth.
,There is creat need for a Center to serve the cultural, racreaticnal, entertainment and
business recuirer.ents of "'id America and nrovide a contir.uinp cultural impact for the
future. This was recognized in 1970 when the historicaliv jimortant Drpheum Theatre and
an adj=cent area became available through a Downtoan Urban Perewal Project. It was
r=cocr•l>ed that the theater in itself (now .entered on the National Register of Historic
'iecesl is one of the few rnmainina legjtimata theaters in the hIidwest, it was furths
re Mrnized that funds to restore the theater would need to be raised by private sub- r
Scrinticns and public grants. A consensus d'.te'rrjned that that corhination of a restcred
t!••-titer corn=cted to a new Exhibition -Arts buildino by a lromenad would nrovide a easily
ecC?s5zj-'A regional meeting nlece to brinq (A lz•ens t0("'th^r to s+udy the richness of
our :envirorr=nt and to nren>re for the future chances in our culture. VsS Ping areas
r`ncr,' frc:^ the 200n seat erhibilicn hall, 1000 seat restored theater, 10,0 seat and a:alk-
i,•rCUCh Inctructicnal mulil media arnr. to 7-any Sm-iler m?ctln rr^^tc.
� 8'TaC^Rd dccumAnt Surrerizes '^stim`-1d costs nd res,-Ljrc�S wla'h ti:5 C!Oai CO."!D iStICn
fir tP? (e-iebratlCn Of I?!E. AS you reVi',?W this material, la3 hs11eV2 th?+ you will
slar•ificar:cs- cf the Fivo Flans ent?r Prot-ct in its wholer?SS to Drovid2
.. _^n-.,•rai IN/ Icc3ted fact lity re norsi Ve t!) a Ev?riety Cf uses end to
th"n'-�s of Heri Ta.-e 170, eC .. d , all th rna
7, F ,tiv�,'U.S.A. end hGrizcns 7E.
o!Ith all lh?S-^S CO'nnI^t=d V:1I CCSt `? L.^r,F874 ?nil pr4:5P nt r95CU ices
are ! � fund-rajsinc sffcrt is unt-rwsy In Dubuqu? to r81SP ?n c ill' Cn?I
••'= �'- `lar.n.inc ccmDlete comr;unity n'rticiDation durinc the Rlc,nt:rnjal rear and intend
n"cv;ds in the completed center a nernan=nt staff and a v=ri,ty cf fl=xihl> nrocr3^s
:gorl.s tin c ci;Ort term, activities and t,S-•=-rvlc-S of in-r=.sid*?.^."4 Individuals cf
talent in the ?umaniti Ps, arts and Crafts. -
of the City of Dubu•nu-, end I will b^ i`19acad to mist with you at
�•; '} rarCh 2], in the S'etr r'?n1+01 Ell' lc!inO.
r= 1S yours,
1 Cn_irm.an
956 WP-,t Tenth . ni iki ini is Ir)\A/A r)?nn1 - I,R7_79 )A