Holy Cross
Holy Cross, in northern Dubuque County, is a community that was settled by Irish and German immigrants in the early 1800s. In 1842, Mathias Loras, a Bishop with the Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque, traveled to the community. While here, he said mass and blessed a cross made by the settlers. The present Holy Cross Catholic Church stands near the site of that cross. The settlement became known as Pin Oak in 1844. The name Pin Oak originated from the many pin oak trees native to the area and after the rural post office located near there. The settlement's name changed again, to Georgetown in 1855. The name honored George Gallon, who offered to donate part of his land to build a town. As the small settlement grew, its citizens elected to incorporate and become a town. In 1898 the name was changed to what is known today as the city of Holy Cross.Holy Cross has a population of 378 with the average age of 41 years old for its residents (based on the 2010 census). It is a quiet community where many young couples have chosen to live and raise their families. RHCL Parochial Grade School holds classes for preschool through 8th grade and is a vital part of our community. The school is busy with activity during the school year and is also used for many fund raising breakfasts, dinners, and various other activities for other organizations.
Our volunteer fire department is a source of pride for Holy Cross. The department is very active with firemen, along with first responders, EMTs, and EMT1s offering their services to make our community safe. Many of our residents have joined the department to protect their neighbors and to get involved.
Even though Holy Cross only has a population of 378, we are fortunate to have services available for our residents that many towns this size may not be able to offer. A branch of the Dubuque County Library is located adjacent to city hall. The library is constantly bringing in new books, audio tapes, VHS movies, newspapers, magazines, and many other resources for you, so you’ll never run out or reading, viewing, or listening material. In addition, the library was just awarded new computers from the Bill Gates Foundation. The computers are connected to the internet for all members of the library to use.
High speed wireless internet access, a modern water system, updated sewer system, well maintained streets, low
taxes, low utility costs, and a low crime rate are additional reasons people are choosing Holy Cross as their new home. There are also approximately 21 businesses in Holy Cross providing a wide range of services. The recent growth of Holy Cross created a need for additional places for people to live. In 2000, the city purchased 15 acres of land for the development of residential and commercial lots. Phase One of the development was completed in fall of 2003. This development created 15 residential and two commercial lots. When Phase Two is completed, a total of 30 residential and 4 commercial lots will have been added. Click here to see a layout of the subdivision.For more information, please contact City Hall at (563) 870-2475 or email at holycross@yousq.net.
Another source of pride in our community is our city park. The park has a wide variety of modern playground equipment, sand volleyball, tennis courts, and horseshoes, along with 3 modern pavilions for picnics and family reunions. The park is adjacent to our ball diamond, which is the hub of activity during the summertime. Baseball and softball programs are available for ages 5 through adult. All ages can participate, and if you don’t play but like to watch, you can spend countless summer nights sitting under the stars just watching and enjoying. The Holy Cross Park Club and the Athletic Club are two additional volunteer organizations that work countless hours to maintain the beauty and functionality of our facilities. The members are dedicated to the betterment of the community.Holy Cross is a community of high moral standards, excellent work ethic, and tremendous volunteer participation.
Stop in for a visit – you’ll like what you see!!!Click here to visit the Holy Cross Athletic Club's website for schedules, activities, and more information.
The one thing that makes Holy Cross special is the people who live there. It's a place where you meet and get to know everyone. Whether it's through church, school functions, athletic events, or just out for a walk, you're bound to meet everyone in town. Living in Holy Cross gives you a true feeling of what the word "community" means!Location: 22 miles (25 minutes) from Dubuque
12 miles (15 minutes) to Dyersville
7 miles (10 minutes) from Mississippi River
15-20 minutes from 6 golf courses
15 minutes from Field of Dreams
City Government:
Mayor: Brian Maiers
City Clerk: Amy Vonderhaar (563) 870-2475
Water Operator: Tim Krause
Wastewater Treatment Operator: Randy Barton
Meetings: First Tuesday of the month at 6:00p.m. at Holy Cross City Hall
Utilities: Alliant Energy and New Century Communications
Community Protection and Medical Services:
Ambulance: Holy Cross Fire Department-EMT
Hospitals: Mercy Medical Center (Dubuque and Dyersville); Finley Hospital (Dubuque); Guttenberg Municipal Hospital (Guttenberg)
Education:
LaSalle Parochial Grade School
Preschool through 8th grade
Principal: Susan Hucker
(563) 870-2405
Holy Cross City Code
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