The Iowa Iron Works, re-named the Dubuque Boat and Boiler Works in 1904, was a manufacturing company established in Dubuque, Iowa

Dubuque, Iowa

Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....

 in 1883.

Notable Boats

The Sprague

Sprague (towboat)

The Sprague built at Dubuque, Iowa by Iowa Iron Works in 1901 by Captain Peter Sprague for the Monongahela River Consolidated Coal and Coke Company, was the world's largest steam powered sternwheeler towboat. It was nicknamed Big Mama, and was capable of pushing 56 coal barges at once...

 built in 1901, was the world's largest steam powered sternwheeler towboat

Towboat

Not to be confused with the historic boat type with the same name, also called horse-drawn boat.A towboat is a boat designed for pushing barges or car floats. Towboats are characterized by a square bow with steel knees for pushing and powerful engines...

. In 1907, the Sprague set a world's all-time record for towing-60 barges of coal, weighing 67,307 tons, covering an area of 6½ acres, and measuring 925 feet (281.9 m) by 312 feet (95.1 m).

A model of the Sprague is in the National Mississippi River Museum in Dubuque.