First Congregational United Church of Christ of Dubuque, Iowa, boasts a long and rich history. The Church traces its foundation back to 1839 when 19 bold pioneers banded together in a tiny Mississippi River frontier town known for lead mining and bad manners. The Church alternately flourished and struggled through the decades through booms and depressions and wars. Forward Through the Ages traces the church's history in the anniversary recollections penned by church historians from 1889-2014.