Clinton’s Engines Museum

The Clinton Engines opened in 1950 and closed in 1980.    The land was deeded to the City of Maquoketa in 2000 as a brownfield site, which means  it was an abandoned industrial site that may have still contain low levels of hazardous contaminants which dissuade potential developers from using it. 

According to a lawsuit filed against the City Of Maquoketa, by the Dominal Law Group of Omaha, NE,on October , 2022 three parties, who previously lived in the area in Maquoketa claimed they, or their loved ones suffered from health problems due to pollutants left by the Clinton Engines Site and alleged the City was responsible.

According to City of Maquoketa Manager, Josh Boldt, he said, “ this agreement is a result of the DNR and  EPA  really kind of asking the city, ‘what’s next?’ at the former Clinton Engines property.  This is a problem that just doesn’t go away because we’re not doing anything.”

On February 2023, then director of Maquoketa Maquoketa’ Alliance Water Resources, Jeff Bodenhofer confirmed said,  “ the aquifers run deep, and the direction of the plume is away from the wells.  The closest water tower is the one on the 100 block of East Summit Street.  To put it simply, we do lots of testing and it hit all our requirements.  If we don’t , the state would require additional testing.”

In February 2024, the City made a confidential settlement with the plaintiffs.