Author Archives: SCblogger

“The Patch”: An Early Irish Neighborhood

In March, we see the glimmers of spring with new plant growth and holidays that allow us to reflect on the past as well as the future. Today is one such holiday that is as intertwined with American culture as … Continue reading

Posted in Local History | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Win for the Red and Blue: Davenport High School’s 1929 Basketball Championship

March Madness is fast approaching and local high school basketball teams are fighting to get to the state tournament. The first boys’ basketball team to win a state tournament for Davenport High School (now Central High School) was in 1913. … Continue reading

Posted in Local History | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Happy Retirement, Ann Hetzler!

On Saturday, March 4, 2023, Information Services Librarian Ann Hetzler is retiring after more than 34 years at the Davenport Public Library. Ann began working at the Davenport Public Library on July 18, 1988. She had previously worked as a … Continue reading

Posted in Library | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The Sepia Record, 1944

With thanks to our friends at the Friends of MLK, [1] the RSSC Center has recently acquired a copy of a publication that gives new insight into an understanding of the WWII-era Black community in the Quad-Cities. To celebrate Black … Continue reading

Posted in Local History | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

What Was In The Water In Davenport? – Books about Davenport Writers

We are thrilled to be hosting Marcia Noe on Saturday, February 24, 2023, at 1:30pm at The Library | Main to talk about her latest book: Three Midwestern Playwrights: How Floyd Dell, George Cram Cook, and Susan Glaspell Transformed American … Continue reading

Posted in Library, Local History | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Saying Farewell To A Local Legend: William “Bill” Wundram

How do you say goodbye to a local legend? William “Bill” Wundram passed away on February 14, 2023, at the age of 98 years. To describe Bill is not a simple task. Think a little of P.T. Barnum’s flair, a … Continue reading

Posted in Local History | Leave a comment

Preserving Local History

For over 30 years, the Davenport Public Library has dedicated space and staff for the purpose of collecting, preserving, and accessing the history of Davenport, Scott County, and the surrounding areas. In 1999, The Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center was made … Continue reading

Posted in Genealogy, Library, Local History | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

San Fran 49er Fan – Iowa Connections   

If you watched last weekend’s NFL Divisional playoffs, you probably saw some Iowans in action! Did you know that San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, “Mr. Irrelevant”,  was a very successful quarterback at Iowa State University? He seems pretty relevant … Continue reading

Posted in Local History | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Interactive Map: Davenport’s Early Black Community

One of our favorite resources is accession 2004-67: African American residential patterns in Davenport, Iowa. Compiled by Craig R. Klein of Scott Community College, the collection consists of photocopied maps showing African American residential patterns in Davenport, Iowa in 1867, … Continue reading

Posted in Local History | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

St. Elizabeth’s Fire: Nurse Anna Neal

January 7th marked 73 years since the tragic St. Elizabeth’s fire occurred in Davenport, Iowa. A fire that not only changed safety standards locally but throughout the entire United States. Forty female patients and one nurse perished that freezing cold … Continue reading

Posted in Local History | Leave a comment