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Category Archives: Local History
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
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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 Davenport (Iowa), Davenport Public Library, Genealogy, Local History, Resources
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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
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
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
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Armenian Refugees in Scott County
In the news a century ago this January was the question of admitting survivors of the Armenian genocide into the United States. [1] These articles beg the question: Were there Armenian immigrants who settled in Davenport and Scott County in … Continue reading
In Memoriam: Geraldine “Gerri” Bowers
On Christmas eve, we lost a dear friend, volunteer, colleague, and supporter, Gerri Bowers. We are deeply saddened by this loss, which will be felt by us at the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center and across our community. She was involved … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival, Davenport, Davenport Public Library, Genealogy, Iowa, obituaries
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A Little Special Collections Poem for Gift Ideas
Special Collections is here to help with some last-minute gift ideas! For the ladies in your life, handy home tools might be a hit. But, something more personal might be a better fit. Teens are tough, but technology is good! … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged Advertisements, Advertising, Davenport (Iowa), newspapers
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‘Twas the night before Christmas at The Davenport Club
While looking for holiday items in the archives we found this festive poem in our ephemera files. It was written in December 1957 for members of The Davenport Club, a social organization active between 1945-1993. The poem starts with the … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged Blackhawk Hotel, clubs, Davenport Chamber of Commerce, Davenport Club, Restaurants
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At the PERSI of the ACPL Genealogy Center
The Allen County (Indiana) Public Library’s Genealogy Center is rich in resources for the family historian, not the least of which is the Periodical Source Index (PERSI) maintained by its staff. It is a subject index to articles on local … Continue reading
Posted in Genealogy, Local History
Tagged ACPL Genealogy Center, Genealogical research, PERSI, Scott County Iowan
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