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Tag Archives: Davenport (Iowa)
The Poet of the Plains – Buckskin Bill
A recent acquisition to the Richardson-Sloane Archive and Manuscript Collection brought the fine line between fantasy and reality to the forefront and sent me on a fascinating research journey that took me from the onion fields of Scott County to … Continue reading
Irish Shenanigans
Davenport and the Quad Cities love celebrating St. Patrick’s Day and the month of March provides opportunity and hope for celebrating the coming of Spring and all things green. With that in mind, here are some of the March Mischief … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged Davenport (Iowa), Events, Local History, newspapers, St. Patrick's Day
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Who speaks for a Calico Ball?
What is a Calico Ball you ask? I did too when I came across this in a May 1883 local newspaper. Turns out, a Calico Ball (alternately referred to as a Calico Dance or Party) stems from an 1855 New … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged Burlington (Iowa), Calico Ball, Dances, Davenport (Iowa), Eldridge Hall, Liberty Hall, Turner Hall
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Sibling Saturday!
As we perused our digitized images on the Upper Mississippi Valley Digital Image Archive, we wondered how many images of siblings we had in our collections. We are highlighting a sample of them below. Catherine Coan or Coon These images … Continue reading
Posted in Genealogy, Local History
Tagged Davenport (Iowa), Hostetler Studios, J. B. Hostetler, Photographs, Siblings
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This Week We Say Goodbye to Our Director Amy Groskopf
This week we say goodbye to our director Amy Groskopf. Amy has been with the library for over 33 years and has held numerous positions in that time culminating in leading the library for the past 7 years. With a … Continue reading
Posted in Library
Tagged Amy Groskopf, Davenport, Davenport (Iowa), Davenport Public Library, Director, Iowa, Retirement
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Happy 175th Birthday, Iowa!
Today, December 28, 2021, marks the 175th anniversary of Iowa’s admission into the Union as a state in 1846. During the 28th Congress in the Second Session, the elected House of Representatives passed “An Act for the admission of the … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged Anniversary, Davenport (Iowa), Iowa, Iowa History, Local History, Resources
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“Printed In Germany” Holiday Postcards
In our collection, we have a number of postcards documenting local areas of interest, people, and business. The postcards have been postmarked, unused, and sometimes unsent. As we approach the upcoming holidays, we perused our collection for Christmas postcards made … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged Christmas, Davenport (Iowa), Germany, Holidays, Postcards
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In Memoriam: Liz Finkenhoefer
The Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center has lost another selfless volunteer and dear friend upon the death of Elizabeth Finkenhoefer. Liz was a steadfast volunteer from the Scott County Genealogical Society. She brought her sparkling eyes to SC every week to … Continue reading
Prost! Brewing History in Davenport: Thiedemann’s Brewery Tap
Breweries in Davenport and across the Quad Cities are experiencing a renaissance. As these businesses add themselves to the impressive list of local businesses, we are inspired to research some of the history of the breweries and other establishments where … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged Breweries, Davenport (Iowa), Local History, Thiedemann's
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Back to School: A Letter from Immaculate Conception Academy, 1873 – Part II
This week we continue with our “back-to-school” theme, learning about the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center resources that help us place Immaculate Conception Academy student Ada Sala’s 1873 letter to her father, E.M. Sala, in historical context. Imma Conception, Davenport, Iowa, … Continue reading
