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Tag Archives: Davenport
Happy 175th Birthday, Davenport!
The year 2011 marks the 175th anniversary of the founding of Sofa City – that’s right! In February of 1836 the official “Articles of Agreement” were drawn up, land was purchased from Antoine LeClaire, and a town was platted in … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged 175th Anniversary, Antoine LeClaire, Davenport, Local History, William F. Skiles
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Flood of Images: the West End Perspective
As we keep a watchful eye on the river levels around here, it might be interesting to look back at the last few times it rose up to shake hands with Davenport. Here are a some of our favorite flooding … Continue reading
When Opportunity Knocks . . .
It is August in the Midwest and we all know without a doubt that the weather around here can be brutal (Heat Wave: 1936). There’s no need to dwell on the heat or the humidity. So today’s post will avoid the topic … Continue reading
Kathryn Kirschbaum: First Woman Mayor of Davenport
Kathryn Kirschbaum was born August 30, 1931, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Frank and Esther (Kiplinger) Goll. She graduated from Denison College in Grandville, Ohio, in 1953 with a degree in “Citizenship”. She was First Lieutenant in the Army Medical Corps … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged biography, Davenport, Davenport (Iowa), Mayors, Women, Women's History
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The 911 of 1889
On the afternoon of February 8, 1889, the alarm at telephone patrol box number 3 at Front Street between Main and Brady Streets was sounded by an officer on patrol. It was the first alarm sounded on the week-old system that … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged Davenport, Davenport Police Department, Patrol Wagon, Telephone, Telephone Patrol Box
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The Free and Independent State of Scott
As has been said before here, Davenport was the home to many breweries and saloons in the mid-1800s. This wasn’t a problem during the Civil War, when those of a teetotal inclination had other things to worry about. But once … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged Davenport, Ernst Claussen, Iowa, Prohibition, The September Project
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Voices of City Government Past and Present
Since 2004, libraries across the world have organized events about freedom and issues that matter to their communities during the month of September. This grassroots project favors free over fee, public over private, and voices over silence. Throughout the week of … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged City Council, Davenport, Special Collections, The September Project
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Racing the Fire: A Close Call for Davenport
“The district where the destruction was complete and which this morning is an area of smoking heap of charred embers is about a third of a mile square and can best be seen from the grounds of St. Katherine’s Hall … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged 1901 Fire, Davenport, East Davenport, Fires, Iowa, Mt. Ida, st. katherine's school, Weyerhauser and Denkmann
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KSTT: “Someplace Special”
On July 7, 1946 the radio waves of the Quad Cities changed forever when KSTT went on the air for the first time with a one hour introductory program. No one knew this dawn to dusk operation would soon become … Continue reading
Ding, ding, ding, went the Trolleys . . .
In our Special Collections Center, we have hanging on our wall an enormous double photograph showing the southern view from the corner of Third Street and Brady in 1938 and in 1952. The two photographs, separated by only 14 years, … Continue reading
