Tag Archives: Halloween

Halloween History in Newsprint

From the shrouded mists of history, the mysterious Samhain (pronounced “sow-wen”) is an ancient Celtic end-of-summer or beginning-of-winter festival where Halloween finds its origins. In the early newspapers of Davenport, readers read about this curious holiday intertwined with Hallowe’en on … Continue reading

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Paranormal Investigating in 1911?

We came across an interesting query from The Daily Times this week. We aren’t sure if this falls into the category of ghost hunting. Unfortunately, we do not know if the Davenport reader received any replies. So far no update … Continue reading

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A Fearful Halloween Frolic

Children involved in Halloween mischief has always been a concern for adults in Davenport. From outhouse tipping to pumpkin smashing or worse; adults have tried to keep children busy on Halloween night and away from trouble. The Davenport Y.M.C.A. had those thoughts … Continue reading

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Haunted Houses of Davenport?: An 1874 Account

Nowadays when you turn on the television you see many shows on haunted houses, especially during the month of October. This raised a question in my mind. Did things go bump in Davenport houses long ago? In the spirit of … Continue reading

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The Orphans of Oakdale Cemetery

One of the most persistent local legends in Davenport centers on Oakdale Cemetery on Eastern Avenue. In this cemetery is a special section where children from the Iowa Solders’ Orphans’ Home*, standing just across Eastern Avenue, were buried. And it is said that if you … Continue reading

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