Follow us on Instagram!
Tag Archives: Prohibition
New Year’s Eve 1919: Welcoming in a “Dry” 1920
New Year’s Eve 1919 in Davenport, Iowa was a “dry” one. Iowa passed a state prohibition law on January 1, 1916 (one of three states) that included making the production or sale of alcohol in the state illegal. Alcohol was … Continue reading
Helen Van Dale: A woman of the criminal underworld Part II
Please read Part I of Helen’s story here. Bold lettered headlines covered the front page of local newspapers on the morning of August 1, 1922 in Davenport, Iowa and Rock Island, Illinois. William “Bill” Gable, owner of a soft drink … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged Crime, Dimples Lee, Eula Elizabeth Lee, Eula Wonders, Helen Van Dale, Irvin Wonders, John Looney, Lawrence Pedigo, Prohibition, Tom Cox, William Gable
8 Comments
Poetry and Politics: Scott County, Iowa, 1896
In recognition of April as National Poetry Month, we look to a Davenport newspaper’s use of a famous German poem to make a point about Scott County voters in early 1896. Heinrich Heine’s Die Lorelei recounts the legend of a … Continue reading
By the Light of the Moon (Law)
When Iowa entered statehood, many cities were granted Special Charters to help them with municipal administration while the Iowa State Legislature was still trying to get off the ground. The Charters regulated everything from elections to street maintenance, city clerk … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged Davenport (Iowa), Ernst Wenzel, Ficke & Ficke, Iowa, laws, Moon Law, Prohibition, Special Charter Cities
Leave a comment
The Early Bird Gets the Moonshine
Oh, there was always something going on in Scott County, Iowa, in the roaring twenties, from dance marathons to gangsters. At times, the place seemed more like Chicago than a collection of small towns surrounded by farms. Looking back to January … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged Moonshine, Mr. Alger, Mr. Hilson, Peter Bein, Prohibition, Raids, Sponge Squad
Leave a comment
“One of the grandest soldiers the North had . . . “
While we take the time to remember and honor the men and women of our armed forces who have fought to keep our country and people safe, it seems fitting that we also remember those civilians who have fought to … Continue reading
Once Upon a Fairy Night
Imagine a fairyland of delights only a trolley’s ride away from the center of the city’s downtown, a welcome escape from the heat, dust and smells of summer in a crowded river city. Imagine families picnicking in the cool shade … Continue reading
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
Leave a comment
History’s Mysteries: An Image of Prohibition?
While researching a possible blog entry about Prohibition and Davenport’s various coping mechanisms, we found an image in our collections that gave us pause: This group image of Thiedemann’s Atheletic Club was taken on April 12, 1933, at Thiedemann’s , a … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged Breweries, Photographs, Prohibition, Thiedemann's, Thiedmann's Athletic Club
Leave a comment
The Importance of Women
Without women, the Davenport Public Library would not be here today, and this space would be taken up with a lament on the city’s shocking illiteracy rates. Sure, Andrew Carnegie was the one who challenged Davenporters to vote for a … Continue reading
