The Contemporary Club Papers

Posted on January 30, 2026 by SCblogger

The Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center is pleased to be working with the Contemporary Club to make its papers more readily available to the public for research.

Since the autumn of 1896, the members of the Contemporary Club have gathered in Davenport, as their chosen name would suggest, “for the purpose of studying and discussing topics of timely interest.” The first series of papers read before the Club (1896-1897) was printed so that they “should be preserved in a more permanent shape” in a limited edition of 100 copies. They were originally published one by one in The Weekly Outlook, a local periodical “devoted to home and outing life, literature, art, music and the drama,” published by Club member Charles Eugene Banks. Below is the first published essay written by one of the Club’s founders, The Very Reverend Hamilton Schulyer.

The library has always had copies of the Contemporary Club’s published papers (SC 374.3 CONTE) on its shelves, including the first leather-bound volume of papers read during the initial eight “seasons” of club meetings.

The Club continued to publish its papers in print through the 2018-2019 season. A copy of each volume was donated to Special Collections, and staff here maintained a print index to the papers.

In the years following the pandemic, members of the Club approached us for help in publishing the papers online. An agreement was reached whereby the Club would digitize the historical papers and we would post the pdf files on a research guide provided by the library’s LibGuides service.

Together we have made good progress since the spring of 2024. We have digitized and uploaded most of the papers from the 1970s to the present. Much more to go, but we are dedicated! Click here to see the names of the Contemporary Club members and the topics they addressed, decade by decade, as well as a new and improved online index.

(posted by Katie)

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Davenport’s West Side Branch: Fairmount’s 20th Anniversary!

Posted on January 16, 2026 by SCblogger

On January 14, 2006, Davenport’s new library branch opened to the public! It was the first new addition to the Davenport Public Library’s facilities since the additions of the bookmobile and Annie Wittenmyer Branch.

The Davenport Public Library desired to expand its services since the 1960s. With the 2001 Branching Out Campaign agreement between the City of Davenport, the Davenport Public Library’s Board of Trustees, and the Friends of the Davenport Public Library, this dream was coming to fruition.

Studies were conducted as to where new library branches would best serve the Davenport citizens, as well as an estimate of how much new facilities would cost to build. It was determined that new libraries would be built in the west and the north/central part of the city. The land for the new library branch was purchased in 2002. It was purchased from the Van Arnum family; it was their family’s farm land.

The Branching Out Campaign was supported by the 2003 tax levy, the City of Davenport’s Capital Improvement Plan, and the Friends of the Davenport Public Library. The tax levy passed on November 4, 2003 was to provide staff, to purchase collections, and to provide maintenance for the branches. The CIP funds would cover 60% of the funding required to build the new facilities, and the Friends would cover the remaining 40%.

  • Images of people holding a large check.
    Images of fundraising efforts.
  • Images of people holding a large check.
    Images of fundraising efforts.
  • Images of people holding a large check.
    Images of fundraising efforts.
  • Image of mounted plaque about the Farimount library.
    Wall plaque about the creation of the Fairmount Library Branch.
  • Images of seed packets.
    Promotional seed packets for the Branching Out Campaign.

News of this monumental effort was shared with the citizens of Davenport through the “Davenport City News” newsletter as well as newspaper articles.

  • Image of a field with a sign and shovels.
    Images from the groundbreaking.
  • Image of a field with a sign and people.
    Images from the groundbreaking.
  • Map of the proposed location for Fairmount.
  • Field where Fairmount was built.
  • Image of Fairmount’s construction.

The Davenport Public Library celebrated the building of this new library branch at each stage of construction. The community was invited to attend the groundbreaking ceremony on May 2, 2005, and the laying of the cornerstone on October 11, 2005. Another special moment was marked in June 2005 with a topping-off ceremony, where community members were invited to sign steel beams that were to be installed at the front entrance of the library. Dick Stahl, former Quad Cities poet laureate, read a poem he wrote for the occasion.

  • Newspaper article about Davenport residents came out to sign library branch beam.
    “Davenport Residents come out to sign library beam.”
  • Typed copy of the poem, "Signing of the Beam" by Dick Stahl for the Davenport Public Library's West Branch.
    “Signing of the Beam” by Dick Stahl for the Davenport Public Library’s West Branch in June 2005.

The Library promoted its new Library Branch with movie advertisements that played during previews at local movie theaters.

The grand opening of the Davenport Public Library’s Fairmount Street location was a proud moment in its history. Many years of efforts of staff, City Council members, the Library’s Board of Trustees, and the Friends of the Davenport Public Library. The space boasted 26,000 square feet featuring a cafe space, a fireplace, a drive-up window, a dedicated Friends’ Bookstore, a storytime room, and a teen lounge area.

  • Front of a postcard mailed out for the grand opening of the Fairmount Library branch.
    Grand Opening postcard invitation
  • Back of a postcard mailed out for the grand opening of the Fairmount Library branch.
    Grand Opening postcard invitation
  • Ribbon Cutting at Fairmount’s grand opening.
  • The Book Cart Drill Teams’ performance at the grand opening.
  • View of the library facing the book return area.

By 4:30 pm, the newest library branch had an official gate count of 30,332! It included individuals who left and returned, according to LaWanda Roudebush.

Over the years, the Fairmount Branch has been host to many of the Library’s Summer Reading Program’s Kickoff parties and many other phenomenal programs. It was the first location to get our new state-of-the-art book return and sorter machine. It has been a site for many community partnerships and celebrations.

Final architectural rendering of the Davenport Public Library Fairmount Branch.
Final architectural rendering of the Davenport Public Library Fairmount Branch.

Happy 20th Anniversary, Fairmount Branch!

(posted by Kathryn)

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100 Years of Father Edward Catich

Posted on January 8, 2026 by SCblogger

Edward Michael Catich was born in Stevensville, Montana on January 4, 1906. Father Catich began working at St. Ambrose University in 1939, where he was professor of math & engineering as well as art & music. He became internationally renowned as a calligrapher, typographer, stone-cutter, and stained glass artist. The Rev. Edward M. Catich died April 14, 1979 in Davenport, Iowa.

Passport photos taken by Free Studio ca. 1965

This Saturday, January 10, 2026 at 10 a.m., join Paul Herrera of the Art Legacy League in Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center as he speaks about the life and legacy of Father Edward Catich. Paul will demonstrate how to do a slate rubbing with an opportunity for attendees to try their hand at it. 

Paul Herrera’s calligraphic lettering and art training was done exclusively with Reverend Edward M. Catich beginning in 1967. Paul worked as an inscription cutter and calligraphy seminar assistant with Father Catich until the time of his death in 1979. At that point, Paul was invited to teach Father Catich’s classes at St. Ambrose University and would continue to do so until 1989. Paul has served as a faculty member of seven international calligraphy conventions, the most recent being “Roman Holiday,” which was held at St. Ambrose University in 2024. Additionally, he was a watercolor and calligraphy instructor at the former Davenport Municipal Art Gallery from 1973 – 1984. Paul’s biography of Father Catich can be purchased from the Art Legacy League at 1225 E. River Drive in Davenport, Suite 201.

Visit Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center from December 29th to February 7th to view objects from the Art Legacy League’s collection. The Art Legacy League is a non-profit dedicated to preserving and promoting the work of the late Father Edward Michael Catich.

(posted by Cristina)

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Ringing in the Old

Posted on December 30, 2025 by SCblogger

As we approach the New Year, we are featuring some old-but-new books in the RSSC Center’s collection. They are “old” because they have been here in the library for many years, and more obviously, because they were published in the mid-1800s. Yet they are “new” to us because during our recent move, we discovered them amongst materials belonging to our longtime partners, the Scott County Iowa Genealogical Society (SCIGS), and also because they give us fresh information about the reading lives of 19th-century Davenporters.

The titles of our three “new” books are: Bilder aus dem Soldatenleben im Kriege by F. W. Hackländer (Stuttgart: Krabbe, 1860), Der Schwarze Zwerg by Sir Walter Scott (Stuttgart: Hoffmann, 185?), and Die Courtisane by Alexandre Dumas fils, (Grimma, Leipzig: Verlags-Comptoirs, 1851). All are in German, though students of literature will recognize a Scottish and a French author’s works in translation.

German author F. W. Hackländer’s work (translating to “Scenes from the Life of Soldiers During War”) bears one label for “Berwald’s Leihbibliothek,” (Berwald’s Lending Library) on the inside front cover and another for “Berwald’s Deutsche Leihbibliothek” (Berwald’s German Lending Library) on the series title page.

The 1861 Davenport city directory tells us that an Edward Berwald was the proprietor of a German Circlulating Library (and grocery) on 2nd Street:

This advertisement for the library appeared in a September 1862 edition of Davenport’s German-language newspaper Die Wochentliche Demokrat (The Weekly Democrat).

The image below belonged to Edward Berwald’s son, John George, who took over the business when his father passed away in 1874. In the July 17, 1924 edition of the Davenport Democrat and Leader, he shared this photograph of the Leihbibliothek in 1870, when it was located at 409 West 2nd Street. He and his father are shown in the doorway of the building, though the quality of the reproduction makes it difficult to tell!

The image caption says the Berwalds’ library had 4,000 volumes, including “the classics of German literature.” For a prepaid 25 cents a month, “a subscriber could read all the books he wished.” A book had to be returned and exchanged for another within 8 days, books were expected to be handled carefully, damaged or lost books had to be replaced, and a security deposit of $1.00 was required.

Because of their similar bindings, labeling, numbering, and size, we believe the other two volumes in the SCIGS collection, Sir Walter Scott’s The Black Dwarf and Alexandre Dumas fils’ The Courtesan (aka La Dame aux Camélias/The Lady of the Camellias) were also part of this German-language library.

Here’s to reading more of the “old” in the New Year! Happy 2026 from Special Collections!

(posted by Katie)

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Celebrating the Richardson-Sloane Special Collection Center’s Grand Reopening

Posted on December 23, 2025 by SCblogger

On December 12, 2025, the staff of the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center celebrated their new space on the second floor with an open house. Many wonderful guests joined us in marking this momentous event for the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center.

From a single room on the first floor in 1982, the Special Collections’ original location, Special Collections expanded after years of effort and dedication. In 1999, the creation of the lower-level space fulfilled Alice (Richardson) and Ted Sloane’s dream of a “premiere genealogy and local history collection.” In this space, staff served patrons for twenty-five years.

Now the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center embarks on a new chapter in its history. It has a bright future as the Davenport Public Library’s source for local history and genealogical information. The Center and its staff are well-known for helping researchers from all over the world, assisting City of Davenport personnel, and providing reference and resource material to Quad-City patrons of all ages. 

The Davenport Public Library’s Board of Trustees president, Tom Englemann, and the Davenport Public Library’s Director, Jeff Collins, shared a few remarks about the Main Library’s recent renovations, which began in 2020.

The Special Collections staff invited former Quad Cities Poet Laureate, Dale Haake, to recite his poem, “Tally-Ho Coach,” written for RSSCC’s 20th anniversary celebration in 2019. We have recorded this recitation for your viewing pleasure!

We wish you all the very best holiday season! We encourage you all to come visit us in our new space!

(posted by Kathryn Whalen)

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Happy Holidays from Special Collections: Christmas images from Velma Schmidt

Posted on December 19, 2025 by SCblogger

Velma Schmidt was born in Davenport, Iowa on March 6, 1886 to Oswald and Agatha (Bruhn) Schmidt. Her father, one of the owners of the Roddewig-Schmidt Candy Company, named a chocolate candy after his oldest child and only daughter. “Velma” chocolates became very popular locally and were sold in sweet, bitter-sweet, and milk chocolate varieties. The Roddewig and Schmidt families also owned the highly successful Crescent Macaroni and Cracker Company.

Velma lived in the family home at 517 W. 7th Street in Davenport from 1890 until she died on June 18, 1959. She graduated from St. Katharine’s School and devoted her life to family and community service. Through the Schmidt Family donation 2016-46, Velma appears to have had an interest in photography that began in the early 1900s. Her photograph albums are filled with family, friends, and neighbors in both posed and spontaneous pictures.

The photographs appear to start in the early 1900s, which coincides with the timeline for the Kodak Brownie which became available for personal use in 1900. The early Brownie cameras had no flash capability which made interior photography difficult. Velma appears to have experimented with interior shots using sunlight.

The results sometimes weren’t successful, as Velma noted in her albums, as lack of sunlight caused the image to be dark when developed.

2016-45. Box 6. c. 1910 Interior photograph of 517 W. 7th Street.

Other interior photos were more successful and show a creative use of sunlight and posed figures such as this image of a young girl identified by Velma as Elinor.

2016-45. Box 6. c. 1910 Interior photograph of 517 W. 7th Street. Labeled An indoor of Elinor.

Most of the photographs in the albums were taken outside in warm weather, but we did find two Christmas images we would like to share with you. We focused on 1950s Christmas trees in a past blog, but found fewer images of earlier Christmas trees at the time we published the images in 2018.

Going through Velma’s albums recently, we were excited to see an image of a Schmidt family Christmas tree taken about 1910. Velma also decorated the picture with small cut out heads. Possibly family and friends who joined in the celebrations that year? The sunlight coming through the window highlights the Christmas tree, and the room, wonderfully. The room appears to be the same room featured in the darker photo above. Some redecorating has occurred, but the window, fireplace, and furniture appear to be the same.

2016-45. Box 6. c. 1910 Interior photograph of 517 W. 7th Street featuring Christmas tree.

If you look closely, you will see early electric lights on the tree. Called an Electric Christmas Outfit, the lights needed to be attached to a light socket. The wires extend from the Christmas tree and are attached to a socket in the electric chandler in the center of the room. We found an advertisement from 1912 in The Daily Times that explains the lights.

The Daily Time, December 17, 1912. Pg. 2

We have also featured images of Santa Claus in past blogs. Here is a link to a Santa Claus blog from 2021. Many of our images of Santa Claus come from Davenport’s Christmas parades in the 1940s and 1950s. When looking for images before the 1940s, we usually find illustrated Santas in the newspapers instead of photographs. We are thankful to Velma Schmidt for including in her album this amazing image of a 1920s Santa Claus holding a little boy who we have identified as Richard Hugo Schmidt.

2016-45. Box 6. Richard Hugo Schmidt with Santa Claus c. 1924.

Richard, or Dick as he was nicknamed, was born on July 14, 1923. From his size, we are estimating this photograph to have been taken around December 1924. We are not sure of the location of the photograph or who took it, but Santa and the Christmas tree behind him are ready for the holiday season. Little Dick Schmidt looks warm in his outdoor clothing while clutching his stuffed monkey possibly a little unsure of meeting Santa Claus. We also love Velma’s caption of “Nice Santa!”.

We hope you enjoy these images of Christmas past along with Velma’s interior experimental photos. Thank you for visiting our blog this year. We wish you all Happy Holidays.

(posted by Amy D.)

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Just Shelved: 2025 County & City Directories

Posted on December 11, 2025 by SCblogger

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

The 2025 Scott County Iowa Farm & Home Plat & Directory and the 2025 Davenport City Directory are now available in Special Collections.

The Scott County Plat & Directory has been published by Farm and Home Publishers since 1987. We also have older Scott County directories by various other publishers.

Published by R. L. Polk & Co. since 1908, and various other publishers before that, we have Davenport City Directories going all the way back to 1855!

Directories from 1860 through 1960 are also available to search and browse from home via HeritageQuest Online with your Davenport Public Library card.

(posted by Cristina)

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Chamber of Commerce Collection Christmases

Posted on December 5, 2025 by SCblogger

The images below documenting Davenport’s 1947 and 1950 Christmas parades come from the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center’s “Davenport Chamber of Commerce Photograph Collection” (1986-01). This group of approximately 1,000 images ranging in date from about 1900-1950 was donated to the library in the mid-1980s, when the Special Collections department was just coming into being. It formed the nucleus of the general photograph collection, which grew until a little over ten years ago, when archival practices changed.

Each of these images is identified with a “VM89 number;” the VM for “Visual Materials” (including prints, negatives, and slides) and 89 for the year, 1989, in which the organizational scheme was conceived. A great many of the “VM89s” have been digitized, and a great many already cataloged and posted to the Upper Mississippi Valley Digital Image Archive (UMVDIA). Those below have not yet been made similarly available, though some depicting the same Christmas parades have.

We are certain that this particular group of images comes from the original Chamber of Commerce Collection, as each is stamped with that name on the back. In fact, they were all taken by the same commercial photographer, R. K. Sunderbruch, who happened to have served on the Chamber’s board. And it was the Chamber that sponsored the annual Christmas Parade!

1947 Christmas Parade


Santa Claus float at 2nd and Main Streets, VM89-000327
Santa Claus float at 3rd and Main Streets, VM89-000955

Mother Goose float, VM89-000328

Humpty-Dumpty float, VM89-000332
Cinderella float, VM89-000333
Friendly House float: “Charles Dickens – A Christmas Carol,” VM89-000334
The Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe float, VM89-000350

1950 Christmas Parade

Cow float, VM89-000348
Jaycee Santa float, VM89-000347
Santa Claus in a convertible, VM89-000959
Pipe organ and singers float, VM89-000346

Richard Kiel “Dick” Sunderbruch (1916-1992) began his career as photographer for the Tri-City Star and by a young age he had opened his own professional photography business. During World War II, he was a photography instructor for the Signal Corps and a photo unit commander in Europe. He continued as a commercial photographer in Davenport until 1970, when he took a position in Washington state. (Quad-City Times and Rock Island Argus obituaries, October 30, 1992).

(posted by Katie)

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Turkey Notes of 2025

Posted on November 26, 2025 by SCblogger

Get your pens ready for creating Turkey Notes! For this year’s Turkey Notes blog, we have some special guests who shared their creations with us!

As noted in our blog, Turkey Notes: Our 2024 edition, Turkey Notes are a short poem using three or four lines, with the word “Turkey” in the first two lines, which has been a Davenport and Scott County tradition since approximately 1890.

Some of our guest Turkey Noters have diverged from tradition, which we hope may inspire you to show off your creativity!

These Turkey Notes are reminiscent of time spent with family and building family memories! 

Oldest is only in the mind's eye;
so they can wait 'til turkeys fly! 
Gonna pick on those who are in between, 
one can remember turkey notes from their teens!
Maybe you didn't get an honorable mention, 
but that's the way it goes with good intention. 
Sometimes you slide over a good grandchild, 
even before tis year's turkey notes get filed!

Personalized Turkey Notes add a delightful touch to any Thanksgiving gathering! The Turkey Notes below show the thoughtfulness of this Turkey Noter!

Winnie, the White Labrador 
Thanksgiving is a special day 
For a big white dog named Winnie 
Turkey says she must be well-fed 
She certainly isn’t skinny
Lily, the Cavapoo

She’s a fuzzy ball of energy 
And her name is Lily 
Turkey says she’s still a pup 
That must be why she’s so silly
Leo is all about water polo 
He’s very tall and lanky 
He’s interested in the girls, but 
Turkey says “No Hanky Panky”
Marilyn loves her kitchen 
She’s a wonderful baker 
Turkey’s glad she’s also 
An awesome pie-maker
John is a real good dad 
He never is a griper 
Turkey says that’s even when 
He has to change a diaper
Welcome to the world, Violet
You’re such a pretty baby 
Turkey says before too long 
You’ll be a pretty lady

The very special Turkey Noters below have been with us at the Library for the last month as part of Dinovemeber! They are getting ready to go back to their homes, but they are celebrating Thanksgiving with Turkey Notes!

  • Dinosaurs writing their Turkey Notes.
  • Dinosaurs writing their Turkey Notes.
  • Dinosaurs writing their Turkey Notes.

We hope you enjoy these dynamic Turkey Notes! 

Turkey Roar, 
Turkey Chomp, 
Turkey says,
"Let's go romp!"
Turkey Joy, 
Turkey Glee,
Turkey says, 
"T-rex, don't eat me!"
Turkey eats mashed potatoes, 
Turkey likes pumpkin pies, 
"Let's all feast!" 
Turkey cries.

For more Turkey Note blogs, please type Turkey Notes into our search box on the upper right side and enjoy!

Turkey note, 
Turkey wrote, 
Turkey says, 
"Don't forget to jot down your Turkey notes!"

Happy Thanksgiving from the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center!

(posted by Kathryn Whalen)

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160 Years of History: The Iowa Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home

Posted on November 21, 2025 by SCblogger

It was 160 years ago on November 16, 1865 that the steamboat Keithburg arrived on the levee in Davenport, Iowa. It was an hour earlier than expected, covered in American flags, and carrying 150 children who had lost their fathers in the Civil War. Once they disembarked, 149 children were fed by local women and then carriages from local liveries drove them to the former Union soldier training site, Camp Kinsman, to begin their new lives.

One child, 15-year-old Mary Elizabeth James (also known as Lizzie), was prepared for burial having passed away from consumption on November 14th on the boat trip portion of the journey from Farmington, Iowa to Davenport. She was buried in Oakdale Memorial Gardens with her fellow orphans attending her funeral on November 17, 1865. She would be the first orphan to be buried at Oakdale.

Annie Wittenmyer had moved the children from the overcrowded orphanage in Farmington to Davenport after seeing the camp. The separate cottages, large training buildings, and farmland surrounding the site had great potential we discussed in A Soldier’s Letter.

In 2011, we received a stereo-optic card with an image of the Iowa Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home showing the cottages originally used by soldiers training to go off to war. For many of us, it was the earliest view of the cottages we had seen.

2011-17q Stereographs J. G. Evans of Muscatine, Iowa – Western View #135 Orphans Home

We are excited to have received another donation featuring new photographs of the original cottages. Taken between 1866 – 1867, these photos help us learn more about the original buildings and grounds.

2022-11 Wood Iowa Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home Photograph Collection. Labeled “Road, New Plantings, Flagpole”
2022-11 Wood Iowa Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home Photograph Collection. Labeled “North Side Cottages”.
2022-11 Wood Iowa Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home Photograph Collection. Labeled “South Side Cottages and Dining Hall from Cottage 7”
2022-11 Wood Iowa Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home Photograph Collection. Labeled “View of Chapel and Cottages showing Road and Trees planted and boxed 1867”

The Morning Democrat newspaper on November 16, 1865 wrote about touring the 10 acre camp. Only four acres were used by buildings with six acres open to build on or farm. There was a main building with an apartment for the superintendent, offices, reception rooms for visiting families, and a small kitchen. Nearby were two additional buildings used to store food and other items for the orphanage.

Twelve buildings in a row had five rooms in each structure. Eleven of the buildings were used by orphans and contained a large bunk room for sleeping, a small school room, a matron’s room, and two closets. The twelfth building was being used as a temporary hospital. Behind each of the buildings were outhouses and bathing rooms.

The old drill building had been converted into a dining hall. The plan was for seventy-five tables to be added with seating for seven at each table. There were large kitchens in the back and the main dining room was turned into a chapel for services on Sundays.

Six more cottages on another road were used to house orphans, three other buildings were to house infants, and another building would serve as a school and library.

The author of the article noted each orphan had their own bed and women in Iowa had made quilts for each bed. There was also a laundry building, barn, and sewing room. Many widowed women, some mothers of children in the orphanage, worked in the kitchens, laundry, and sewing room in exchange for room and meals. This allowed many women to remain near their children. Few occupations existed for widowed women (or women in general) to find work and the large number of adult men lost in the war affected their ability to remarry.

While unfinished, when the orphans arrived on November 16, 1865, the citizens of Davenport and the entire state of Iowa supported the orphanage to honor the sacrifices of their fathers.

We find the photographs fascinating and hope you enjoy them too!

(posted by Amy D.)

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