Author Archives: SCblogger

Thanksgiving Recipes from Local Cookbooks

In need of some last-minute inspiration for your Thanksgiving dishes? Try these recipes from the Richardson-Sloane Special Collection Center’s Local Cookbooks Collection (SC 641.5)! Kick off the festivities with The Farmer’s Bishop, an apple-orange punch sure to warm your guests … Continue reading

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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

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WWI Veterans: Captain Comegys & Doctor Desmond

In honor of Veterans Day this year we are featuring 2 medical officers photographed by J.B. Hostetler in 1918. Joseph Parsons Comegys was born November 21, 1866, in Covington, Kentucky to Cornelius Parsons and Sarah Jane (Good) Comegys. His maternal … Continue reading

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A Record Breaking Moment: The dance marathon of 1928

Doesn’t this ad make you curious? A dance marathon? How exciting! Dance marathons had been becoming more popular after World War I. What started off as little contests to see who could dance the longest and win a small prize … Continue reading

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The Circle of Life…and Deadly Intent

Recently a colleague used the phrase “going down the rabbit hole” and I laughed about it, thinking that happens a lot with family history research. In honor of October’s designation as Family History Month, here is a recent experience illustrating … Continue reading

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Davenporters of Note: “Pete” Macías

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month we are featuring Pete Macías, who died on June 10, 2021, at the age of 102. Mr. Macías was interviewed by students at Smart Intermediate in 2006 for the Iowa Stories oral history project. … Continue reading

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Becoming Iowa: Upper Mississippi: A Wilderness Saga by Walter Havighurst

2021 marks the 175th anniversary of Iowa’s statehood. On December 28, 1846, Iowa became the 29th state admitted into the Union. Commemorative publications, programs, and other events are planned by the Iowa Department of Culture Affairs and communities across the … Continue reading

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The Polar Bear Regatta

Fifty years ago this week, the Lindsay Park Sailing Club was preparing to hold its 12th Polar Bear Regatta on the Mississippi River. The annual sailing race was advertised in the September 26th, 1971 edition of Davenport Times-Democrat with these … Continue reading

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Dear Diary

Dear Diary, on September 22nd each year, we celebrate the way “you” help us document our lives.  Diaries offer us a glimpse into how we change and remind us of events long forgotten. Diaries also offer a reference for future … Continue reading

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The Davenport Levee: Come one, come all to the Owl Carnival!

With the creation of the Davenport Levee Commission in 1911 and the building of the seawall starting in 1912, life along the river front changed for Davenport citizens. Instead of a garbage filled area used mainly by boats loading and … Continue reading

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