Author Archives: SCblogger

1910: “Alien” Women Arrive in Davenport

With the celebration of International Women’s Day this week and Women’s History Month, we are focusing our attention on the women who came to live in Davenport from other parts of the world in the early years of the twentieth … Continue reading

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Davenporters of Note: African American Soldiers in WWI

In celebration of Black History Month 2018, we have been searching for information on the African American soldiers from Davenport and Scott County who served in the U.S. Army one hundred years ago in the First World War. In October … Continue reading

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Newspaper Love Notes: February 14, 1918

In the February 14, 1918 issue of the Davenport Democrat, the marriage of locals Sgt. George Marsh Sheets and Louise Baird was celebrated in connection with a controversy over the conditions at Camp Cody in Deming, New Mexico. Named for LeClaire … Continue reading

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National Pizza Day 2018: The Quad Cities’ Pizza Pie Past

February 9th is National Pizza Day!  The first place to serve pizza in the Quad Cities was Tony’s Pizzeria, inside the Paddock Club in Rock Island, Illinois. Oscar Liske took over ownership of the club formerly known as The Horsehoe … Continue reading

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#ColorOurCollections

Celebrate the 3rd Annual #ColorOurCollections, a week-long coloring fest on social media, hosted by New York Academy of Medicine! From February 5th through 9th, libraries, archives, and other cultural institutions have created free coloring books and sheets from materials in … Continue reading

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The Origins of Davenport’s Friendly House

Friendly House has been serving the citizens of Davenport since 1896. With services such as childcare, an in-house food pantry, organized local outings, and events for seniors, Friendly House is a space specifically designed to aid and engage people of … Continue reading

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Aliens Among Us: Davenport’s German Immigrants and the Alien Enemy Registration Act of February 1918

One hundred years ago, in January of 1918, life during wartime was changing daily for local residents. A stream of federal and state government regulations arrived in Davenport and Scott County. Local officials began preparing for the registration of German alien … Continue reading

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Be A Tourist In Your Own Backyard

January 12th through the 15th is Be a Tourist in Your Own Backyard Weekend Each year, the Quad Cities Convention & Visitor’s Bureau partners with area businesses to offer deals on hotels, restaurants, shopping and attractions.  The Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center … Continue reading

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Fun in the Snow, 1960’s Style

Happy New Year from the staff at the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center! These images from our Davenport Parks and Recreation Department collection show locals enjoying winter weather apparently not as harsh as that of January 2018! The photographs were taken … Continue reading

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Advertising in the Great War: Supporting “Meatless” and “Wheatless” Days

One hundred years ago, as December 1917 ebbed into January 1918 the United States had  officially been in the Great War since April 6, 1917.  As more U.S. soldiers entered military training camps and went overseas, the need to ration … Continue reading

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