Author Archives: SCblogger

A December Thanksgiving in Davenport, 1865

One hundred and fifty years ago this coming week, on December 7, 1865, Davenporters observed a memorable National Day of Thanksgiving. In the words of Iowa Governor William M. Stone’s proclamation, printed in the Davenport Daily Gazette on the 6th, … Continue reading

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The St. James Thanksgiving Feast: 1891

We have located another wonderful hotel menu printed in a local newspaper highlighting the amazing Thanksgiving feast awaiting hotel patrons at a local establishment. This year’s selection is from the Davenport Daily Leader, published on November 25, 1891 on page 5. The … Continue reading

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Turkey Notes: The 2015 additions

As loyal readers of this blog know, this is the time of the year when we share our favorite Turkey Notes submitted by staff of the Davenport Public Library. If you are not among our regular readers, our best explanation is … Continue reading

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A Veteran and a Friend

In honor of Veterans Day we would like to share a portion of an Oral History interview conducted on June 4, 2001. Interviewer: Susan Carlson, WWII/Korean War Oral History Project Veteran: Army PFC Kenneth Roy Plumb Enlisted June 1954. 82nd … Continue reading

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OMG! NARA AAD Passenger Lists FYI

Last month, staff from the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center listened in to the National Archives Virtual Genealogy Fair. One of the things we learned is that NARA’s Access to Archival Databases has indexed passenger lists available to search from home for FREE. There … 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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Genealogy Night is Almost Here!

This Sunday, October 25th from 3:00 – 8:00 p.m. the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center will be hosting Genealogy Night. Come take advantage of our closed library to research genealogy. Our staff will be available for guidance or to help you … Continue reading

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TRACES “Bus-eum”: At Home in the Heartland

On Thursday, October 22 from 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. the Eastern Avenue branch of the Davenport Public Library will be hosting the TRACES “Bus-eum”. This mobile museum is crossing Iowa sharing the history of the state in a retrofitted … Continue reading

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Beginning Genealogy Class and Genealogy Night!

In honor of National Family History Month, we’re offering a FREE Beginning Genealogy Class this Saturday October 10th from 9:30-10:30am at the Main Street Library. Learn how to get started researching your family history using the materials (and staff!) at the library. … Continue reading

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1925 Iowa State Census

This month as the Davenport Public Library celebrates The Big Read with F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 classic The Great Gatsby we are exploring the 1925 Iowa State Census which you may search for free on Family Search. Unlike the Federal … Continue reading

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