Follow us on Instagram!
Author Archives: SCblogger
The 911 of 1889
On the afternoon of February 8, 1889, the alarm at telephone patrol box number 3 at Front Street between Main and Brady Streets was sounded by an officer on patrol. It was the first alarm sounded on the week-old system that … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged Davenport, Davenport Police Department, Patrol Wagon, Telephone, Telephone Patrol Box
2 Comments
Meet Frank McElroy
Davenport has had its share of inventors and entrepreneurs over the years. Some, like Alexander F. Victor, with his 16mm film projector and eventual 80 patents, were a great success, revolutionizing their particular industry. Some . . . were not. … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged Automatic Shoe Shine Company, Frank McElroy, Inventors
Leave a comment
Our “Special” Visitors for 2009
This year, genealogists and history researchers came from all over the country to the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center, to use our wonderful resources. They came from far away to fill in the blank branches of their Family Trees. They found … Continue reading
Come to our Open House Putti Party!
As our loyal readers know, in 1905, W.C. Putnam generously donated to our library a reproduction of a frieze designed by Donatello in the 1400s. The frieze, which hung in the library’s auditorium for decades, was removed when the original … Continue reading
Posted in Library, Local History
Tagged Blackhawk Hotel, Carnegie Library, frieze, W. C. Putnam
2 Comments
More Tales of the Census: Special Schedules
Population was not the only information the United States government was interested in collecting during the decennial federal censuses. Non-population questions were equally important – and for we historians equally interesting! Over the years, these censuses included mortality, social statistics … Continue reading
Posted in Genealogy, Library
Tagged Agriculture Schedules, Federal Census, Genealogy, Iowa, Mortality Schedules, Special Schedules
Leave a comment
Tales of the Census
Soon, we will all be part of history. How, you wonder? In April of 2010, the new decennial United States Federal Census will be arriving in our mailboxes. The government will be mailing the questionnaire, as it is still not … Continue reading
Looking Back, Moving Forward
We at the Special Collections Center spend a lot of time searching the past. For the first post of 2010, we thought we’d take the time (no pun intended) to reflect on our own accomplishments over the past decade. We’re … Continue reading
Library Holiday Closings!
Our Special Collections Center (and the rest of the Davenport Public Library System as well) will be closed December 24, December 25, December 31 and January 1—that’s Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day. Otherwise, we … Continue reading
Posted in Library
Leave a comment
The Annual Musical Interlude
Our staff here at the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center celebrate the winter holidays each year by mailing cards to our wonderful volunteers, exchanging small gifts, enjoying enough chocolate to put the Hershey corporation firmly in the black for the year, … Continue reading
Winter Wonderland: 1909
Local children are currently doing their best to sled in the Quad City area. The existing snow is beginning to wear thin though, with the fresh white blanket beginning to mix with the dark browns of soil and old leaves. All eyes … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged Davenport (Iowa), Local History, Record Cold, snow, weather, Weather Records
Leave a comment
