Author Archives: SCblogger

Living Memory History: The Robin Hood Flour Mill Explosion

Posted on May 24, 2010 by SCblogger

History is full of landmark events—world, national, local— which bring people together to compare notes: Did you see it?  Did you hear it? What were you doing?  Were you there? Those in downtown Davenport experienced their own landmark event around … Continue reading →

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Calling All Genealogists (and Historians): Free Stuff!

Posted on May 17, 2010 by SCblogger

Genealogists (and historians) love free stuff. I think that’s because almost everything genealogists do costs money—copies of vital records, paying for research in some far off place, gas money to travel to the cemeteries or a great library (ahem). Well, … Continue reading →

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Davenporters of Note: Samuel Francis Smith

Posted on May 10, 2010 by SCblogger

  Son of the highly respected man who composed the   lyrics to “America”; one time Mayor of Davenport,   charter member of Davenport National Bank,   organizer, director and attorney for Union Savings   Bank; president of the Iowa Bankers’ Association; … Continue reading →

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Feeling a Little “Bugged”: Part IV

Posted on May 3, 2010 by SCblogger

 (Part I may be found here; Part II may be found here; Part III is here) When last we left our less-than-happy band of Socialist politicians; the conservative socialists were worried about radicals taking over not only the Socialist Party, but also the … Continue reading →

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Feeling a Little “Bugged”: Part III

Posted on April 26, 2010 by SCblogger

 (Part I may be found here; Part II may be found here, Part IV may be found here) Last we read, Socialist City Electrician Harry Strong was being fingerprinted and questioned by Police Chief Charles Boettcher in Mayor Charles Barewald’s office in connection … Continue reading →

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Feeling a Little “Bugged”: Part II

Posted on April 19, 2010 by SCblogger

(Part I may be found here, Part III may be found here, Part IV may be found here ) By January 1921, Davenporters were probably questioning the success of their first (and, so far, last) Socialist majority city council which had taken office … Continue reading →

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A Capitol (Theatre) Idea

Posted on April 13, 2010 by SCblogger

There has been much in the local news of late regarding the Capitol Theatre, which opened December 25, 1920, and which will be closing in a few months. We thought we’d take the opportunity to share the history of this … Continue reading →

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Feeling a Little “Bugged”: Part I

Posted on April 6, 2010 by SCblogger

Sometimes we (maybe it is just me, but I feel better imagining this happens to my co-workers too) find ourselves distracted when doing research in Special Collections.  Just the other week I came across a little side paragraph in an old newspaper … Continue reading →

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In Memoriam: Marion G. Crandell

Posted on March 30, 2010 by SCblogger

Marion G. Crandell was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on April 25, 1872.  She went to school in Cedar Rapids and Omaha, and attended the Sorbonne University in Paris, before residing with her brother for a short time in Alameda, … Continue reading →

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Kathryn Kirschbaum: First Woman Mayor of Davenport

Posted on March 25, 2010 by SCblogger

Kathryn Kirschbaum was born August 30, 1931, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Frank and Esther (Kiplinger) Goll. She graduated from Denison College in Grandville, Ohio, in 1953 with a degree in “Citizenship”. She was First Lieutenant in the Army Medical Corps … Continue reading →

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