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Category Archives: Local History
A Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home Friendship
Miss Emma Harper sent this portrait photo postcard to her friend Mamie Cypers at the Iowa Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home in May of 1914. This would have been a few months before 18-year-old Emma’s marriage to Clarence Van Auken in Davenport. … Continue reading
Frank Fecit, Part I
In celebration of spring we are contemplating the blue skies, green hillsides, and flowing waters in this charming 1875 view of Davenport, a recent acquisition for the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center and a fresh addition to the library’s catalog. Davenport, … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged artists, Frank I. Jervis, John W. Reps, lithographs, Local History, Mississippi River, prints, railroad bridge
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The Art of Cooking: St. Katharine’s Cookery Book
Looking through our archives, we came across a small book printed in 1913. The Saint Katharine’s Cookery Book is filled with recipes from students, faculty, and local supporters of the former girls’ boarding school. Please click here for more information … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged Alice French, Cook Book, Cookery Book, Octave Thanet, Recipes, Saint Katharine's, St. Katharine's School
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A Farewell to February
As February ends, we would like to celebrate the month of love with one last photo. This photograph of Frederick and Rhoda Denkmann of Rock Island, Illinois caught our attention with the unusual placement of the subjects facing each other … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged Augustana College, Chippianock Cemetery, Frederick Denkmann, Photographs, Rhoda Denkmann
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The Davenport Municipal Art Gallery
One hundred years ago this week, plans to house Charles A. Ficke’s art collection in the renovated Armory building (at 5th and Brady Streets) were presented to the Davenport City Council’s Committee of the Whole. This was the first step … Continue reading
Happy Valentine’s Day and Presidents Day!
Staff at the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Department at the Davenport Public Library would like to wish everyone a Happy Valentine’s Day. This Valentine’s house was built for the season in the old Conservatory at Vander Veer Botanical Park. Originally built … Continue reading
Hostetler’s Houses: West 8th and Vine Streets (cont’d)
This is a follow-up to the November 9, 2024 post identifying the four residences on West 8th and Vine Streets shown in this J.B. Hostetler panoramic photograph. As promised, information about the families who first lived in these homes is … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
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2024: An Overview!
The Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center had a wonderful 2024! From our in person events to our virtual offerings, we have encouraged our community and beyond to learn about Davenport, Scott County and Quad Cities history. Programming We visited the Palmer … Continue reading
Posted in Library, Local History
Tagged Davenport Public Library, Outreach, statistics
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The Central Junior High School Fire of 1949
It was an unusually warm, but windy evening on Sunday, December 11, 1949. It was shortly before 7:00 p.m. when Ruth Ann Brasnar and Merline Frost were walking near Central Junior High (607-611 21st Street) in Rock Island, Illinois. The … Continue reading
Victor Animatograph Company of America
Davenport and the other Quad Cities have a robust and vibrant industrial history. This region saw the development of many new technologies that have impacted the rest of the country and the world. One such example is the Victor Animatograph … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged Alexander Victor, Davenport (Iowa), Films, Local History, Resources, Victor Animatograph Company
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