Category Archives: Local History

Reading Colors Your World: Colorized Postcards

Posted on June 30, 2021 by SCblogger

This year’s Summer Reading Program theme is Reading Colors Your World. We found some beautifully colorized postcards in our collection and thought it would be interesting to compare them to the black & white versions of the same image. We … Continue reading →

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River Bend Vision: United Voice of Pride

Posted on June 23, 2021 by SCblogger

River Bend Vision was a non-profit organization with the goal of “reaching out and providing a means of communication to gays and lesbians.” Their magazine/newsletter was published monthly beginning in June 1989, then bi-monthly from September 1990 through December 1991. … Continue reading →

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#Iowa175

Posted on June 16, 2021 by SCblogger

Iowa will celebrate the 175th anniversary of statehood this winter on December 28, 1846! Our department has been trying to spread the word and bring attention to the event in some small ways. We have been posting little bits of … Continue reading →

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The Moaning Ghost of Esplanade Avenue

Posted on June 12, 2021 by SCblogger

It was early summer in 1891 when talk began about the screams and moans coming from the woods near Esplanade Avenue in East Davenport. Those screams and moans sounded like a woman in distress, but no woman was ever seen. … Continue reading →

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Early Horticultural Pursuits in Scott County, Iowa

Posted on June 4, 2021 by SCblogger

On Tuesday evening, April 26, 1859, in the Davenport law offices of Howard Darlington, Esq., a constitution was adopted by a gathering of Scott County residents interested in forming a Horticultural Society. [1] The second article of the constitution announced … Continue reading →

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AAPI Heritage – Vietnamese Refugees in the Quad Cities

Posted on May 29, 2021 by SCblogger

By the summer of 1975, the first of the Vietnam War refugees evacuated from their country by U.S. forces began to arrive in the Quad-Cities. Organizations in Davenport, Rock Island, and Moline had pledged to help these families find housing … Continue reading →

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A Club for Singing and Fellowship: the Northwest Davenport Liedertafel Ladies

Posted on May 22, 2021 by SCblogger

On March 24, 1885, a small group of German immigrants organized to form the Northwest Davenport Liedertafel with ten active members, one of which was P.N. Jacobsen, and six passive members with Henry Restorf as music director (“Liedertafel has Big … Continue reading →

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May, Memorials, Mothers and Memories

Posted on May 12, 2021 by SCblogger

The month of May brings to mind flowers, mothers, and memorials to military members – some of whom made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Combining all three, today’s blog reflects on a few of Davenport’s Gold Star Mothers who … Continue reading →

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The Latest Craze: The Locomobile is here!

Posted on May 7, 2021 by SCblogger

May 2, 1900 found many citizens of Davenport waiting with great anticipation. Would it happen? Could it happen? All eyes were fixed on Mason’s Carriage Works at 122-124 East 4th Street. Their patience was soon rewarded. The day before, the … Continue reading →

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The May Dawn Bird Concert

Posted on May 1, 2021 by SCblogger

For the better part of the last century, Quad-City area birders looked forward to this day, the first Saturday in May, to enjoy the May Dawn Bird Concert. This unique springtime event was started by J.H. Paarman of the Davenport … Continue reading →

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