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Category Archives: Local History
Dr. Jennie McCowen’s “Women In Iowa” (1884)
What better way to celebrate both Women’s History Month and Iowa History Month than to highlight an historic essay about Iowa women written by a woman of Davenport, Iowa for a journal of Iowa history? “Women of Iowa” appeared in … Continue reading
Come Tarry A While: Special Collections on Display at All Three Locations!
The Richardson-Sloane Special Collections staff members designed four displays highlighting materials from its collection. Displays are scheduled to be at each library location throughout the year on a quarterly rotation. Each of the displays discussed below will be at that … Continue reading
Posted in Library, Local History
Tagged Davenport (Iowa), Davenport Public Library, displays, Local History, Resources
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Total Eclipse of the Sun: March 7, 1970
April 8, 2024 will be an exciting day in the Quad Cities as we are expecting the first solar eclipse in our area in 54 years. We are expected to get an 83.70% view of the full eclipse at 1:58 … Continue reading
Albert Nuckols: Two Views
We close out Black History Month 2024 with a comparison of two images of Davenporter Albert Nuckols (d. 1889). The first, dating from 1868 to 1870, conveys the Reconstruction hope for the participation of newly-enfranchised African Americans into United States … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
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UMVDIA Spotlight: Wolverine Orchestra in the Gennett Recording Studios, Richmond, Indiana
On February 18, 1924, eight men of the Wolverine Orchestra gathered together to record their music in Richmond, Indiana at Gennett Records. This Midwestern recording studio was founded by Starr Piano Company in 1917. It was active from 1917 to … Continue reading
A Valentine for Special Collections
Love it! A timely Valentine’s Day surprise arrived this week at the RSSC Center, just as we were puzzling over our blog post about the holiday. It was a box of Valentine’s cards belonging to a Davenport girl! Frances Helen … Continue reading
Winter Works
We salute all those who are working outdoors this snowy, icy, rainy January of 2024! Of the many projects undertaken by the Civil Works Administration in Scott County during the Great Depression, two of those directed by the Davenport Park … Continue reading
Snowy Scenes of Davenport Past
As the second major storm of the second week of 2024 approaches, we invite you to enjoy these snowy scenes of Davenport past from somewhere safe indoors! Unless otherwise noted, the images below are from the Davenport Chamber of Commerce … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
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A Winter Library Visit: The Independent Baking Company
We always enjoy looking at this picture taken in the mid-to-late 1910s at the Independent Baking Company at 2429 Rockingham Road. It is a winter scene with the librarian checking books in and out for children dressed against the cold … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged bookmobile, Friendly House, Independent Baking Company, Library Stations, Winter
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Davenporters in the Domain
This coming Monday, January 1, 2024, we celebrate “Public Domain Day,” when copyright protections under U.S. law expire for books published in the year 1928. Works such as D.H. Lawrence’s Lady Chatterly’s Lover, Virginia Woolf’s Orlando, W.E.B. Du Bois’ Dark … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged Charles Edward Russell, copyright, Local History, public domain, Susan Glaspell
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