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Category Archives: Local History
Floods of 1916: The February flood of water and ice
One hundred years ago, the Quad City region went through a double flood year. Not something they felt like celebrating, we feel sure. To make things a little more unpleasant; the first flood occurred from about January 30 through February 7, 1916. … Continue reading
Davenport and the Democratic “Reform Caucuses” of 1972
It seems you can’t swing a dead cat in Davenport prior to the start of the presidential primary season without hitting a hopeful come to drum up support among voters. Candidate visits, with their attendant media coverage, are such a common … Continue reading
Ida Johnson and United Neighbors, Inc. of Davenport
In celebration of the upcoming Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, Special Collections would like to feature Davenporter Ida Johnson, recipient of the 2001 Iowa Commission on the Status of African-Americans’ Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award exactly … Continue reading
A Look Back: Snow removal in the 1940s
We thought we would take a look back this week at snow removal in Davenport as we wait to see what kind of winter awaits us in 2016. The picture below shows the Davenport Public Works department hard at work … Continue reading
A Christmas “Fowl” on West 6th Street
While the holiday season is known for its colorful lights and joyful atmosphere, many of us find the hustle and bustle to be a little stressful as well. While we like to imagine that holidays past were more peaceful, we … Continue reading
Riefe’s Restaurant: A sad goodbye
It was 66 years ago that a father and son team opened what would become a landmark restaurant in west Davenport. Orval Riefe and his son, Del, opened Riefe’s Sno-Cone Drive-In at 1737 Fillmore Lane in 1948. Located between West … Continue reading
A December Thanksgiving in Davenport, 1865
One hundred and fifty years ago this coming week, on December 7, 1865, Davenporters observed a memorable National Day of Thanksgiving. In the words of Iowa Governor William M. Stone’s proclamation, printed in the Davenport Daily Gazette on the 6th, … Continue reading
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