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Category Archives: Local History
Chronicling America: The Bystander
It’s no secret that newspapers can be a wonderful resource for history and genealogy, but many early newspapers—ones from smaller communities or with shorter or less frequent publishing runs— have remained secrets, or at least inaccessible, to the average researcher. … Continue reading
Davenporters of Note: Charles William Toney
Charles William Toney was born in LaCrosse, Wisconsin on August 23rd, 1913 to Wilber and Stella Toney. He attended Clinton High School in Clinton, Iowa, and was on the swim team. This led to his first fight for civil rights … Continue reading
It’s all about the records . . .
Today the Quad-Cities are enjoying a record-breaking cold temperature of -21 degrees, surpassing the old 1885 record of -15 degrees. Meanwhile in Sochi, Russia Olympians are attempting to perform their best and earn their way into the record books as … Continue reading
Posted in Library, Local History
Tagged A. J. Preston & Co, Andrew J. Preston, new resources, Steamboat Bills of Lading
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A Simple Ceremony: The Wedding of Elsa Petersen and Phillip Sonntag
The wedding of Elsa Gertrude Petersen and Phillip Arthur Sonntag was a quiet affair. The couple was married in the evening of February 22, 1910, at the home of the bride’s mother. Only family were invited; in fact, the officiant, … Continue reading
By the Light of the Moon (Law)
When Iowa entered statehood, many cities were granted Special Charters to help them with municipal administration while the Iowa State Legislature was still trying to get off the ground. The Charters regulated everything from elections to street maintenance, city clerk … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged Davenport (Iowa), Ernst Wenzel, Ficke & Ficke, Iowa, laws, Moon Law, Prohibition, Special Charter Cities
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Spanning the Years: the Iowa-Illinois Memorial Bridge
Preparations for the new 1-74 bridge across the Mississippi River have been making headlines in our area newspapers lately, so we thought it was time to take a look at the bridge that’s been connecting the two halves of the … Continue reading
A Gold Star – or Badge: The Davenport Police Department’s 175th Anniversary
We were excited to see an article in the January 16, 2014 Quad City Times about the Davenport Police Department’s 175th Anniversary. What a monumental occasion. In celebration, current officers are sporting badges reminiscent of those worn by their predecessors in the … Continue reading
Posted in Genealogy, Local History
Tagged City Marshal, Davenport Police Department, George Colt, Police Badges, W. H. Patton
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Simple Beauty: The Wedding of Miss Blanche Boggess and Frank Edwin Gorman
On January 10, 1912, Blanche Elizabeth Boggess married Frank Edwin Gorman in a ceremony at the Rock Island home of her parents, 926 Seventeenth Street. Miss Boggess was an active member in the social circles of Rock Island, Illinois, while … Continue reading
A New (Old) Look at the Iowa Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home
For many of us, when the name Iowa Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home or Annie Wittenmyer Home is mentioned we think of the beautiful two-story red brick cottages that exist today on the site. These were not the original buildings that the … Continue reading
A Very P.S.C. Christmas
Recently, as we were searching for an obituary in the Davenport Democrat for December 17, 1922, we found an advertisement for the P.S.C Cafeteria at the “top of Brady Street Hill.” Naturally, we were curious. With a little further searching, … Continue reading
