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Category Archives: Local History
Come to our Open House Putti Party!
As our loyal readers know, in 1905, W.C. Putnam generously donated to our library a reproduction of a frieze designed by Donatello in the 1400s. The frieze, which hung in the library’s auditorium for decades, was removed when the original … Continue reading
Posted in Library, Local History
Tagged Blackhawk Hotel, Carnegie Library, frieze, W. C. Putnam
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Looking Back, Moving Forward
We at the Special Collections Center spend a lot of time searching the past. For the first post of 2010, we thought we’d take the time (no pun intended) to reflect on our own accomplishments over the past decade. We’re … Continue reading
Winter Wonderland: 1909
Local children are currently doing their best to sled in the Quad City area. The existing snow is beginning to wear thin though, with the fresh white blanket beginning to mix with the dark browns of soil and old leaves. All eyes … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged Davenport (Iowa), Local History, Record Cold, snow, weather, Weather Records
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A Quiet Salute to a Friend: Officer Michael Farnsworth
On December 5, 1971, five men entered the Quality Motel on Main Street and forced their way into the room of Davenport Police Patrolman Leon Washington. The men hit Officer Washington and tied him up, then stole three automatic pistols, … Continue reading
Let’s Talk Turkey (Notes)
It’s what you’ve been waiting for all year: our annual Turkey Note blog post! Since we’ve pretty much covered the basics last year, we thought we’d share some staff-created, Special Collections\library-oriented Turkey Notes for the enjoyment of our loyal readers. … Continue reading
Special Collections Closed for Thanksgiving!
Special Collections and the Davenport Public Library will be closed on Thursday, November 26, 2009 so that staff may celebrate Thanksgiving with their friends and family. The library will be open Friday November 27th at 9:30. We apologize for any … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
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Happy “Franksgiving!”
Turkey Red, Turkey Blue, Turkey Says, “Happy Franksgiving to You!” No, rest assured this is not a blog about Halloween crossing over into Thanksgiving. This is just a brief peak at a moment in history when the United States struggled … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged Depression, FDR, Franksgiving, Holiday, Roosevelt, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Day, Turkey, World War Two
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In Honor of Veteran’s Day
We thank all military personnel in the past and in the present for their service to our country. We also thank those veterans who were kind enough to allow us to add their memories to our Oral History project, which includes the interviews of Harold … Continue reading
Just Shelved: Germans, Canadians, and Iowans–Oh, My!
We are now the proud owners of volume 25 and 26 of Kevin M. Hansen’s Map Guide to German Parish Registers. These volumes primarily contain information on the Lutheran and Catholic parishes of the Kingdom of Saxony, but other churches are also … Continue reading
WOC-TV: A not so Spooky Anniversary
Something not so spooky, but pretty spectacular happened on October 31, 1949. Without a ribbon cutting or speeches, another brain child of B. J. Palmer (of chiropractic fame) came to life. On that day, a television signal from Palmer’s WOC-TV … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged B. J. Palmer, Gambling, KWQC-TV, Palmer, Palmer College of Chiropractic, Puppets, Sports, T.V., Television, WOC-TV
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