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Category Archives: Local History
Win for the Red and Blue: Davenport High School’s 1929 Basketball Championship
March Madness is fast approaching and local high school basketball teams are fighting to get to the state tournament. The first boys’ basketball team to win a state tournament for Davenport High School (now Central High School) was in 1913. … Continue reading
The Sepia Record, 1944
With thanks to our friends at the Friends of MLK, [1] the RSSC Center has recently acquired a copy of a publication that gives new insight into an understanding of the WWII-era Black community in the Quad-Cities. To celebrate Black … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged African Americans, Black History Month, Friends of MLK, Genealogy, Local History
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What Was In The Water In Davenport? – Books about Davenport Writers
We are thrilled to be hosting Marcia Noe on Saturday, February 24, 2023, at 1:30pm at The Library | Main to talk about her latest book: Three Midwestern Playwrights: How Floyd Dell, George Cram Cook, and Susan Glaspell Transformed American … Continue reading
Posted in Library, Local History
Tagged biography, Davenport (Iowa), local authors, Local History, Programs, visits
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Saying Farewell To A Local Legend: William “Bill” Wundram
How do you say goodbye to a local legend? William “Bill” Wundram passed away on February 14, 2023, at the age of 98 years. To describe Bill is not a simple task. Think a little of P.T. Barnum’s flair, a … Continue reading
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Preserving Local History
For over 30 years, the Davenport Public Library has dedicated space and staff for the purpose of collecting, preserving, and accessing the history of Davenport, Scott County, and the surrounding areas. In 1999, The Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center was made … Continue reading
Posted in Genealogy, Library, Local History
Tagged Davenport (Iowa), Davenport Public Library, Genealogy, Local History, Resources
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San Fran 49er Fan – Iowa Connections
If you watched last weekend’s NFL Divisional playoffs, you probably saw some Iowans in action! Did you know that San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, “Mr. Irrelevant”, was a very successful quarterback at Iowa State University? He seems pretty relevant … Continue reading
Interactive Map: Davenport’s Early Black Community
One of our favorite resources is accession 2004-67: African American residential patterns in Davenport, Iowa. Compiled by Craig R. Klein of Scott Community College, the collection consists of photocopied maps showing African American residential patterns in Davenport, Iowa in 1867, … Continue reading
St. Elizabeth’s Fire: Nurse Anna Neal
January 7th marked 73 years since the tragic St. Elizabeth’s fire occurred in Davenport, Iowa. A fire that not only changed safety standards locally but throughout the entire United States. Forty female patients and one nurse perished that freezing cold … Continue reading
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Armenian Refugees in Scott County
In the news a century ago this January was the question of admitting survivors of the Armenian genocide into the United States. [1] These articles beg the question: Were there Armenian immigrants who settled in Davenport and Scott County in … Continue reading
In Memoriam: Geraldine “Gerri” Bowers
On Christmas eve, we lost a dear friend, volunteer, colleague, and supporter, Gerri Bowers. We are deeply saddened by this loss, which will be felt by us at the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center and across our community. She was involved … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival, Davenport, Davenport Public Library, Genealogy, Iowa, obituaries
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