#Iowa175Celebration at The Library | MAIN this Thursday, August 19th from 4:30-7:30 PM, kicking off the Alternating Currents weekend with a fun event of history, music, and culture celebrating the 175th anniversary of Iowa’s statehood! This free event features Charcuterie Boards designed by area shops showcasing their Iowa specialties for your sampling and purchasing pleasure. Joining us for the evening will be:
Oh So Sweet by Tiphanie Cookies and Dreams Fox and Honey Chill Ice Cream and Eats Chocolate Manor Unimpaired MAD Bakery Out on A Limb Pie Co. Iron and Grain Coffee HyVee of Bettendorf FRIENDS of DPL
Hy Vee will demonstrate how to create Charcuterie Boards featuring Iowa specialties at 6 PM. Music courtesy of QC Beats artists, Soultru and Poor Bill, can be enjoyed 4:30-6 PM. Our terrific vendors, photo ops, book and historic displays featuring 175 years of Davenport and Iowa, and kids’ crafts make this a must-attend family event! And it is ALL FREE!
Image of a party hat for the event, orgami goldie, stickers, sample of a raft craft, and the event’s charcuterie board.
FREE SAMPLES PURCHASE FROM YOUR FAVORITE VENDORS SWAG BAGS TAKE-HOME RAFT CRAFT FAMILY PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES ARTS AND CRAFTS FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES CHANCES TO WIN FREE CHARCUTERIE BOARDS
We must admit, our title may be a little bit misleading as the town of Bethany in Scott County, Iowa most likely should fall under the category of the town that never was. But the story of Bethany has inspired us to look into local ghost towns for future blogs.
Thomas McGovern platted the town of Bethany on February 5, 1855 in Scott County, Iowa land records. Located on the west side of Hickory Grove Road in what is now northwest Davenport, it contained five streets running east to west with each block having an alley. In total, there were fourteen lots in Bethany. The town was platted between Hickory Grove Road and the railroad tracks not far from the area known as Five Points. As for the name Bethany? The reason McGovern chose the name seems to have been lost not too long after the town was founded.
1857 Hogane & Lambach Map
By 1921, the town was surrounded by the city of Davenport as it expanded its city limits. Bethany had never been developed, no city government existed, and those in northwest Davenport claimed that the area rarely had more than one house on the property. Sometimes the resident population of Bethany was one or maybe a few more depending on the size of the family on the property at any given time.
Combined Atlases of Scott County, Iowa, 1894.
Even land records varied with how the name was recorded. Sometimes Town of Bethany was used while other times it was recorded as Bethany Addition as when Max A. Giersch and wife sold Mrs. Lizzie Jessen lots 1, 2, 3, and 4 in March 1915 for just over $5,000.
By 1921, Mrs. Jessen and real estate businessman Thomas Agar (who owned the rest of the town lots) had a wish to dissolve the town of Bethany. They petitioned the district court in August of that year to vacate the plat of the town and give Jessen and Agar title to the streets and alleys in addition to the lots they owned.
The story of Bethany spread across the state of Iowa via newspapers. People were fascinated by the story of the state’s smallest town that never really was a town. On September 19, 1921, the petition appeared in district court and was approved.
The land eventually was annexed into the City of Davenport and is today part of the Golden Gate Park Addition which was accepted by Davenport City Council in June 1929. The main road in the subdivision, besides Hickory Grove Road, is Frisco Road.
Plat Map of the City of Davenport, Iowa c. 1940s.
We hope to one day discover the meaning behind the name of Bethany. In the meantime, we will be searching out other ghost towns and lost cities of Scott County to share with you all.
(posted by Amy D.)
Sources:
The Davenport Democrat and Leader, March 4, 1915. Pg. 12
The Davenport Democrat and Leader, August 14, 1921. Pg. 14
The Davenport Democrat and Leader, September 8, 1921. Pg. 4
The Daily Times, September 24, 1921. Pg. 7
The Davenport Democrat and Leader, September 25, 1921. Pg. 21
Plat Map of the City of Davenport, Iowa. c 1940s. Pg. 10
Combined Atlases of Scott County, Iowa, 1882, 1894, 1905, 1915.
“Gosch’s White Pit Battler” The Daily Times, October 20, 1906
Inspired by “Mr. Worldwide” Pitbull’s performance this weekend at the Great Mississippi Valley Fair we set out to find other notable Quad-City “pit bull” terriers. We found a nice photo of a registered pup owned by William Henry Gosch in 1906.
First, a little bit about the owner:
William Henry Gosch was born on June 15, 1879 in Davenport to Henry and Anna (Waspi) Gosch. He was a private in Co. B of the 50th Iowa Infantry during the Spanish-American War. He worked in his father’s meat market at Third and Oak Streets. William married Kathryn Ann LaMar on January 7, 1903 in Davenport and Carolyn Kindle on February 3, 1915. He was the organizer of the Davenport Boat Club and was its first commodore in 1908. He was Alderman-at-Large from 1910 – 1917. He was employed at the Rock Island Arsenal starting in 1917 as a toolmaker, joined the file department in 1934, and finally as a guard. William H. Gosch died January 19, 1935 at his home 1615 Marquette Street.
Butch and his ancestors:
“Butch” was whelped on September 18, 1905 out of “Sadie Mac” by “Robinson’s Pat” in Topeka, Kansas by breeder James F. McCabe. Butch was registered in the American Kennel Club Stud Book vol. 23 and assigned the number 96103. Other dogs in his pedigree were “General”, “Bob Tail Bob,” “Nell,” “Turk,” “Old Paddy,” and “Old Turk.”
Butch’s mom “Sadie Mac” was whelped June 9, 1902 out of “Spry Girl” by “Major” in Croton, Ohio by breeder H.R.P. Miller. Other dogs in her pedigree were “Lady Spry,” “Jack the Ripper,” “The Queen,” “Chicago Girl,” “Old Watch,” “Maud,” and “Miss Beauty.”
We made this pedigree chart with the information from the American Kennel Club Stuf Book Register, vols. 22 & 23, 1905-1906.
Earlier this month, local officials confirmed e-commerce giant Amazon’s plans to build a robotics fulfillment center west of the Davenport Municipal Airport. This is not the first time, however, an enterprise with the name “Amazon” has done business in this city.
Advertisement from the Davenport Daily Times, 25 Nov 1905
In the year 1882, William M. Smith, L. Wahle, and B. H. Raphael incorporated the Amazon Vinegar & Pickling Works with $50K in capital and a facility in southwest Davenport reported to be the “largest in the state.” Smith had been manufacturing vinegar since 1871 in partnership with Edwin Fay; the pair also made paper and bags. In August 1880, however, the “most destructive fire known in Davenport in a year” ravaged the Fay & Smith buildings at 122-126 E Front St (River Drive), and Smith began focusing his energies on reviving the vinegar part of the business on his own.
Davenport Daily Times, 22 Jan 1917
In 1884, W.M. Smith sold his interest in the works to Frank W. Smith (unrelated), but remained its business manager until 1886, when he left to run a farm in Butler Township. He retired and returned to Davenport in 1901, passing away in January 1917. He was the father of thirteen children (m. 1863 to Clara Goetsch) and a veteran of the Civil War, having served the Union Army in the 20th Iowa Infantry, Co. C, in the battles at Prairie Grove, Vicksburg, and Fort Blakely.
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, Davenport, Iowa, 1886 (Library of Congress)
Despite fires, cold snaps, thefts, battles with railroad companies, and nuisance complaints (calls to clean up the “filth” that had accumulated in the slough behind the factory in 1889), the Amazon Vinegar & Pickling Works, while “not a gold mine,” remained “one of the solid and substantial industries of Davenport” into the twentieth century under the management of F. W. “Vinegar” Smith.
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, Davenport, Iowa, 1892 (Library of Congress)
Advertising Cards – Postcard Collection – PC 010
Advertisement from the Half-Century Democrat, 22 Oct 1905
Davenport Democrat and Leader, 6 Jan 1919
Entrepreneur Janet Burgess began a mail-order period costume pattern business in Davenport in the 1980s. She chose to repurpose the Amazon Vinegar & Pickling Works name and logo from the original company’s stationery (if only we had a sample in our collections!), adding “drygoods” at the end:
Ephemera collection – Business and Industry – Amazon Drygoods catalog, Summer 1988
A “fitting” heir to the Amazon run by two Smiths who served in the Civil War, Burgess specialized in fashions from that time period for re-enactors! In explaining in her catalog why she took on the Amazon name, she made sure her customers knew “any resemblance to the owner’s stature or temperament is purely intentional.”
Do you associate particular foods with specific events or places? I was watching the Wimbledon tennis tournament and immediately wanted strawberries and cream. Viewing the John Deere Classic golf tournament on TV made me recall the delicious pork chop sandwiches I used to enjoy many years ago when I attended. A Facebook group I belong to from my hometown often brings up longings for the wonderful chocolate rolls we all adored from our little town bakery, lamenting where the recipe might be found.
Davenport and the Quad City area can boast foodie favorites, too. Before Riefe’s restaurant closed a few years ago, we loved to order their fried chicken and evidently they were also famous for their Key Lime Pie. I found the recipe in one of the cookbooks in our collection, Davenport/Central Centennial Cookbook published in 2004.
Who remembers Bishop Buffets? My father loved to go there. My favorite was this dessert!
Although undated, there are several recipes “submitted by Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy, wife of President John Kennedy” leading one to narrow a publishing date of 1961-1963 for The Green Tree Cook Book.
Another restaurant going strong in the 1960s was the Plantation, later known as Velie’s, across the river in Moline. Evidently their salad dressing was to-die for. There have been a lot of copycat recipes, but this one seems pretty authentic, and Mrs. Graham signed her name to it! I found it in The Best of the Open Line Bulletin – August 1963.
PLANTATION SALAD DRESSING
1-pint mayonnaise 1 bottle creamy French dressing 1 can grated Romano cheese 2 chopped garlics ½ tube anchovy paste
Mix in blender and store in refrigerator. (This is the recipe for the dressing used in the Plantation Restaurant in Moline Illinois.) Use dressing on mixed lettuce, radishes and tomatoes. Just before serving, break in melba toast and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. (Mrs. Ivan Graham, Davenport, Ia.)
In a 2003 fundraising effort to build a branch library on the west side of Davenport (Fairmount Library) the Davenport Public Library Staff pulled together some history and recipes for this cookbook, including favorites from some local restaurants. This popular recipe was also shared in a 2015 Bill Wundram Quad City Times newspaper column where credit was given to Helen Stoefen, who apparently worked at Petersen’s Tea Room and made the spread for years. Evidently the spread was served on “toast points”. The tasty spot was located in the basement of the building we now know as the Redstone.
According to a handwritten history in our collection (#2010-11 History of a Davenport Neighborhood by Ruth Peters) Walcher’s Bakery was located on the southwest corner of 8th and Marquette. In another Quad City Times Wundram piece, this time from 2014, he was describing things he missed.
“THE LITTLE BAKERIES that were here and there on corners of our towns. Downtown Davenport had luscious places like the Bon Ton and Federal Bake Shop. Out in the neighborhoods, there were places like Walcher’s Bakery, which made the best cream horns in all the universe. Bakeries like Walcher’s were so friendly that they would bake a ham for your Easter dinner in their big ovens and not charge you a dime.”
We didn’t locate a cream horn recipe (darn!) but did include one for Walcher’s German Black Bread in our little cookbook.
Shannon’s Restaurant was before my time in Davenport, operating from 1916-1979 at 116 West Third Street however many on our staff raved about it. We included six recipes from Shannon’s in our Novel Cuisine cookbook, but I stumbled upon another that was published in a Dispatch-Argus “Curious Cook” column by Liz Meegan in 2008.
Shannon’s Pea Salad
2 cans (16 ounces each) peas, drained 2 to 3 hard-cooked eggs, chopped 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup sweet relish 1/2 to 3/4 cup cubed Cheddar cheese Miracle Whip, 1/2 cup or more if needed for taste
Just mix all together (the first five ingredients), and add the Miracle Whip.
I can vouch for the last recipe from our cookbook as I made it right away in 2003! I honestly can’t recall if I stored it in a glass jar with a rubber ring under the lid, though.
Do any of the above seem familiar? What old favorites do you find yourself hungering for? Maybe the recipe is awaiting you right here in the cookbook collection at the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center. Now excuse me please. I’m off to try Shannon’s Pea Salad recipe for supper!
Almost 60 years ago, 40 youngsters with empty stomachs prepared for a contest of feasting upon desserts of apple, cherry, boysenberry, or pineapple. We found this playful article while we were doing research and knew we had to write about it. As a plus, we were delighted to connect this article to a collection we have of The Daily Times negatives. The Davenport, Iowa Daily Times Newspaper Morgue Collection holds thousands of images taken by the staff of The Daily Times in the early 1960s of a variety of events and places they reported on. During this time period Davenport’s two major newspapers, The Daily Times and The Democrat and Leader, merged to form the Times-Democrat. Some issues of the newspapers published had headers stating The Daily Times or the Times-Democrat.
In the article, three young Davenporters, Decker Ploehn, Pat Duffy, and Tom Genz are featured testing out their pie-eating skills at Garfield Playground. They, unfortunately, did not win the prize: a ribbon and a pie. It appears that they had fun and left satisfied. The fastest eater was Phil Kent who “downed the whole pie in exactly 53 seconds.” He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Byron Kent of 3103 Middle Road.
“Pie Eating – Davenport Playground Style.” The Daily Times. August 13, 1962, page 19.
Photographs by Bob Swanson of The Daily Times, Davenport, Iowa
“Decker Ploehn anxiously watches the timekeeper as he downs a large piece of pie. Watching his technique are other boys and girls whose turns were still coming up.”“Halfway through his wedge of pie, little Pat Duffy has to stop to chew and catch his breath as playmates do their best to distract him.”“A systematic pie eater is Tom Genz. He took small, but rapid, bites and appeared unmindful that he was racing against the clock. Time still came out in the Garfield Playground contest as one capable of completing a full meal in a half-hour lunch period.”
We traced the popularity of pie-eating contests through the pages and years of the newspaper from 1905 to 1991. In the photo gallery below, we would like to share some fun events featuring activities of devouring this versatile dessert. They range from school and employee picnics to festivals and fairs.
“The Blue Grass School Picnic.” The Davenport Democrat and Leader. May 28, 1905, page 8.
“Medical Journal is for Pie-eating.” The Davenport Democrat and Leader. September 12, 1912, page 4.
“P.N. Jacobsen’s Employes’ Outing.” The Daily Times. August 2, 1915, page 4.
“Grotto Picnic is Fun Event; 500 are There.” The Daily Times. August 5, 1916, page 9.
“Washington School Club has Picnic.” The Davenport Democrat and Leader. July 22, 1917, page 6.
“Pie Eating Contests.” The Davenport Democrat and Leader. September 8, 1950, page 21
“Youngsters Engage in Feast As City Playground Season Ends.” The Davenport Democrat and Leader. August 17, 1951, page 7.
“5,000 Attend Blue Grass Celebration.” The Daily Times. July 21, 1958, page 13.
“Blue Grass Raises $1,500 at Festival.” The Daily Times. July 18, 1960, page 11.
“Still up to their old tricks, students get faces in the pies.” Quad City Times. November 1, 1991, page 21.
We would like to delight your taste buds and inspire you to have your own pie-eating contests with recipes from our Local Cookbook Collection. We attempted to select recipes based on the four flavors from the 1962 Davenport Playground Style Pie-Eating Contest. The only recipe we were unable to find was one for boysenberry.
“They Don’t Bake It Like They Used To Old Time Recipes.” [Rock Island, Illinois]: Great River Bend Area Agency on Aging, [1986].
“Gooseberry Pie”, page 143.
“Out of this World Cherry Pie”, page 140.
Harrison PTA. “Harrison PTA Cookbook.” Bettendorf, IA: The Printery, 1986.
“Busy Day Cherry Pie”, page 123.
“Norwegian Apply Pie”, page 128.
Our Lady of Victory Parish. “Our Family Cook Book.” Iowa Falls, Iowa: General Publishing and Binding, 1974.
“Pineapple Ritz Pie”, page 79.
“Farm Apple Pie”, page 82.
St. Alphonsus Church. “St. Alphonsus Church Cookbook.” Iowa Falls, Iowa: General Publishing and Binding, 1980.
“Tangy Hawaiian Pie”, page 154.
Scottish Rite Masons. “The Scottish Rite Masons Valley of Davenport Cookbook.”
We’ve been enjoying cool breezes the past two days after a streak of hot and humid Midwestern weather. This unexpected cool down has brought many of us outside to enjoy the fresh air away from our air conditioned homes.
All that fresh air had our minds turning back to the days before air conditioning was standard in houses, apartments, and businesses. The time when outdoor porches became an extra living space in warm weather.
As Davenport expanded in the late 1800s into the early 1900s, people moved farther away from downtown with its apartment buildings and small houses built close together. They moved north towards Locust Street and into the hills of East Davenport. These developing areas provided shady trees, houses spread further apart, and the ability to catch a breeze was a little easier than the more crowded downtown area.
These new subdivisions featured houses with front porches that were covered against sun and rain. With chairs, tables, shades, plants, and rugs added during the summer months; it became an oasis from the stuffier rooms inside.
Larger homes built by wealthier residents featured not only front porches, but sun rooms and back patios as well to relax or entertain in.
Fortunately for us, it was also a wonderful place to have photos taken with natural light so their beauty has been preserved in photographs. We thought we would share a few images from our collection to remember this warm weather living space.
Mrs. Mary Burdick of 105 College Avenue is featured in her home’s sun room or rear porch. Her husband, Anthony Burdick, was president of the First National Bank in Davenport. Taken about 1910, this photo shows a well-to-do home with separate seating and work areas and curtained windows or screens. The modern address is 833 College Avenue.
Mrs. Anthony Burdick c. 1910. DPLVolume 55. Image dplx535b.
Mr. & Mrs. Julius Hasler had their photo taken on their porch between 1901 and 1908. Located at 1002 Brady Street, you can see the details of a brick porch column and the large window that would have allowed air and sunlight into the home.
Hanging swings were very popular as they not only allowed for swinging and enjoying a summer breeze, but also were found to be easy to clean under and store in the winter months. Seat cushions and pillows made the swing a pleasant place to relax.
Plants (especially ferns) were frequently found on porches as they added color, nature, and a little privacy if strategically placed on railings.
The Hasler home was torn down in 1920 with the expansion of the Palmer Chiropractic College campus.
Julius and Josephine Hasler c. 1901 – 1908. DPLVolume 32. Image dplx529-4.
The picture of what appears to be a mother and young infant is labeled as belonging to George McCandless. It most likely dates to circa 1910 and is a wonderful examples of a middle class family in Davenport at that time. The picture window on the right of the image is smaller than that of the Hasler family. Possibly indicating a newer built home or a home of more modest means.
The porch swing is well padded with a cushion and pillow. Besides the woman and child, the wooden shade is a main focus of the picture for researchers. These shades were extremely popular in the early twentieth century as they could be raised and lowered depending on the needs of the family. Linden wood and bamboo were two popular materials used for porch shades.
Porch shades were very popular in neighborhoods where the houses might be located closer together. They provided privacy, but also allowed for air and light to circulate on the porch. Shades also gave protection from glaring sunlight during the brightest part of the day.
Photo of woman and infant labeled George McCandless c. 1910. DPLVolume 57. Image dplx54..
We feel certain that parents loved a large porch in the summer (or maybe year round) for growing children. A place for them to play, read, or relax outside of the house. This picture of the E. A. Young family shows four children on a roomy porch.
The door on the right rear of the photo indicates the porch was most likely screened making the summer nights even more enjoyable without mosquitoes and flies joining your gathering.
Well placed area rugs could be swept clean while allowing a comfortable place for children to play. The furniture is placed against the walls of the house to allow for greater space.
The size of the porch indicates it most likely was part of a larger family residence. We aren’t sure if the size of the porch or the hair bows impressed us more.
E. A. Young family. ca. 1912. DPLVolume 71. Image dplx696a.
We thought we would end with this picture of Lavonius W. Petersen and his wife, Annette. This couple had their photo taken about 1905 at about the ages of 77 and 74. They are pictured in a peaceful setting surrounded by plants and trees with a comfortable rug beneath their feet while relaxing on a beautifully crafted porch. While we know the couple lived at 530 Western Avenue, we do not know if the picture was taken there or not as no porch exists today at that location.
This couple, who had raised seven children with three surviving in the 1900 United States Census, look as though they had earned the right to relax in this beautiful setting and reflect on their many years and experiences together.
L. W. Petersen ca. 1905. DPLVolume 51. Image dplx490.
We hope you have a chance to enjoy this beautiful summer weather and maybe have created an oasis of your own to enjoy. Remember to take a picture to save for future generations!
We found some beautifully colorized postcards in our collection and thought it would be interesting to compare them to the black & white versions of the same image. We also discovered that WordPress has a new way of displaying images that allows you to compare photos in a fun and easy way.
Click and drag the button in the middle of each image to swipe between black & white and color!
Public Library, Davenport, Iowa – Libraries PC005 [1915] and PC010 [n.d.]
Benevolent Order of Elks club house – Buildings PC106 [1914] and PC107 [n.d.]
St. Luke’s Hospital, Davenport, Iowa – PC006 [1910] and PC007 [n.d.]
River Bend Vision was a non-profit organization with the goal of “reaching out and providing a means of communication to gays and lesbians.” Their magazine/newsletter was published monthly beginning in June 1989, then bi-monthly from September 1990 through December 1991. We have an incomplete run (missing June, July, August, and November of 1989) in our collection.
The publication was started by Jack L. Johnson, a Moline native who had just moved back to the Quad Cities after living in San Diego and San Francisco. He saw a need for more openness towards people in the LGBTQ community and a way for them to connect with each other outside of the bar scene.
Each issue contained a directory of services that catered to the gay and lesbian community such as nightclubs, video stores, and book stores. Other sections in the magazine included personal ads; opinion/letters to the editor; local and national news about legislation affecting the community; gay and lesbian history/herstory; original writing in the form of poetry, short stories, and comic strips; book, movie, music, and business reviews; safe sex and medical advice, and even some recipes.
Issues were mailed to subscribers in plain white envelopes and the subscription list was confidential. Only first names were used and code numbers were used to answer personal ads. Discretion was of the utmost importance.
This title was published at the height of the AIDS epidemic. Browsing through these issues you get a sense of what it was like for the gay and lesbian community in the Quad Cities at that time.
Quad-City Times, July 3, 1989River Bend Vision, Vol. 2 no. 2, July 1990
(posted by Cristina)
Penner, Diana. “Q-C man launches voice for gays – and steps out of the closet.” Quad-City Times, July 3, 1989.
Iowa will celebrate the 175th anniversary of statehood this winter on December 28, 1846!
Our department has been trying to spread the word and bring attention to the event in some small ways. We have been posting little bits of Iowa History Trivia Tidbits on the Twenty-Ninth of each month, capitalizing on Iowa being the 29th state to join the Union.
We’ve gotten a little corny with our social media!
Did you realize that Davenport became a city ten years before Iowa became a state?
Did you know that in 1846 Davenport’s population was about 1,000?
“Buffalo Bill” Cody was born in Scott County in 1846, so he would be 175 years old today!
1846 also brought a plow factory started by Mr. Bechtel, the first steam flouring mill opened by A.C. Fulton and a Board of Trustees for Iowa College was chosen. So much going on so very early!
There is so much to explore about Davenport’s and Iowa’s history. Be sure to follow us on social media and give us some “Iowa Love”! Stay tuned for more #Iowa175 fun at the library!!
