Tag Archives: Davenport (Iowa)

Truth in Advertising: The Last Giraffe

Posted on September 1, 2011 by SCblogger

    The Ringing Brothers Circus, with or without Barnum & Bailey, has been a Davenport tradition for more than a century. These famous brothers were the sons of August Ringling, a harness maker born in Hanover, and his wife Salome, … Continue reading →

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Oh, I wish I were an Oscar Mayer wiener…

Posted on July 13, 2011 by SCblogger

This Saturday, July 16th, is National Hot Dog Day, so it seems like a good time to profile one of Davenport’s largest employers, and its predecessor. Henry Kohrs was born in Holstein, Germany on November 15, 1830. He immigrated to … Continue reading →

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One hundred years ago: Davenport High School, Class of 1911

Posted on June 23, 2011 by SCblogger

In June of this year, around 970 students graduated from our three Davenport high schools. In contrast, ninety-two students received their diplomas from Davenport High School in June of 1911. This marked the first time that graduates from both semesters were … Continue reading →

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Early (Early) Education

Posted on April 18, 2011 by SCblogger

The Kindergarten was developed by Friedrich Froebel (1782-1852) in Blankenburg, Germany, beginning in the 1830’s and 1840’s. Germans that immigrated to the United States brought with them Froeble’s concept. The first English-speaking Kindergarten was opened by Elizabeth Palmer Peabody in … Continue reading →

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A Cemetery by Any Other Name

Posted on October 25, 2010 by SCblogger

In July of 1900, the West Davenport Cemetery Association was looking for a new name for the cemetery. They were worried that it was too easily confused with Davenport’s City Cemetery, which was also located on the west part of … Continue reading →

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Feeling a Little “Bugged”: Part IV

Posted on May 3, 2010 by SCblogger

 (Part I may be found here; Part II may be found here; Part III is here) When last we left our less-than-happy band of Socialist politicians; the conservative socialists were worried about radicals taking over not only the Socialist Party, but also the … Continue reading →

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Feeling a Little “Bugged”: Part III

Posted on April 26, 2010 by SCblogger

 (Part I may be found here; Part II may be found here, Part IV may be found here) Last we read, Socialist City Electrician Harry Strong was being fingerprinted and questioned by Police Chief Charles Boettcher in Mayor Charles Barewald’s office in connection … Continue reading →

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Feeling a Little “Bugged”: Part II

Posted on April 19, 2010 by SCblogger

(Part I may be found here, Part III may be found here, Part IV may be found here ) By January 1921, Davenporters were probably questioning the success of their first (and, so far, last) Socialist majority city council which had taken office … Continue reading →

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Feeling a Little “Bugged”: Part I

Posted on April 6, 2010 by SCblogger

Sometimes we (maybe it is just me, but I feel better imagining this happens to my co-workers too) find ourselves distracted when doing research in Special Collections.  Just the other week I came across a little side paragraph in an old newspaper … Continue reading →

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Kathryn Kirschbaum: First Woman Mayor of Davenport

Posted on March 25, 2010 by SCblogger

Kathryn Kirschbaum was born August 30, 1931, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Frank and Esther (Kiplinger) Goll. She graduated from Denison College in Grandville, Ohio, in 1953 with a degree in “Citizenship”. She was First Lieutenant in the Army Medical Corps … Continue reading →

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