Community Open House

germanamericanheritagecenter

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Museum exploring the German immigrant experience and history of Davenport and Iowa!

Back from the collections with this photograph of a man outside of Tony Hertzner`s Bar, Davenport, Iowa. 1880-1900`s. There is not much on the photo or the business as far as we know, we just think you might enjoy this photograph too!

Stop by this month to learn more about German Immigrants in the Quad Cities.
We are open Tuesday-Saturday 10 AM – 4 PM
Sunday 12 PM – 4 PM
Closed on Monday

This month we are offering FREE admission on Saturdays during #QCMuseumMonth @visitquadcities …

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🥃Otto Koechert was well known in the Tri-City area. He immigrated from Germany in 1870. It is unclear what Otto did in his free time, he most likely spent time with friends, perhaps spending Sunday afternoons at Schuetzen Park. As time went on, he frequented the saloons more often, and enjoyed alcoholic beverages, often overindulging. According to newspapers, he was "working as a clerk during the first few years of his residence, but showing no ambition and gradually drifting from bad to worse…One who knew him says that he would remain intoxicated for days at a time, until he apparently tired of that condition and would have a sober spell for a few days."

Otto died on March 10th, 1891, in the Germania House, his place of residence. His body found by the proprietress, who noted that he didn`t even take off his shoes before falling into bed. His death was likely result from a stroke induced by overindulgence of alcohol.

712 W. 2nd Street — a historic address that has stood witness to the dramatic and sometimes chilling evolution of Downtown Davenport since the Germania House was first built on this site in 1862. From a string of barbershop murders and a fire at a mental hospital to ghostly sightings at City Hall and séances on a college campus, this former hotel has seen it all. And it has its own dark and fascinating tales to share.

👻According to staff, Otto is our resident ghost. You can share your respects to him on our Darker Side of Davenport Walking Tours this month. The walking tours continue tomorrow at 6pm.

🎟️Reserve your tickets here: https://events.humanitix.com/darker-side-of-davenport-walking-tours-6386427j …

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Save the Date for Christkindlmarkt Quad Cities! This free annual event celebrates the holiday season with a focus on German heritage. Like traditional winter markets around the world, the Quad Cities Christkindlmarkt is an indoor/outdoor artisan craft and gift market with live music, local foods, and local performances.

🗓️ Saturday December 13th, 2025 10 am – 6 pm.
📍 712 W 2nd Street Davenport, IA 52802

🏛️ The museum is free and open to the public all day long.
🎅 👹 Special appearances by Santa and Krampus!
🎶 Live music throughout the day.
❄️ Get Christkindlmarkt merch, try our homemade Glühwien or a German beer, and shop local vendors!

🛍️ Interested in being a vendor? Complete our vendor application by November 1st. https://forms.gle/3BozYeDu5XE6RiJM6 …

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This month is busy at the museum! Check out our upcoming events and register online here: https://events.humanitix.com/host/german-american-heritage-center-and-museum
🏛️ Darker Side of Davenport Walking Tours
🎟️ QC Museum Month
🍰 Kaffee und Kuchen Lecture Series
🎞️ Darker Side of Davenport "Sitting Tour"
📜 QC Archives Fair …

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October 6th is #GermanAmericanDay! Today we celebrate German-American heritage. Recognized as a National Holiday by Ronald Reagan on October 6th, 1987, this holiday recognizes the first Germans who settled in Pennsylvania, establishing Germantown.

30 years ago, William J. Clinton made Proclamation 6834, affirming Reagan`s recognition of October 6th as German American day, stating; "Since the earliest days of the settlement of North America, immigrants from Germany have enriched our Nation with their industry, culture, and participation in public life."

You can learn more about German Heritage in America by visiting us!
Tuesday-Saturday from 10pm-4pm, Sunday 12pm-4pm, we are closed Monday.

Photos from German American Heritage Center and Museum Collection.
You can find Proclamation 6834, in full, on the American Presidency Project`s website. …

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⭐️ October is #QCMuseumMonth! We`re excited to offer free admission on Saturdays in October and an extra 10% off in the gift shop. Check out our exhibitions, attend an event, and see what`s going on at the museum for the month of October.

📱 Sign Up FREE with the QC Museum Month 2025 mobile pass to track your journey, take advantage of deals, and become eligible for a giveaway prize basket at the end of the month! Learn more and sign up here: https://qcmuseumweek.com/

The mobile pass is not required to take advantage of the free admission and discounts at the GAHC+M.

#qcthatswhere #downtowndavenport #museum #quadcities …

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🎥 We`re looking forward to a rare opportunity to see Casablanca (1942) on the big screen as we wrap up From Hitler to Hollywood: Film Series at the Last Picture House

Join us on Wednesday, October 1st at The Last Picture House in Davenport for a viewing of this iconic film followed by a discussion in the theater.

Set against the shadow of World War II, Casablanca is more than a timeless romantic drama: it is also a film deeply tied to the lives of those who lived its story off-screen. Directed by Michael Curtiz, himself a Hungarian émigré, and brought to life by actors like Paul Henreid, Conrad Veidt, and many supporting cast members who fled Nazi Germany, the movie carries an authenticity that goes far beyond Hollywood fiction. Their own exile, displacement, and resistance to fascism mirrors the struggles of the characters they portray, giving the film an emotional tension and urgency that still resonates today. In Casablanca, the line between cinema and lived history blurred, creating not just a love story, but a document of exile, courage, and survival in the face of tyranny.

🎟️ Tickets are $15 and available online or at the door. We will have a 3:00 and 6:00 showing on Wednesday the 1st. https://events.humanitix.com/film-series-at-the-last-picture-house

🍺 Try a pint of Erbe `48, a Märzen brewed for us by Twin Span Brewing. A dollar from ever beer purchased goes back to the museum.

Artwork by Bruce Walters. …

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Check out our Fall Kaffee und Kuchen calendar for upcoming programs for October and November. Link in bio.

1:30 Coffee and Cake
2:00 Program
Free for members! RSVP online preferred, but walk-ins welcome.

🕰️ October 12th – Wonderfully Weird Objects from the @putnammuseum Collections with Christine Chandler
🧙‍♀️ October 26th – The Wicked and the Weird: Stories from the Quad Cities with John Brassard Jr. (@strangeanddreadfulthings)
🚂 November 9th – The Danville Station Museum and Anne Frank with Janet Hesler
🇧🇪 November 23rd – The Belgian Connection: Belgium`s Influence Abroad and in the Quad Cities

#programs #history #halloween #quadcities #iowa #illinois #events #fall #autum #museum #kaffeeundkuchen #german #midwest …

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