Darker Side of Davenport Walking Tours

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

Guests Who Never Checked Out, Part 4: Arthur Wundram.

Arthur Wundram, 20, was at the Miller`s Hotel Saloon on a cold January evening in 1912. He was enjoying the company at the bar and enjoying a glass of whiskey. The testimonies vary, but according to newspaper records, the men at the bar wanted to mess with young Arthur, and dared him to drink more than he should`ve. He ended up having several full beer glasses of whiskey that night. At closing, Arthur was too intoxicated to stand up, let alone walk home. The men at the bar threw him into the barn behind the saloon, and covered him with straw to sleep it off. It was below freezing, and their decision and lack of care caused Arthur`s eventual death.
In the morning, Arthur was retrived from the barn and brought up to a hotel room. A doctor was called and confirmed Arthur`s poor condition. He passed away at 4 pm that afternoon. A lethal mix of probable alochol poisoning plus a long night in the freezing cold was too much for him to endure. The patrons of the bar and the saloon keeper were arrested and questioned. They lied to Arthur`s family when they had called looking for him the night he didn`t come home. They claimed Arthur was not at the bar and that he was not served anything to drink. Arthur`s story is unfortunate and should serve as a reminder that what seems like fun and games to one person, might be deadly to someone else.
The Wundram family came to the United States in 1884 from Schleswig-Holstein, like so many other German immigrant families in Davenport. Arthur`s parents opened an operated a grocery store on Second Street and then moved locations to Fourth Street to provide for their family. Arthur Wundram was the uncle of well-known QCA reporter and colunmnist, Bill Wundram. …

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Guests who never checked out, Part 3: Albert Shawcross.

There have been several fires throughout the history of our building. One of the most horrifying is the story of Albert Shawcross. In a drunken stupor, Albert was heading to bed when he accidentally knocked his oil lamp off the side table and onto himself. His clothing quickly went up in flames and seeking help, went to the halls to find anyone else around. The only other person in the halls was a blind man, who could not see what was happening but could feel the heat from the man in front of him.

Unfortunately, Albert did not survive this accident. He was pronounced d*ad at the hospital after the ambulance was called to take him to a doctor. Do you think Albert could still be roaming the halls? …

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Guests who never checked out, Part 2: Paul Löbel
In 1891, Paul Löbel went up to his room at the Germania House, agitated and feeling the withdrawls of alcohol since he had been refused service at the bar. In his frenzy, he decided to drink chloral hydrate, commonly used for sedation or relaxation, but in large doses can be fatal. Paul took too much, and was discovered the next morning. …

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🇩🇪 October 6 is German-American Day, established in 1983 by President Ronald Reagan to celebrate German-American heritage and commemorate the founding of Germantown, Pennsylvania in 1683.

Today is also the traditional kickoff to the Annual Appeal for the German American Heritage Center and Museum, and all contributions provide support for our operations, exhibitions, programs, and events throughout the year. Look for information about our 2026 Annual Appeal this fall in your mailbox, on our social media platforms, and in our e-newsletters. Donation checks can also be mailed to the German American Heritage Center and Museum, 712 W. 2nd St, Davenport, IA 52802 through the end of the year. Or, donate online on our Donation page at www.gahc.org.

Every donation to the Annual Appeal – in any amount – supports our National Historic Site and arts and culture in the Quad Cities. …

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Guests Who Never Checked Out: Part 1, Viola Banderob
Content warning: death by s*icide

Viola was a widow who was staying at the Standard Hotel in 1953. She was lonely, had no living relatives, and was battling many health issues before she decided to take her life. We do not know much about her life and what she was experiencing personally, but it is a sad and unfortunately true part of our building’s history. At the time, there were not many resources available for people living with depression and it was taboo to talk about. We can only imagine her grief and struggles she was facing and have sympathy for her situation. …

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👻 Is it haunted?? Find out for yourself on October 10th during our "Geisternacht" paranormal investigation of the former hotel-turned-museum. Tickets at $30 per person and include snacks throughout the night, plus access to a cash bar. All proceeds from this event support historic preservation and programming at the German American Hertiage Center and Museum.
https://events.humanitix.com/geisternacht-paranormal-investigation-of-the-gahc-m
Space is limited. Not recommended for children under 13. Anyone under 16 needs to be accompanied by an adult. …

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Purportedly based on a true story, The Lost One (1951) is a noir-inflected drama, told in flashback, about a doctor at a displaced persons camp haunted by his secret wartime experiments for the Nazis and his murder of his fiancée (and, subsequently, other women) out of jealousy or perverted patriotism. Remarkably bleak and unforgiving, Lorre’s film was not popular among postwar German audiences, who were not ready to confront the guilt and tragedy as a result of the Third Reich.
You can see The Lost One (Der Verlorene) at the Last Picture House on September 30th. Get tickets online here: https://events.humanitix.com/film-series-at-the-last-picture-house-q2b9u4zv …

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🏰 Your birth month = your German castle
Selections based purely on vibes. …

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