Darker Side of Davenport Walking Tours
October 20, 2023 |
6:30 pm -
8:30 pm
$20
Davenport, Iowa has a long and checkered past. The city is full of various tales of great interest to all true crime enthusiasts and ghost hunters. Murder, deception, and even ghost sightings; Davenport truly has a story to tell, and it is darker than the bottom of the Mississippi River.
Perfect for the Halloween season, this tour is full of history and fun.
Tickets are $20 per person and tours are limited to 25 attendees. Preregistration is required. Tickets will sell out fast so don’t wait!
View all dates here and register here.
*Please arrive at least 15 minutes before your tour time. Tours will depart promptly at 6:30.
Tours are approximately 90-120 minutes in length. The meeting point is in the lobby of the German American Heritage Center.
This spring, we are celebrating friendship with some special promotions!
Pure friendship is one of life`s greatest gifts. Having a friend you can trust, be yourself, and talk about joys or fears with is so special. Sometimes, friends know us better than we know ourselves.
Through April 6th, we invite you to visit our special exhibition, "With You, I Am Myself" on the 4th floor of the museum and take advantage of some special admission rates during this time:
🎟️ Visitor Passes – Members can bring a friend for FREE to visit the museum or attend a program.
👯 BOGO Admission – With the purchase of a regular admission, bring an additional friend for free to the museum or to a program.
🎁 Gift Memberships – Purchase a gift membership for someone and get $10 off regular rates.
Visit our website for more information: https://gahc.org/with-you-i-am-myself/
The @iowaartscouncil is hosting seven Regional Arts Forums across Iowa this February and March 2025. These in-person events will provide an opportunity for local artists, arts and civic leaders, and community members to gather and discuss opportunities for strengthening arts and culture in their region and across the state.
Join us on Thursday, February 27, 2025 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the German American Heritage Center and Museum to participate. The forum is free and open to the public. Registration is highly encouraged: https://opportunityiowa.gov/events/regional-arts-forum-davenport
This year’s Forums align with the Iowa Arts Caucus, which the Iowa Arts Council hosts every four years. The purpose of the caucus and regional conferences is to identify opportunities and review possible changes related to programs that support arts and cultural enhancement in our state. Participants will make recommendations to the Arts Council, the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) and the General Assembly regarding funding allocations and priorities for arts and cultural enhancement in our state.
Paco Erhard: 5 Step Guide to Being German, presented by German American Heritage Center and Quad Cities Cultural Trust, is coming to the Adler Theatre on Saturday, March 29th at 7:30 PM.
Hard-hitting and hilarious, Paco Erhard shows you the real Germany behind the scenes. Experience hysterical dilemmas on the Autobahn, learn the truth about lederhosen, find out how the “no sense of humor” stereotype is both true and not true at all, and come to see: we Germans are not blunt or rude, we just value honestly more highly than other people’s feelings. Understand Germany better! Understand yourself better! And find out why Oma Hilda was always a bit weird.
Tickets start at $28. Tickets can be purchased through the Adler Theatre Box Office or on Ticketmaster: https://www.ticketmaster.com/paco-erhard-5step-guide-to-being-davenport-iowa-03-29-2025/event/06006226A78714D6?CAMEFROM=CFC_ADLER_OTHER_GAHC_GAHC-ALL
#comedy #german #standup #iowa #illinois #quadcities #museum #events #downtowndavenport #qcthatshwere #deutschland #deutsch
We had a great turnout for our Kaffee und Kuchen program yesterday! Bret Grimes, author of "The St. Elizabeth Hospital Fire in Iowa," spoke about his book, told the story of one of the most tragic accidents in Iowa history, and signed copies of his book.
75 years ago, in the early hours of January 7, 1950, a fire broke out on the 2nd floor of the building. The St. Elizabeth hospital had no fire escapes or sprinkler system, and there was no fire retardant in material in that era. Locked doors and barred windows made escape difficult for the patients. Forty-one people lost their lives in the fire, including 40 psychiatric patients and one nurse who tried to save them. The mental health facility was located at what is now MercyOne Genesis Davenport West Medical Center.
We have a few signed copies of the book available in our gift shop. If you want to learn more about the fire and its impact, we encourage you to read the book and learn more about the tragic events from that day. This story has been largely forgotten but it is our passion to to keep history alive and continue telling these stories.
This session was recorded so if you are interested in watching the session please contact clare@gahc.org.
Our next Kaffee und Kuchen lecture will be Sunday February 23rd and we will learn about Fascinating Fasching Traditions in Germany! 🎭🟢🟡🟣
On this day – January 25th, 1915, The Crescent Macaroni Factory at 425 Iowa Street burned down. At that time, it was the only macaroni factory in Iowa and one of the largest in the world. The blaze left the plant a complete loss, estimated at $251,000.
We have many items from the Crescent Macaroni and Cracker Company in our collection. You can see a cookie press from the factory in our permanent exhibition space. This cookie roller crafted the popular “Lindy” cookie. The cookies were named after Charles Lindbergh, the wildly famous American aviator who visited Moline in August of 1927 during a tour of the country and Canada. Lindbergh was greeted by parades, 15,000 spectators, and an invitation to stay in Quarters One. Crescent released their cookie to commemorate the visit.
The Crescent Macaroni and Cracker Company was founded in 1875 by Hugo Schmidt, Sr. as the Davenport Steam Bakery, operated by Reupke, Schmidt & Co. After a devastating fire in 1915 destroyed their factory, the company quickly rebuilt a state-of-the-art facility at the same location on Iowa Street in Davenport.
The new factory, completed in 1916, was designed with fire safety in mind, featuring concrete and steel construction, a water tower, and modern safety equipment. It boasted 100,000 square feet of floor space and employed over 200 workers in improved conditions, including shower baths and sanitary fountains.
The manufacturing process was highly efficient, starting on the fifth floor and progressing downward. Raw materials were mixed, proofed, rolled, cut, and baked in massive ovens at 700 degrees. The finished products were then packaged on the third floor, with the entire process taking about 20 minutes.
Despite its long history, the company eventually closed in 1991 due to competition from modern facilities. The building was later converted into luxury apartments known as the Crescent Lofts.
Our community open house weekend is Saturday and Sunday January 18th and 19th. Enjoy FREE ADMISSION all weekend! Explore our new updates to our permanent exhibition, and view our special exhibition spaces which rotate every few months. There is always something new to see so enjoy history, art, German traditions, and local history in our historic building.
📍 712 W 2nd Street
Davenport, Iowa 52802
#freeadmission #museum #qc #qcthatswhere #history #family #quadcities #iowa #illinois #midwest
Our new photography exhibition, "With You, I Am Myself," is now on view on the 4th floor of the museum. During the run of the exhibition (April 6th) we invite you to take a photo with a friend or friends and submit to us to be included in our digital slideshow of friends.
Photo submissions can be emailed to gahcphotographs@gmail.com. Photos should be landscape and jpg, heic, or png files.
Submitted photos will be on display in our lobby throughout the exhibition.
Learn more: https://gahc.org/with-you-i-am-myself/
The German American Heritage Center and Museum seeks a Development Director to support the goals and mission of the museum.
The Development Director will play a crucial role in fostering and maintaining relationships with our donors and sponsors. This position involves managing donor communications, organizing fundraising events, and ensuring that our supporters feel valued and informed about the impact of their contributions. The ideal candidate will have strong communication skills, a passion for history, and a commitment to enhancing the donor experience.
For full job description and how to apply, visit: https://gahc.org/employment-opportunities/
Status: Full-time 40 hours/week, flexible scheduling, weekend availability
Compensation: $45,000
Send a cover letter, resume, and references to: Brian Allen at brian@gahc.org
Applications will be accepted until January 31, 2025.
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