Resources
Resources and links for teachers, genealogists, researchers, history buffs, and everyone in between.
Click on a title to be redirected to their website
General
This online directory has an interactive map where you can search for German organizations across the United States. This online directory is a one-stop shop for all things German-American in the U.S. The German American Heritage Foundation strives to represent all people of German-speaking heritage, we invite our Austrian American and Swiss American friends as well to contribute information about clubs, organizations, favorite restaurants, neighborhood businesses, churches, schools, and so much more.
Genealogy
Located in the basement of the Davenport Public Library, this collections includes free local databases, books, maps, manuscripts, and photographs.
A facility of the LDS Church, the center holds many records both on-site and available through interlibrary loans that are of great importance to genealogists.
A group of volunteers working together to provide Internet websites for genealogical research in every county of Iowa.
Based in Iowa City, the German Genealogy team offers courses and webinars for those looking to become better genealogists.
Ursula C. Krause and Ute Brandenburg, two of the most recognized names in German genealogy, are joining forces to offer a completely new concept in German genealogy education. Both bring their unique research strengths to the table to create a team with unrivaled experience.
Their curriculum is designed to empower you as the teller of your ancestors’ stories. As you develop research skills, you will also gain insights to deeper understand the life experience of those who came before you.
Freelance Genealogists
Ursula Krause: offers genealogical research, educational webinars, and personalized consultations. Learn More
Ute Brandenburg: specializes in reading German script, genealogical research, and educational opportunities. Learn More
German Immigration
An online resource for teachers includes an overview of the unique German immigrant story, their growth and influence in the United States. German were one of the first Europeans to immigrate to the New World.
Information about Germans and other European immigrant groups. From the National Museum of American History, a Smithsonian Institution.
A chronology of Germans in the United States from 1608-1990.
Local History
Dedicated to preserving the built heritage of Davenport’s First Neighborhood. Additionally, they collect its histories providing context and understanding of the great importance of this district.
The American/Schleswig-Holstein Heritage Society was organized in 1989 to preserve the heritage of our Schleswig – Holstein forefathers.
ASHHS is the only German Heritage Society dedicated to promoting and preserving the heritage of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
Includes a research library, databases, and museums.
The society has online resources on the site as well as hard copy library that is hosted at the Rock Island County Historical Society building.
The society’s goal is to support the programs of its museum and the museum’s mission to illustrate Arsenal Island history; its local and national contributions and impacts; and its activities in war and peace.
Is committed to the cause of historic preservation in Scott County, Iowa.
SCIGS has its genealogical collection at the ‘Richardson-Sloane Special Collection Center’ located in the Davenport Public Library. If your ancestors once lived in the Scott County area, you will find the SCIGS collection very productive and useful.
The Schuetzen Park Historic Site is a nature park “Naturschutzgebiet” located in west Davenport at 700 Waverly Road.
The Park was sold in 1923 and its wooded areas remained essentially unchanged for the next 80 years.
Recently, most of the Park’s former grounds were re-acquired and are being preserved as a “Wildpark”. It comprises about 20 acres and is owned and maintained by the Scheutzenpark Gilde. Nature trails are maintained throughout the site. Hours of operation are sun-up to sundown, May-November.
An online digital collection of historic images showcasing the Mississippi River Region along the Iowa/Illinois border.
Self-guided, interactive, physical, and digital tours throughout the Quad Cities. Stops along this tour bring our area’s rich history to life by highlighting architecture, businesses, institutions, and fascinating sites through the stories of the people who were there at the time.
On Germany
The German American National Congress is the largest organization of Americans of German descent.
The organization seeks to bring Americans of German descent together in the pursuit of cultivating and presenting their heritage and interests on local, regional and national levels.
The Goethe-Institut is the Federal Republic of Germany’s cultural institute, active worldwide. They promote the study of German abroad and encourage international cultural exchange.
The Max Kade Institute for German-American Studies is an interdisciplinary unit in the College of Letters and Science at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. It is dedicated to researching, preserving, and sharing the stories of German-speaking immigrants and their descendants in the larger context of global migration past and present.
The DANK Haus mission is to preserve and promote German culture, heritage, and language through maintaining a center consisting of a museum, art gallery, library, and language school, and organizing educational and social programming focusing on and emphasizing the history, traditions, and contributions of Germans and German Americans.
This page describes traditional German clothing (Trachten) and Bavarian-style clothing that is associated with German events and celebrations like Oktoberfest. This site also includes links to other sources regarding genealogy, heritage, German history, and more.