Browse Items (203 total)

A map showing how Davenport, Iowa was connected to the east coast via the first railroad bridge to span the Mississippi River.

A sketch of the first railroad bridge to span the Mississippi River. This bridge ran from Rock Island, Illinois to Davenport, Iowa.

A sketch of the passenger ship ‘Anthony Wayne’ also known as ‘General Wayne’. This ship brought the first German immigrants to the shore of Davenport, Iowa. This ship carried many people, including immigrants, to areas throughout the Midwestern…

This article published in First album of the city of Davenport, Iowa, talks about the history of the oldest German newspaper in Iowa and its beginnings.

An orchestra playing at Davenport's Schuetzenpark. The pavilion was created the year prior. Many German-Americans would ride the street car to this pavilion to relax, listen to music, socialize, and to enjoy beer with their neighbors.

These Chevalier of Paris opera glasses were owned by German immigrants to Davenport, Iowa. They were used to watch the many operas and theatrical productions that were put on by travelling troupes who visited Davenport, or by one of the local…

This zither, a Colombia Zither Special by the Manhattan Zither Company, was brought to Davenport, Iowa by Germanic immigrants. Many Germanic immigrants brought with them musical instruments such as zithers, violins, horns, woodwinds, and many more to…

This pump organ was purchased by Germanic immigrants to Davenport, Iowa. Though, primarily used as a furnishing in an affluent home, these organs were used by families to produce entertainment within their homes and provide them the ability to play…

A wooden and metal trunk that once belonged to a Germanic immigrant into the Davenport, Iowa area. This type of trunk would have housed most of the belongings that these immigrants would have been able to take with them to their new homes in America.

This trunk, once belonging to Friederike Henningsen, was brought from his former homeland to DAvenport, Scott County, Iowa. Luggage of this sort would have came from an affluent individual as it is made of highly skilled craftsmanship.