(Books don't look as bad as my low-quality scanning portrays them; they didn't want to lay flat on the scanner)
From the city of Davenport's website:
The City of Davenport has recently found a number of books that document Davenport’s rich architectural history and is offering them free to the public. Davenport – where the Mississippi runs west was produced in 1982 by then Davenport City Historian Marlys Svendsen, among others. Davenport Architecture – Tradition and Transition, a supplement to the first document, was written in 1984. Both these publications contain numerous photographs as well as extensive text and descriptions of the buildings, styles, architects and builders that helped shape our community.
The books were located in storage in the former ice house at the Annie Wittenmyer Complex. If you would like copies, visit the City of Davenport Design Center at 102 E. Second Street, across from the Radisson Hotel or call 563-326-7743.
If you're at all into Davenport history and architecture, you've probably run across these two books at a local library over the years. Now you can get them for free by stopping down at the Design Center, which is a good place to stop into once in a while anyway. I think its pretty cool that these were discovered after probably a decade in storage.
Also, check out Page 34 of "Davenport Architecture: Tradition and Transition" for a picture and a small blurb about a certain 2101 Main Street, also known as the Henry Deutsch House.
10 comments:
Thanks for the heads up QCI, I'm going to pop down there and pick this up.
Better go and get one before the church takes down all the historic buildings.
Thanks QCI! I hope they still have some tomorrow.
Davenport and D-1 hired a consultant, who came to town and gave the results of his study, including a recommendation that places like the Design Center get off of prime locations in the downtown area. Of course with the cloned amoral egos at Design (we could close that zoo with out a bimp) that will never happen. Just another reason why Downtown has problems.
I never thought of that. You are correct. D1 and the design center and the parking place all have some of the best locations there.
I stopped by about 10am today and they were all out of the architecture books.
Here's an email response I got back from the Design Center:
"Chris – as of 1 pm Thursday, we have approximately 50 copies of the original document, “Where the River Runs West”, left. We ran out of the supplement “Tradition and transition” yesterday. Apologies to those who may not have found any, we have our semi-annual book sale (profits go to charity) by Mid American today so it is hectic.
We have experienced an incredible response to the books and have distributed over 200 copies of each. Interest in historic preservation is very much alive in Davenport.
As far as our “prime” location:
It is space owned by the City and there has been difficulty finding tenants.
If someone expresses an interest in the space, we are out in 30 days."
QCI again here: I actually think the Design Center is a good use of space, as its a good way of showing off what Davenport is doing to downtown visitors. D1's offices would have to be completely renovated to turn them into retail, but for the right tenant I could see them moving too.
Image Are you willing to donate your federal stimulus refund of $600. to a fund purchase the church at 2101 Main?
Donate? No.
Invest? Maybe.
Volunteer? Sure.
QCI - I usually disagree with you - always - usually. But, you are right on with this house thing. You go boy!
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