SENIORS CAN LEARN ABOUT GERMAN AMERICAN HERITAGE AT DPL
Angela Osborn, Executive Director of the German American Heritage Center, will be at the “Specifically for Seniors” event on Wednesday, September 29, at 1:00 p.m., at Davenport Public Library Fairmount Branch (3000 N. Fairmount Street) to engage the audience about the newly expanded German American Heritage Center, located in downtown Davenport.
Imagine stepping in the footprints of a person from over a century ago… only to see them appear before your eyes. Hear the sounds of a storm at sea, the roar of an old wooden German rollercoaster, and a joyous music celebration as you travel through 2,000 years. Listen in on century-old conversations on an old party-line telephone that tell the emotional story of despair, hope and triumph. See a reflection of yourself as a turn-of-the-century immigrant as you explore and try on clothing of yesteryear. Enter a restored hotel room, sit on its bed and gaze out at the Mississippi at the same sight an immigrant took in on their first night in Davenport. These are the types of experiences that seniors will learn about at the program, and can further explore at the German American Heritage Center.
Founded on August 1, 1994, as a private, not-for-profit organization, the German American Heritage Center (GAHC) seeks to preserve the heritage of our German speaking ancestors for present and future generations and to enrich our knowledge of the German immigrant experience. Today the GAHC, a National Historic Site, has evolved into a museum that includes a large permanent exhibit and two rotating special exhibits. Within the permanent exhibit, visitors enjoy an orientation theater, six education stations, and two restored hotel rooms.
Those interested in furthering their study about local German immigration can check out the Davenport Public Library’s Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center (321 Main Street) and find newspaper articles, genealogy records, and ephemera from the time period.
Specifically for Seniors is a monthly educational and entertainment series which runs through November. Meetings are open to anyone in the Quad Cities and take place on the last Wednesday of the month at 1:00 p.m. at the Fairmount Branch Library. This program is made possible through a partnership with Senior Voice, an area senior advocacy organization. For more information about this program, call Senior Voice Office at 563-421-2198, or the library at 563-888-3371.