RESOURCES

Connecting our community with local, state, and national organizations dedicated to historic preservation and regional genealogy.

Whether you are conducting property research, tracing your local family roots, or exploring broader historical preservation efforts, these trusted platforms offer invaluable databases, records, and digital archives.

Scott County Resources

• Davenport Public Library Special Collections – Home to the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center. It features over 50,000 local historical photographs, city directories dating back to 1855, and extensive regional genealogy records.
• Scott County Iowa Genealogical Society – A dedicated nonprofit providing access to local courthouse, cemetery, church, and vital records to aid family lineage research. Their extensive 1,700+ physical book collection is safely housed within the Davenport Public Library.
• German American Heritage Center & Museum – Located right on the Davenport riverfront. This museum preserves and displays the deep historical narrative, immigrant journeys, and cultural impacts of the region's early German-American settlers.
• Putnam Museum and Science Center – One of the oldest museums west of the Mississippi, holding extensive artifact collections that detail the history, culture, and natural environment of the Quad Cities region.

Statewide Iowa Resources

• State Historical Society of Iowa – The official master repository for state history, hosting vast collections of historic maps, county registries, newspaper archives, and architectural preservation policies.
• Iowa Genealogical Society – Offers researchers massive statewide databases for census tracking, regional heritage records, and lineage tracking.
• Iowa Digital Library – A collaborative digital archive containing thousands of digitized historical maps, early pioneer diaries, and vintage photographs from across the state.

National History & Preservation

• National Register of Historic Places – The official federal list of the Nation's historic properties worthy of preservation, providing searchable databases, research guidance, and documentation for historic buildings, sites, and districts nationwide.
• The National Archives and Records Administration – The formal federal repository protecting core historical files, including military pension logs, federal land patents, and immigration passenger lists.
• Library of Congress – Gives public access to extensive national collections, including historical Sanborn Fire Insurance maps, local histories, and media records.
• National Trust for Historic Preservation – A premier national advocate providing guidelines, grants, and legal toolkits to help local communities protect their unique architectural heritage.