No one gets into preservation and recording local history for fame and fortune. It’s an endeavor taken on by those who are passionate about preserving the stories and places that make up our local communities. Linda Anderson is no exception. She is a retired pharmacist who has forged a second career as a local historian in the Quad Cities, keeping alive the history of those who were in our community before us.
Linda grew up in Northwest Iowa, then moved around to different places such as Virginia and Kentucky after going to college at the University of Iowa. She came to the Quad Cities with her husband more than 20 years ago, and immediately was called to explore the rich local history.
“As we moved around, it was fun to learn more about those areas,” Linda explains. “I enjoy that part of history; not so much the history of wars,” she adds. That makes Linda the quintessential local historian, exploring the people and places on a micro level.
Like many people, her interest began with her older home in a historic district. Her research on her own home was only the beginning. Linda eventually started volunteering with organizations such as the Rock Island County Historical Society and the Hauberg Estate to research and preserve local history.
When Natalie Linville-Mass began QC PastPort to preserve the history of the Quad Cities, Linda was one of the first people she recruited to join the QC PastPort team. Linda’s reputation as a historian in the area has been well established, and Natalie recruited her to research and write historical narratives.
If you ever seen a QC PastPort sign at one of our destinations, or read one of our narratives, you’ve been privileged to witness the work of Linda Anderson. It’s an understatement to say QC PastPort would not be the success it’s been without her.