It’s an exciting time at QC PastPort. We have two new signs now installed. One is at the Antoine LeClaire House and the other is at the Annie Wittenmyer campus by the pool. We’re also replaced 8 of our current signs.
Annie Wittenmyer
The “Wittenmyer Campus” as it is colloquially known, was originally the Iowa Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home, a philanthropic home for children that came into being largely through the efforts of legendary Civil War Sanitation Agent Annie Wittenmyer. Later, this property was used by the Davenport Public Library for many years. The public pool on the campus is popular in the summer, and the campus remains as a historical reminder of what a person like Annie Wittenmyer could do for the public good throughout her remarkable life.
Antoine LeClaire House
Antoine LeClaire was the son of a French-Canadian father and a Pottawattamie mother. His father ran a trading post which helped become fluent in English, French, Spanish, and a dozen Native American dialects. He came to Fort Armstrong as a military interpreter, negotiating as many as 22 treaties between Native Americans and the U.S. Government. The LeClaires made this area their home and are recognized as principal founders of the town of Davenport. They welcomed friends and strangers alike into this their home, which now stands as a historical property in Davenport.
You can visit the Annie Wittenmyer and LeClaire House destinations, as well as all our destinations, by finding them on our map.
How You Can Help
Our signs are a beautiful reminder of the fascinating history of our community. Unfortunately, these signs are not free, and require regular maintenance and replacement. Again, this year, eight of our signs needed to be replaced due to weather damage, and one has been repeatedly replaced due to vandalism and then stealing the sign. Unfortunately, we’re not alone. This is common with historical signs. If you’d like to help with ongoing sign maintenance, please see our GoFundMe page.