We’re lucky in the Quad Cities to have a rich history of immigration from different parts of the world. The German immigration movement was one of the biggest to our area. Germans first started arriving in the Quad Cities in 1836. That first wave continued from the mid-1930s to the mid-1950s, and there have been a few waves of German immigration since then.
The mission of QC PastPort is to document historical locations and people from all cultures and walks of life in the Quad Cities. We’re fortunate to have many partners in history, including libraries, historians, museums, and more. One of our partners in history is the German American Heritage Center and Museum, an institution dedicated to preserving the history of the German immigrant experience, and keeping Quad Citizens educated and entertained about German culture. We were proud to promote the Oktoberfest celebration this month, and love the spooky season events they’ve been doing in October leading up to Halloween. The Das Kabinett Halloween exhibit continues through the first week in November, so check it out if you have a chance.
Of course, the German American Heritage Center and Museum is just one of many wonderful cultural institutions in the Quad Cities. We look forward to many more years of collaboration and cross promotion with the GAHC, and with our other partners. We’re always looking for new institutions and individuals to partner with to promote our rich history in the Quad Cities. If you work with an institution dedicated to preserving culture and history, we want to hear from you.
We also know many of the great stories aren’t preserved solely by museums and other institutions. It’s the people, such as those early German immigrants who documented their experiences, who keep history alive. If you have a story to share, please reach out.
Everyone’s history is important, and it makes up a rich tapestry of our community.