College Student Perspective: Learning about the QC

This summer, I set out to experience places in the Quad Cities. I am originally from Colorado, but have spent the last 3 years here, attending Augustana College. As an incoming senior, with a summer internship at Visit Quad Cities, I took it upon myself to get out and see what’s going on in the place where I currently live. Some of the places I hadn’t heard of until I started researching, so I want to help other college kids figure out how to spend their time in the QC. First, I visited museums and attractions that would help me learn about the Quad Cities. Here’s what I recommend for other college students like me:

Deere-Wiman House and Butterworth Center

I’ll be honest – going on a historical house tour didn’t sound like the most amazing way to spend my afternoon. However, I had a blast! Elizabeth, our tour guide, was the highlight of this experience. She was so knowledgeable and kind to the entire group and had a good answer to every single question. Even silly ones! She shared information about John Deere, Charles Deere, and both of their families and friends. She surprised people who already were Deere history buffs with new knowledge, but also helped people who had no previous knowledge (me). The Deere-Wiman house was beautiful, with a lot of fun facts to make it interesting. The Butterworth Center is also great, and free to use for non-profit groups as a meeting space. I also really enjoyed walking through the garden and around the property, which I learned is open to the public from dawn to dusk. Whether you want to go on a walk away from busy streets, learn a bit of history, or see a cool old mansion, I would highly recommend this tour.

German American Heritage Center and Museum

I didn’t know what to expect when I went to visit the German American Heritage Center and Museum. I was once again pleasantly surprised. We got to explore the museum and learn about the impact German immigrants have had in the Quad Cities. The exhibits were super interactive, with things like using a passport to see one immigrant’s journey or stepping on footprints to get different stories. They also have rotating exhibits, and when we visited, we saw the Migrant Quilt Project exhibit. This touching display hosts quilts made to commemorate deceased immigrants, who died on their journey to a better life. The quilts are thought provoking and interesting to see, especially in the context of a museum about German immigrants. Something of interest to me was the formation of RIBCO! People who go to bars in Rock Island have heard this name before – Rock Island Brewing Company was created by a German American! Overall, the German American Heritage Center is a great stop for anyone interested in learning more about the Quad Cities! 

Karpeles Museum
Editor's Note: The Karpeles Museum closed in 2023

 The Karpeles Museum seems to be a wonder of the Quad Cities hiding in plain sight. We got to see documents that we didn’t even know existed. We saw some original Disney drawings, Winnie the Pooh sketches, and documents relating to the formation of the colonies. History isn’t my strong suit, but it was cool to see. If history isn’t your thing either, you can explore this museum for its architecture and interesting history. Margie, the curator at the museum, was friendly, helpful, and went over-and-above to make our experience enjoyable. She gave us a full building tour, with some history included. The museum used to be a church, so has some points of interest. For example, I was really excited about the stained-glass dome presiding over the church area. This free museum was fun to visit, especially with the spur of the moment tour. If you’re looking to see a pretty building, original documents, or have a conversation with someone who’s passionate about their work, you should head to the Karpeles Museum.

Putnam Museum and Science Center

While the museum is more suitable for people younger than me, I wanted to see the new Common Ground exhibit.  This exhibit is all about Quad Cities, seen through a diverse lens. It was interesting to see artifacts representing the regional history of the cities, and even see some unique stories told by visitors to the museum. I also got to check out the mummy while I visited the museum, which I thought was pretty cool. If regional history or Egyptian artifacts interest you at all, check it out! 

Jenny Dunder is a student at Augustana College, interning at Visit Quad Cities. She has written two other blog posts about favorite things in the QC.