Attractions & Events

Colonel Davenport House: History on the Mississippi

Connie Attractions & Events, Illinois, Iowa, Midwest Destinations , , 0 Comment
Colonel Davenport House: History on the Mississippi

Colonel George Davenport, founder of Davenport, Iowa, and first white settler in the area, led a family life that today would be fodder for the tabloids. Regardless, as a sutler for the U.S. Army, fur trader, and representative of Indians in negotiations with the U.S. government, he was well respected until his life ended tragically. In this podcast, we chat about the Colonel Davenport house on the Rock Island Arsenal in the Quad Cities and Colonel Davenport’s fascinating life. Read more

Mayberry in the Midwest Festival Takes You Back to Simpler Times

Connie Attractions & Events, Indiana, Midwest Destinations , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 3 Comments
Mayberry in the Midwest Festival Takes You Back to Simpler Times

Every fan of The Andy Griffith Show knows Mayberry. It’s that small, charming town filled with friendly, but quirky people. The bumbling deputy, the naive gas station attendant, and the level-headed sheriff who solves everyone’s problems take you back to simpler times. And on one weekend every May, during the Mayberry in the Midwest Festival, the town of Danville, Indiana, becomes Mayberry. Read more

Dalton Gang Hideout Secret Tunnel

Connie Attractions & Events, Kansas, Midwest Destinations , , 0 Comment
Dalton Gang Hideout Secret Tunnel

The little house on a corner in Meade, Kansas, looked like any family home in the late 1800s. The family who lived there appeared to be the average family. John Whipple owned a local mercantile. His wife, Eva, partnered in a millinery shop before the two married and Eva gave birth to a little girl. But the wife and mother didn’t come from your average family. She was a Dalton, and three of her ten brothers belonged to the Dalton Gang. After Eva and John moved out of the little house on the corner, a 95-foot tunnel connecting the house with the barn was discovered. Historians believe Eva occasionally harbored the Dalton Gang in the house, and the Wild West outlaws used the tunnel to avoid being noticed. Today you can tour the Dalton Gang Hideout, walking from the barn, though the tunnel, and into the house. Read more