Tag: Mississippi river

Summer Solstice, Flooding, and Rainfall!

It’s Summer Solstice but people in the Quad Cities are shivering because of the flooding and never-ending rainfall. After an over-the-top polar vortex winter, residents are looking forward to the warm weather. However, the flooding of the rivers in the area and non-stop rains have left many with flooded basements and wet belongings.

Flooding

Quad Cities have witnessed record-breaking flooding along the rivers. Sandbags and HESCO barriers couldn’t stop the overflowing rivers and within no time many properties have flooded. People have left their belongings and evacuated immediately seeking shelters and hotels. Businesses with apparel and other perishable goods were hit most as they have lost all the inventory and are now forced to close the locations. Insurance companies are directing people to federal funds and many people did not have flooding covered by the insurance company. Many of the river drive summer events are either canceled or moved to other areas.

Rainfall

Quad Cities are also having historic rainfalls and people are panicking because of the rains. Properties have flooded regardless of new or old, low-lying or hill-high. The stormwater systems failed and most waters escaped into the basements. Sump pumps have failed either due to malfunction or power surge issues. Backup sump pumps also were useless in some areas. Residents have no clue how to deal with the water and wet basements. Unfinished basements are now preferred over finished ones due to lesser damage. Pipes gave up due to plumbing issues and some properties even had sewage backup inside the house.

Bills

Most of the bills came out of pocket as the cleanup efforts were not covered by most insurance companies. Federal funds needed a lot of approvals and proofs. Insurance adjusters are unable to cope-up with the requests and are offering very minimum refunds. Many businesses were out of a place to put their belongings. Restaurants needed additional clean up, sanitation, and restoration. Many are opting for rebuilding the entire property due to the damage. The unprecedented flooding of the Mississippi River and the Rock River followed by heavy rainfall have put many in debts. People living paycheck to paycheck are continuing to live in the flooded properties as they have no place to go. Some were even caught in the flash flooding on the roads and lost their vehicles. Many had to empty their savings (if any) to accommodate the sudden bills. Construction of the local properties and the I74Bridge also missed the deadlines due to the flooding and rainfall.

Resilience

The resilience of the locals has put them back to work as soon as the water receded. Cities have responded with the cleaning efforts and many volunteers and non-profits have raised funds to assist those affected. Area hotels offered discounted nights for flooded residents. Local businesses are organizing clothing and food drives to raise funds for the flooding victims. Neighbors have come together to help each other with the cleanup.

The flooding of 2019 in the Quad Cities has affected all in some way or the other. Cities and residents are preparing plans to mitigate similar situations in the future and changing plans accordingly. Individuals are thankful that they are still alive and continue to rebuild their future in the Quad Cities.

Buffalo Bill Museum LeClaire, Iowa

The Buffalo Bill Museum is a surprise gem in LeClaire Iowa. Le Claire is known for its beauty and history which is reflected in the museum. It is a must visit to know how the local history is connected to the entire country.

The Buffalo Bill Museum is established in 1957 and is located by the Mississippi river in LeClaire Iowa. It has many artefacts and galleries which are unique. The displays are very old but neatly organized. One would be astonished by the collection. The museum is named after William F Cody who was also known as Buffalo Bill. He was born in LeClaire, Iowa in 1846 and was a frontiersman, US Army Scout, and later a showman for his show named ‘Wild West Congress’ show. The museum has a special gallery dedicated to his life.

Galleries

Here are the galleries and interesting things at the Buffalo Bill Museum:

  1. Unique paintings hand drawn – Hand drawn sketches catch your attention as soon as you enter the galleries. You will be surprised by the details the artists captured just with a pencil and paper!
  2. A chair donated by Lincoln – Lincoln gifted a chair to the donor who donated to the museum
  3. Old unique musical instruments – the instruments of Cecil Fletcher, a local musician who wrote the ‘LeClaire Song’ are on display. The visitors are cautioned not to touch the instruments but can only see them to maintain their condition.
  4. The map of USA showing the original colonies – The map is worn out but catches your attention due to its size and the years in which the states have been merged with the USA.
  5. Old washer and soaps – You will be surprised to see the original clothes washer and the Lux soap.
  6. Traditional cooking utensils – You can see the old pots and pans and the different cooking utensils and china.
  7. Civil war encampment – the display has a typical items that a soldier would carry during the civil war. You will be astonished by the minimum luggage they carried and still carry their lives.
  8. Earlier schools settings – A small school setting to display the traditional books and tools used by the earlier local students. Graduation photos of earlier LeClaire students are on display. You can try out the slate and the original black board. 🙂
  9. Lone Star Steamer – the best part of the museum. You can have an experience of a pilot and see the original cabins. The internal view of the working of the steamer is a rare experience. It is a National Historic Landmark and is free with admission. Make sure you visit all the three floors to experience the sounds and sights.
  10. Life on the Mississippi River – the gallery showcases different paintings and artefacts of the lifestyle of the river rider.
  11. Native American – See the Native American clothes, pictures, utensils and the tribe details.

Venue and Times

Buffalo Bill Museum is located at 199 N. Front St., Le Claire, Iowa 52753. It is open up to 4pm on most days and the admission charge is minimum. The museum visit will take two hours. Do enjoy the Mississippi river and its birds during the visit. Check out the free tour of the Mississippi River Distilling Company and enjoy the free wine sampling. Do visit the local restaurants and my favorite one is the Blue Iguana. 🙂

Bald Eagle Days

The national bird returns to the lands of Mississippi commencing the 25th annual bald eagle days. Over 2500 bald eagles return every year in search of food and shelter. QCCA Expo Center is hosting the annual bald eagle days show this Friday through Sunday. Watch the show for some live birds of prey and other animals from Niabi zoo apart from the bald eagle.

  1. QCCA Expo Center is hosting the annual bald eagle show this weekend. The center will host over 100 booths demonstrating animals from Niabi zoo, Pella wildlife, and birds of prey. The show is open from 4pm to 8pm on Friday,  8 am to 6.30 pm on Saturday, and 10 am to 5 pm on Sunday. The event costs $5 for adults and $1 for children.
  2. Mississippi River Visitor Center is hosting the 42nd annual bald eagle show on weekends from January 14 to February 12 from 9.30 am to 11 am and 12.30 pm to 2pm. Call 309 794 5338 ahead for reservations as the group is limited for the clock tower tour.
  3. Clinton Bald Eagle Watch is this Saturday from live birds, wild life exhibits, activities for children, and door prizes. The event is free to public and may host a tour to the bald eagle watching time permitting.

If you cannot go to any of these events, drive by the Mississippi river Lock and dam #13 and #14 during afternoons for a better viewing and picture opportunities. 🙂

Celebration Belle Cruises

The Schadler family runs the Celebration Belle cruises on the mighty Mississippi river right from the heart of Moline. The river cruises offers a unique opportunity to travel the river without actually getting sea sick. 🙂

The Celebration Belle cruises run from the past 25 years to entertain the visitors and residents of Quad cities. The recent flooding of the river might caused some closure of the cruises for a while. The cruises are available at an affordable prices. For a family event or business meeting, the Celebration cruises are a perfect match at an affordable price.

The range of cruise optons available vary from one hour narrated cruises to two day cruises. They include:

  1. Big Band
  2. Broadway and Movie Show Tunes
  3. Classic Oldies
  4. Dixieland Cruises
  5. Fall Foliage
  6. Holiday Cruise
  7. Mardi Gras
  8. Oktoberfest Cruises
  9. The Legends Music Review
  10. 2 Day Cruises
  11. Day Long Excursion

The cruises also include enhancements and other cruise options:

  1. Captain’s narrated lunch cruises
  2. Captain’s dance and dinner cruises
  3. Northbound cruises
  4. Narrated sightseeing cruises
  5. Southbound cruises

The prices are affordable and children under three are admitted at no charge and children three to twelve receive extra discounts. You can call the office 800 297 0034 to reserve an appointment. Visit the Cruise calendar to choose a show of your choice. 🙂

Bald Eagles on the Mississippi

Every year the national bird and emblem visits the Mississippi river in January. This weekend enjoy the Bald Eagle show at the Mississippi Valley Welcome Center at LeClaire.  The free event is a perfect time for enjoying the nature apart from sighting the national bird.

The Mississippi Valley Welcome Center hosts the annual Bald Eagle Watch this Saturday 10 am and Sunday 1 pm.  The event is free and has outdoor viewing opportunities at the Lock and Dam 14. The directors and organizers will present information about the eagles and raptors. You can have indoor as well as outdoor fun apart from watching the birds.

The Center hosts trolley tours on Saturday 12 pm to 3 pm and Sunday 9 am to 12 pm. The trolley is hosted by eagle experts and the best stops where you can find bald eagles. The trolley tours cost $25 for adults and $15 for children per ticket.

The Quad City Botanical Center hosted a Bald Eagle show during the first week of January. The state bird of Illinois is the Northern Cardinal and that of Iowa is Eastern Goldfinch. January 5th being the National Bird Day, this event provides another opportunity to spot the National Bird. 🙂

Quad Cities Events – August, 2010

For Quad city residents, August is packed with full of local events which are not to be  missed. The Mississippi Valley Fair, River Roots Live Music Festival, Tug Fest are the major annual events apart from the movie in the park. These events make summer a little more exciting and worth celebrating!

Mississippi Valley Fair, 2010

The 91st annual Mississippi Valley Fair is being held at Davenport, Iowa from August 3rd to August 8th. If you have visited the Rock Island County Fair in July, you can expect this fair to be much bigger and with  more events.

The Mississippi Valley Fair has a  line up of celebrity artists from across the country performing live daily. Apart from the grand stand events, the fair is packed with shows from across the country. The animal show, carnival rides, fire guy show, diamonds show, Stiltwalker Todd Lageisse show, sculptors are some of the amazing shows in the fair.

The fair is held at 2815 West Locust street Davenport, Iowa 52804.  They can be reached on (563) 326-5338. The entry fee is $10 per head and $40 for all days with admission to the grand stand.

Tug Fest, 2010

The 24th annual Tug Fest is held across the Mississippi river between Le Claire, Iowa and Port Byron, Illinois. The tug-of-war across the river is held annually along with the Bike show and fire works. The show and events can be seen both the cities and are a ton of fun. Don’t forget to bring your lawn chairs and water bottles.

The festival is held on August 12th to 14th and the entry is free. 🙂 Do not miss the annual show with lots of events for children as well as adults. The tug fest for children and the Prince/Princess contests are held for children. For adults, the parade contests, bike contests, Running, Golf tournament are the planned events. The fireworks on  Friday, August 13th are a feast and a must see!

River Roots Live Music Festival, 2010

The sixth annual River Roots Live Music Festival has artists from across the country performing for entertaining the visitors. The festival is a feast for all music lovers with a line-up of popular artists and fun.

The festival will be held in Davenport Downtown on August 20th and August 21st. The timings are from 11am till midnight. Entry is free 🙂 and the shows are held in multiple stages. The music festival is packed with rib fest for you to enjoy mouth-watering ribs. Bring your lawn chairs and water bottles.

Movie in the Park, Moline

Every Friday night in August, Moline Parks department shows a free  movie in the park at Riverside Park. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets and water bottles to enjoy the cool summer and a free movie. Concessions are available at the park at an extra charge.

So, finally there are many events in August before school starts and fall begins. Enjoy to your maximum potential and let me know how it went. 🙂

Weekend Getaways in Quad cities: Le Claire, IA



Summer weekend can be utilized to maximum potential by exploring surrounding cities of Quad cities. If you have no appointments or parties you can get away to nearby cities and enjoy the road trips. Here is what I observed when I visited Le CLaire last weekend.

Le Claire is a small town by the Mississippi river which has abundant greenery. Mississippi river is the largest river flowing across the US. The people living around the river are lucky to enjoy the beauty of the river. The river takes a sharp turn at Le Claire to the west at the head of the rapids making the town an important place for river commerce.

Yesterday owing to the weather it was sultry, warm with cold breezes. If you are visiting Le Claire in the business hours, you can visit the museum and the shops there. My Sister’s Coffee shop offers variety of coffee flavors. If you visit Le Claire after business hours, you can just enjoy the riverside beauty and come back.

The walk along the river side and the boating decks are good time pass. It is fun to watch the birds and listen to the flowing water. Being summer you can see many boats racing in the river. I think a boat is a must for people living around the Mississippi river! 🙂

The Tug Fest and Cruises are some of the popular events of the town. The Riverboat Twilight offers a two-day cruise from Le Claire to Dubuque and back. The serenity by the river and the greenery make a Le Claire worth visiting at least a year, in fall as well as in summer.