THE DAVENPORT ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES
The history of the museum begins in 1865. At the time, conversations around forming a natural science society began amongst a small group of like-minded individuals. By 1867, A. U. Barler, Luther T. Eads, Asa Scott Tiffany and William H. Pratt proceeded to set the idea in motion. Using Mr. Ead’s office on the corner of Third and Perry Streets, they adopted the constitution and by-laws of the Ottawa Academy. The office would serve as a place to house the collections and for the group to meet.
The Davenport Academy of Natural Sciences was officially established on December 14, 1867.
William Pratt would later write, “So on Saturday evening…Mr. Barler, Mr. Eads and myself met by appointment at Mr. Eads’s office to consult upon the ways and means, the possibilities and probabilities, and as to what we would dare to undertake, thinking that its success might depend somewhat upon the character of the first movement made. We had been unable to enlist men of means in the enterprise; we had no direct assurances of aid from any source; we knew that in a majority of cases where such a project was attempted, the interest died out after a short time, and the enterprise failed for want of internal energy and persistence, and outside recognition and support.”
THE FIRST COLLECTIONS
Forming the basis of the Academy, the private collections of Mr. Barler, Tiffany, Eads, Pratt, D. S. Sheldon, and C. C. Parry were put on display. This included many mollusks and pressed plants. In addition, Mrs. Alfred Sanders contributed minerals, fossils and shells. Her donation came from the collection of her recently deceased husband, who played a pivotal role in discussions around the society. Soon, others followed her lead and donated to the endeavor. By January 1868, they received the first donation from outside the immediate area. The collection of crinoid fossils came from Enoch May of Burlington, Iowa.
While “natural sciences” was a main part of their name, the Academy almost immediately began collecting historical artifacts as well. Weapons, currency, legal agreements, books, and even a set of burglary tools found their way into the early museum’s holdings.
The Academy Expands
In early spring, they were offered a portion of the room occupied by the Young Men’s Library Association on the northeast corner of Brady and Second streets, Davenport. Pratt began moving the Academy’s ever-growing collection to this new home in March of that year.
Although only a teenager, Joseph Duncan Putnam contributed his significant collection of insects, minerals and geological specimens to the Academy. In 1869, he and his mother, Mary Louisa Duncan Putnam (Mrs. Charles E. Putnam), were elected to membership. Mrs. Putnam was the first woman elected to regular membership.
Between 1872 and 1874, the Academy moved a number of times. They finally settled in a room in the Odd Fellows Building. However, they needed to rent an additional room only a year later, which quickly filled as well. After all of this moving and expanding, the Academy acquired property through the tireless efforts of Mrs. Putnam. At the corner of 7th and Brady Streets, they built a museum. Later, Mrs. Putnam was instrumental in the acquisition of the Presbyterian Church next door to the new museum. This allowed them to double their space.
THE COLLECTION GROWS
Throughout their building expansions, the collection continued to grow and thrive. Partly due to the influence of C. C. Parry, the herbarium had significant donations. In 1880, the Academy received Francis Koch’s collection containing 1500 specimens of pressed plants from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and the North Atlantic Coast. Large donations from William D. Barnes, William W. Calkins, Ferdinand K. Reppert, Serano Watson, Edith A. Ross, Naomi Melville, Professor Shimek and Dr. Guldner were also acquired over time.
During the 1870s and 1880s, Mr. Calkins donated several large freshwater mollusk collections to the Academy, the largest of which included over 850 specimens. By the end of the 19th century, the Academy’s acquisitions consisted of collections from professional and amateur scientists alike.
Historical objects were also being donated by citizens interested in preserving the history of the region and its people. The collections expanded in other directions as gifts were received from local world travelers such as Charles A. Ficke and members of the Putnam family.
THE MUSEUM BUILDS A HOME
As the Academy continued to expand, the name was changed to the Davenport Public Museum in recognition of the institution’s development as a “public museum of science, history and art.” Since that time, the Museum has focused its collection on objects, artifacts and specimens from eastern Iowa and western Illinois. Emphasizing the region and local citizens has allowed the museum to remain relevant to changing generations while documenting the cultural heritage and environmental history of our unique region.
In 1961, a cornerstone was set for a new building at 12th and Division Streets in Davenport. On October 3rd, 1964, the new museum was opened.
In 1965, the B. J. and Mabel H. Palmer Memorial Trust donated over 2,000 items to the collection. As part of their generous gift, a new wing was added to the museum building to house and display the collection. This included a mummy and the sarcophagus of Isis Neferit (an Egyptian temple chantress), which are still on display in Unearthing Ancient Egypt.
As the collection continued to expand, Mr. Vivian Otto Figge donated large mammals from his hunting expeditions. Today, some can still be viewed in the Hall of Mammals. Other notable donations include birds and eggs from the Iowa Wesleyan College, jewelry through Alice Dodge Schaeffer, political memorabilia from Gene McGreevy, and minerals from the Shorey Mineral Collection.
THE PUTNAM MUSEUM
In 1974, the museum officially changed its name to the Putnam Museum to honor the family that had done so much to support and provide for the museum’s future.
Recently, efforts have included an emphasis on documenting the cultural diversity of the Quad Cities area. The museum has been seeking both historical and modern materials from groups and communities that are or have not been well-represented in the museum’s collections. In 2023, Common Ground: Our Voice, Our Stories was opened to celebrate this local heritage.
Currently, we are collecting oral histories and creating a digital archive of images in an effort to provide a more complete picture of the history of the region, its people and their stories.
The Timeline of Institutional Names
1867 – 1900: Davenport Academy of Natural Sciences
1900 – 1927: Davenport Academy of Sciences
1927 – 1970: Davenport Public Museum
1970 – 1974: Davenport Museum
1974 – 1990: Putnam Museum
1990 – 2014: Putnam Museum of History and Natural Science
2014 – present: Putnam Museum and Science Center
