Hi everybody! I'm transcribing Davenport's 1900 2d Ward census. About 45 folks are listed as living on either "Mable Island" or "Mississippi River Front." Every house number is listed as "Boat House." (I assume in today's idiom this means "house boat.") All of these folks are employed as usual, ie: Heads of households can be found as laborers, carpenters, barbers, cigar fcty. workers; one is a washer woman, one a servant and several are fishermen. Many of the children are listed as "at school". Where was Mable Island? Are these folks itinerants? If so, was this common on the river in those days? Are they in transit to some port and happened to be caught here by the census-taker? Does anyone have any answers or ideas about these questions? Anyone know of a good website to discover more about life on the river? My curiosity is up now! ~~~~~~*~~~~~~ Elaine Rathmann ACC Scott Co, IA USGenWeb Project List Adm: *IA-CIVIL-WAR *IA-DANES