Hi folks, Today Deb and I took a historical tour of the Col. George Davenport Home on Arsenal Island, on the Illinois side of the Mississippi river, across from Davenport. The home has a gorgeous view of the river and the city of Davenport on the Iowa river banks. On debarking from the car we stood and soaked up ambience of the place, watching a large Red Tailed Hawk soar over us and land in a nearby tree. The house has been restored beautifully, one of the two wings has been rebuilt and they are preparing to do a bit of an archeological excavation on the "kitchen wing" site, before they rebuild that. Our tour guide was knowledgeable and friendly and could answer any question put to him. He explained that the main part of the house is the original building, with low doorways, (built for shorter people) stone fireplaces and decorated with period furniture. When we climbed the narrow staircase to the first landing, and up the next set of steps to the 2nd floor, Deb got the chills, imagining the shot and bloody Col. George being dragged upstairs. At the head of the stairway is a tiny, closet-sized room, where a replica of the famous safe stands where the injured Col. George was made to kneel and forced to open it. Just down the short hall from the little room is a bedroom where the Col. was tortured, choked and beaten and left to die in a pool of blood. We left with a much better visualization of the life and times and gruesome murder of Col. Davenport. After leaving the Davenport House, we drove to the Confederate Cemetery, which is located in a beautiful, tree-shaded spot just off one of the main roads. Two Confederate cannons are mounted on both sides of the short path leading to the almost 2,000 graves, which are laid out in neat rows of white headstones listing the Soldier's name, rank, State and unit. A large U.S. flag flies in the background. Here lie hundreds of southern soldiers, buried with dignity and honor on northern soil and their graves here are not abandoned or forgotten. Since 9-11, it is a little harder to get onto Arsenal Island--guards check your car inside and out, but since Deb's hubby is ex-military, she has a pass and we breezed on through the check point. We saw several other tourists and a tour bus driving around the Island on this fine, early autumn day, and we were glad to be among their ranks as we enjoyed ourselves immensely. Anyone wanting more details please contact Deb or me, we'll be glad to provide them! Elaine Rathmann ACC Scott Co., IAGenWeb Project List Adm. *IA-CIVIL-WAR *IA-DANES