Wednesday, July 30
There are three types of registration for this year’s conference – Virtual Only, Virtual + Single Day, and Virtual + In-Person. No matter which one you selected, you may purchase tickets for add-ons like pre-conference tours, pre-conference workshops, and evening events.
Buffalo Bill Museum & Lone Star Steamboat
Guided Tour
Time: 2:00-4:00 PM
Ticket: $10
Capacity: 10
William F. Cody, or “Buffalo Bill,” was born and raised in LeClaire, IA. An early career as a frontiersman and US Army Scout led him to a flourishing late calling into showmanship with popular tours all throughout the United States and Europe. Established in 1957 in a storefront and now located on the bank of the Mississippi River, The Buffalo Bill Museum brings to life the history of its namesake alongside local history for 20,000+ visitors a year. Join staff on a guided tour of their most iconic artifact, the The Lone Star steamboat, and newest exhibits for kids, followed by free time to explore the rest of this museum on your own.
Location: Buffalo Bill Museum LeClaire, 199 Front St, Le Claire, IA 52753
Getting Around: The Buffalo Bill Museum has free parking available.
Butterworth Center & Deere-Wiman House
Guided Tour and Open House
Time: 3:00 – 5:00 PM
Ticket: $10
Capacity: 20
Discover the historical charm and community spirit of Butterworth Center & Deere-Wiman House. Enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour of Deere-Wiman House, highlighting its 150 years of technological innovation. Conclude your visit with refreshments and exploration at historic Butterworth Center where we’ll share about our unique balance of historic site and community center.
Location: Butterworth Center & Deere-Wiman House, 1105 8th St, Moline, IL 61265
Getting Around: Free parking is available. Linked here is a map for more information. The two historic homes, Butterworth Center and Deere-Wiman House, are equipped with large exterior lifts from ground levels to the first floors for those using wheelchairs, requiring assistance, or avoiding stairs. Both homes also have small historic elevators. Visitors to the Deere-Wiman Carriage House and Butterworth Education Center enter and meet at ground level. The restrooms in Butterworth Education Center are fully accessible.
Hero Street, U.S.A., and Railroading Heritage of Midwest America
Guided Tour
Time: 2:00-4:00 PM
Ticket: $10
Capacity: Unlimited
Spend your afternoon in Silvis, Illinois, at two heritage sites central to the Quad Cities immigrant story. Hero Street, U.S.A. is a memorial park built by a proud Mexican community to honor friends and relatives who served in World War II and the Korean War. A nearby nonprofit organization Railroading Heritage of Midwest America preserves, restores, operates, and interprets historic locomotives and rail cars at the site where the first Mexican immigrants arrived in the area to work with the railroad. This pre-conference tour will start at Hero Street and, due to the active railroad between them, attendees will need to drive separately or carpool to the Railroading Heritage site for the second part of the tour.
Locations:
- Railroading Heritage of Midwest America, 1101 N 2nd Ave, Silvis, IL
- Hero Street Memorial Park, Silvis, IL
Getting Around: Parking is available at both locations. Attendees are encouraged to carpool between destinations on the tour, approximately 5-10 minutes by car. A walk path is not available between the two locations, due to the presence of active railroad tracks, and therefore not recommended.
John Deere Archives
Guided Tour
Time: 2:00-4:00 PM
Ticket: $10
Capacity: 20
Join Neil Dahlstrom, Manager of Branded Properties, Heritage, and Library at John Deere, on a tour of their corporate archives in East Moline, Illinois. The John Deere Archives is home to more than 500 pieces of equipment and thousands of records and artifacts – from mechanical designs and commercial film to toy tractors and the plows that started it all.
Location: John Deere Archives, 1400 13th Street, East Moline, IL
Getting Around: A parking lot is available for guests to the Archives facility. Instructions will be provided to registered participants via email closer to the date of the tour.