Schuetzen Park Historic Site

03/09/2026

Everyone works hard for the money they earn and we would all love to get paid double for the work we do. Here is an opportunity to make a donation of your hard-earned money and have it matched by the Quad City Community Foundation. The Schuetzenpark Stiftung (endowment) is a fund that helps secure the future of this wonderful Park through sound financial planning. Please follow this link to the donation page and double your giving power today!

The Community Foundation invites donors to double the impact of new endowment gifts while also taking advantage of valuable state tax benefits. This year’s endowment challenge includes $45,000 in matching funds. All new gifts to an endowment fund at the Community Foundation will be matched dollar ...

12/09/2025

The Schuetzen Park Board of Directors says "Auf Wiedersehen" to our friend and charter Schuetzenpark Gilde Bord member Jim Stelk. who passed away last week. Jim was at the forefront of the re-establishment of the Park as a recreational and cultural destination. In the early days, he could be seen planting trees, digging trenches for buried cables and lending his talents for keeping the books for the Park. His knowledge of the local and national Schuetzen scene was extremely valuable. His absence will be highly noted.

11/08/2025

After several years of silting and filling up with various organic materials, the deer lagoon at Schuetzen Park was dredged this morning in order to restore the proper water levels and for capturing water runoff from nearby landscapes and parking lots. The new water level with also help support wildlife within the Park. The pond dates to 1900 and was previously dredged about 15 years ago with a grant from the Riverboat Development Authority. The dredging this year was paid for with donations and a grant from the City of Davenport Government Community Improvement & Support Program funds.

11/02/2025

A "delightfully gloomy" morning at Schuetzen Park. There is beauty to be found in all the seasons here!

07/20/2025

This morning at the Schuetzen Park Historic Site. A red-spotted purple Limenitis arthemis astyanax. Found in deciduous forests like Schuetzen Park. Favorite plants are wild cherry, service berry and tulip poplar.

07/18/2025

We say "good bye" and "thank you for all you did for Schuetzen Park", to Lanny Kearney, who passed away on July 13th. Lanny dedicated hundreds of hours of his time and talents to the Park as a board member and as a volunteer helping to maintain the Park so that all who visited here would be able to enjoy it the fullest. We will keep him in our memories.

05/08/2025

As our cover photo indicates, Schuetzen Park had bowling alleys. Although bowling was not the primary activity at the Park, it was, none the less, very important to many of its members. We are amazed, after 113 years, that a program for the "Friday Bowling Club's" Semi-Annual banquet has survived and was recently shared with us by Merle Vastine. The inside pages are essentially sing-along selections for the banquet.

05/04/2025

It was "green-up day" at the Schuetzen Park where volunteers planted trees and flowers. Though the first day of summer is more than a month away, it seemed like a perfect "summer" day to complete these projects. A special thanks to volunteers: Barb & Mark E., Emily and Lyndon E., Kory D., Mitch E., Jim S., Steve L. and Matthew H. for chipping in today. Also, a big "thank you" to City of Davenport Forestry Department for the trees we planted on Schuetzen Lane and N. Rolff Streets today.

04/16/2025

In memory and honor of Austin James Schoeck, who passed away on April 30. 2023, a large "shaka" symbol was dedicated on the prairie hillside next to the Jens Lorenzen Pavilion at Schuetzen Park this morning. As part of the Quad Cities Trail and Ultra Runners group, Austin often found himself in the beautiful natural setting of the Schuetzen Park participating in runs. The shaka was designed and created by Davenport West High School Industrial Arts students, shown here are Tucker, Collin and Landon, as well as Jim Schoeck, Austin Schoeck's father, who coordinated this effort.

04/06/2025

The annual tree planting has begun at the Schuetzen Park. Thanks to a very generous gift from Kay Steele and Joe Janssen in memory their mother, Margaret (Marge) Janssen, trees were planted today including Northern Red Oaks, Swamp White Oaks, Kiefer Pear, Arkansas Black Apple, Bur Oaks and a special "red maple" to honor Margaret. More trees will be planted later in April. Planters from left to right: Chris Dibbern., Emily Ehlers., Steve Lutz., Jim Schoeck., and Kory Darnall. Not shown "day-before" helper Mark Erickson.

03/30/2025

A huge "DANKE SCHÖN" goes out to for their efforts to help re-wild many areas in the Mississippi River Valley, including the Schuetzen Park. A recent gift of 1/8acre of wildflower seeds from River Action will make it possible to help restore the original forest vegetation to an area in Schuetzen Park that was recently disturbed by an infrastructure project (seen in the photo). We can't wait to see the Park in bloom once again, although it could take a couple years for some of the wildflowers to fully develop.

10/18/2024

Tree Trivia Quiz! Can anyone positively identify this type of Hickory tree found in the Schuetzen Park?