2025 Riverine Walks
Wednesdays 6:30-8 p.m. and Saturdays 9-10:30 a.m.
- May 28 (Wednesday Evening Only) - Modern Production Practices in Agriculture
- Robb Ewoldt, Farmer
- 2024 Iowa Soybean Association 'Innovator in Production Research' award winner, Robb Ewoldt, discusses modern agriculture and shares a brief history of the Ewoldt Farm and their innovative farming practices. Take a short tour of the family farm and enjoy a Q & A on how conservation and sustainability is applied locally. Short walk with some uneven terrain.
- Meet at: Ewold Farm - 10386 130th St in Davenport, IA
- May 31 (Saturday Morning Only) - A Backstage Tour of America's Best Minor League Ballpark
- Dave Heller - Owner, QC River Bandits
- River Bandits' owner Dave Heller will give you a guided tour of Modern Woodmen Park, including the players' clubhouses, coaches' offices, batting cage, trainer's room, and other spaces fans are not normally allowed, along with the suites, rides, and other amenities that make Modern Wooden Park America's best Minor League ballpark. There will be stairs.
- Meet at: Just outside of the suite level entrance of the Modern Woodman Park Ballpark
- June 4 & 7 - Invasive Species Removal at Amowa Forest Preserve
- Andrew Layer, Programs Manager, Living Lands & Waters
- Put on your pants and close-toed shoes for this Riverine Walk and hear about the history of Living Lands & Waters and learn about the importance of keeping tabs on invasive species in our community. If you'd like to stay for the 'pull', tools, safety glasses, water, sunscreen, bug spray, and music will be provided!
- Meet at: Amowa Forest Preserve parking lot in East Moline, IL on IL-5 Frontage Rd
- June 11 & 14 - The Cradle of Iowa
- Gates Thomas, Professor, Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA
- Walk and trace the history of Davenport’s East End, from the BlackHawk Treaty, to the First Bridge across the Mississippi, to the industrial engine of the 20th century and beyond. About 1,000 steps.
- Meet at: Far west end (rear) of the Davenport Bittner YMCA parking lot
- June 18 & 21 - Land Development & Housing Styles of McClellan Heights Post the Civil War
- Matt Johnston, Local McClellan Heights Resident & Historian Hobbyist
- Bring your walking shoes and interest in local history for a tour of McClellan Heights. Learn about its post Civil War use, land ownership, the housing development, and some of the architectural styles of homes in the first addition. About 1,000 steps.
- Meet at: Lindsay Park - East of the old fire station by the water fountain and bench near the playground. Park along 11th St. in the Village of East Davenport
- June 25 & 28 - Finding Moline's Founders
- Kirk Marske, Moline Centre Program Manager at Renew Moline
- Explore Moline’s earliest history, starting in the city’s original commercial district on 3rd Avenue (now River Drive) and learn why the heart of the downtown commercial district moved to 5th Avenue in the early 1900’s. Along the way you will experience the history of the city’s oldest commercial buildings and learn about their connection to Moline’s founders - David B. Sears, John Deere, Porter Skinner, and Daniel and Stillman Wheelock, and others. Participants may also access additional historical information via an app (eAtlas Adventures) including historic street views, photos of bygone buildings, and more. About 1 mile of flat terrain.
- Meet at: Skinner Block Courtyard - 1520 River Drive in Moline, IL by River House Bar & Grill and Dead Poet's Espresso
- July 9 & 12 - Hauberg Estate, a Jens Jensen Landscape Restoration
- Tuesday: Deb Kuntzi, Executive Director, Hauberg Estate & Molly Tiegland, Docent
Thursday: Todd Linscott, Board Chair FOHCC
- The estate represents one of the few complete Jens Jensen garden designs that you can visit in the US. This garden contains all of the hallmarks of the Jensen design aesthetic and is a national treasure.
- Meet at: Hauberg Estate Front Door - 1300 24th St. in Rock Island, IL
- July 16 & 19 - A Story of Growing Regeneratively
- Ann McGlynn, Executive Director, Tapestry Farms & Alison Niebuhr, Seasonal Farm Manager
- Using cover crops, tarping, crop rotation, and other methods, Tapestry Farms seeks to build soil health while feeding the community. Learn about the methods and take a tour of one of their 10 locations. Garden tour, some rough terrain.
- Meet at: 2005 Main St. in Davenport, IA
- July 23 & 26 - Histories, Personalities, and Mysteries of Davenport's Oldest Cemetery
- Kory Darnall & Coky Powers, Davenport City Cemetery Partnership Board Members
- Meet some of Davenport's founding citizens, hear stories of early life (and tradegdy), learn about symbols found in cemeteries and how and why things are done the way they are in cemeteries. An hour of walking on paved and un-paved flat ground.
- Meet at: Sexton's Cottage in the Davenport Cemetery - 1625 Rockingham Rd. in Davenport, IA
- July 30 & August 2 - Hennepin Canal & The Mississippi-Rock River Confluence
- Professer Norm Moline, Augustana College
- Confluences, where rivers meet, have unique environments and histories. Enjoy the beauty and stories of the Mississippi-Rock confluence and the adjacent Hennepin Canal by Milan.
- Meet at: The Eddy Award winning Lock 31 Park - 1.3 miles west of US-67 on Big Island Parkway, south of the Rock River
- August 6 & 9 - Russel Farnham & Farnhamsburg
- Gena Schantz, Historian
- Adventurer and world traveler, Russel Farnham was an early pioneer in Rock Island. Associated with the American Fur Company, his trading post served as the first gathering place, election center, and post office before the county was created. Bring a chair.
- Meet at: Schwiebert Park - 101 17th St. in Rock Island, IL
- August 13 & 16 - Fish Passage Through Our Lock & Dam, and Other Intersting River Stories
- Jeremiah Haas, Aquatic Biologist, Constellation Energy
- Jeremiah will discuss how fish are able to traverse our waterways, including through our Lock and Dams, plus he will discuss other relevant issues concerning the Mississippi River. There will be time for questions during the walk as he has been working on the fisheries of the Mississippi River for over 25 years. Come with questions!
- Meet at: 3017 River Dr. in Moline, IL (Channel Cat Parking Area)
- August 20 & 23 - Notoriou Nahant & Spooky Marsh Tales
- Brian Ritter, Executive Director, Nahant Marsh
- During the 19th and 20th Centuries, two towns, Rockingham and Nahant, came and went. Learn about the train robberies, mysterious deaths, bandits, and brothels and other mysteries that came with them. Two miles of gravel trail.
- Meet at: Nahant Marsh - Rockingham Bottoms Parking Lot - 4105 Wapello Ave. in Davenport, IA
- August 27 & 30 - Wild Abandon: a Native Roots Yard in the City
- Rita Rawson, Master Gardener, Master Conservationist, Certified Herbalist
- Experience a Native Roots Yard where nature is at its best. This yard is a certified Monarch Waystation, certified Wildlife Habitat, and certified Pollinator Habitat. Have your plant identification app ready on your phone! Stairs and uneven ground.
- Meet at: Address will be provided to ticket holders.
CLICK HERE to go to the 2025 Channel Cat Talks full schedule and details.
Purchase Membership & Riverine Walks
A special thanks to our 2025 sponsors:
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