2026 Riverine Walks
Wednesdays 6:30-8 p.m. and Saturdays 9-10:30 a.m.
- May 27 & 30 | Schuetzen Park: Davenport's Lost Playground
- Kory Darnall, Schuetzen Park Gilde
- Explore the remnants of Davenport's former 26 acre "amusement park," which included a zoo, shooting range and roller coaster. Learn about the park's history and interesting characters associated with it. Hiking footwear recommended.
- Meet at: Schuetzen Park lodge, 700 Waverly Rd., Davenport, IA
- June 3 & 6 | A Backstage Tour of America’s Best Minor League Ballpark (kid friendly)
- Dave Heller, Owner, QC River Bandits
- Join the River Bandits' owner for an exclusive tour of Modern Woodmen Park, including the clubhouses, coaches' offices, batting cage, and trainers’ room. We'll also explore the suites, rides, and other amenities that make it America's best Minor League ballpark. There will be stairs.
- Meet at: Modern Woodmen Park, 209 S. Gaines St., Davenport, IA - outside the suite level entrance
- June 10 & 13 | Preserving our Past at Fairmount Cemetery
- Carvel Morgan, Superintendent, Fairmount Cemetery
- Join us on an exclusive tour of Fairmount Cemetery (est. 1881) and the oldest Crematorium (est. 1890) in Iowa. Learn about the history and importance of the 2.7 acres of remnant bluff prairie that contains over 70 native plant species. Also gain an understanding of the purpose and importance of the mausoleum.
- Meet at: 3902 Rockingham Rd., Davenport, IA
- June 17 & 20 | What Happens in Bucktown…
- Gates Thomas, Professor, Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA
- Before there was Vegas, there was Davenport and the infamous neighborhood once known as Bucktown. With more than 200 illegal saloons, brothels, theatres, casinos, and dance halls crowded into 7 square blocks, Bucktown was a national center of the vice tourism market, despite being in a “dry” state. This walking tour takes you to downtown Davenport’s hottest night spots circa 1900, while outlining the local culture and politics that sustained Bucktown for 30 years.
- Meet at: 304 E 3rd St., Davenport, IA
- June 24 & 27 | Behind the Scenes at MetroLINK
- Jennifer Hirsch, Chief of Staff, Brad Begyn, Chief Operating Officer, and Jacob Sharp, Director of Design and Construction, MetroLINK.
- In this special-access tour, you'll explore the stateof- the-art public transit facility that keeps the QC moving. See what it takes to provide 2.2 million rides each year by bus, ferry and paratransit. You will also learn about MetroLINK’s commitment to environmentally friendly technologies.
- Meet at: 4501 4th Ave., Rock Island, IL - park on the west side of MetroLINK building
- July 8 & 11 | The Importance of Pollinators (kid friendly)
- Isaac Stewart, Associate Professor of Biology, Black Hawk College
- Native pollinators are essential to healthy terrestrial ecosystems, and there are arguably no organisms better in this role than native bees. With many bees declining in range and abundance, we’ll explore what we can do to support them.
- Meet at: Illiniwek Forest Preserve, Hampton, IL - park at corner of 9th St. and Highway 84
- July 15 & 18 | History of Port Byron
- Dale Hachtel, Port Byron Historical Society
- Port Byron is the first location along the Mississippi River between Fort Armstrong and Galena to be settled by Europeans. Take a walk along the scenic riverfront and downtown and learn about its geological and cultural history and current events.
- Meet at: River Valley Library, 214 S Main St., Port Byron, IL
- July 22 & 25 | The Legends of Hero Street
- Tammy & Kelly Rundle, Emmy Award winning Filmmakers, Fourth Wall Films
- Hear the compelling true story of eight Mexican- American heroes from Hero Street, USA. Only a block and a half long, 2nd Street in Silvis lost six young men in World War II and two in the Korean War, more than any other street in America. Hero Street has provided over 100 service members since Mexican-Americans settled there in 1929.
- Meet at: Railway Park and Gazebo located near 1st Ave. and 11th St., Silvis, IL
- July 29 & August 1 | Sylvan Island: Unique Creation & Present Uses
- Norm Moline, Retired Augustana Professor
- South of Arsenal Island is the Sylvan Slough channel of the Mississippi River. Water power in the mid-1800s enabled industrial growth and the creation of Sylvan Island in 1869 to produce more power. Explore the island’s history, including its last 50 years as a unique nature and history park.
- Meet at: Sylvan Island Gateway Park, 111 1st Ave., Moline, IL
- August 5 & 8 | Milan Bottoms: QC's Wetland Wonder
- Jon Duyvejonck, Biologist, US Fish & Wildlife
- Explore the biodiversity of a 3,500 acre wetland ecosystem in the Quad Cities. This habitat is home to several federally-endangered species and one of the largest documented Bald Eagle night roosts. See wetland wildlife and learn how Milan Bottoms mitigates flooding and filters pollutants.
- Meet at: 5405 78th Ave. W, Milan, IL - park a 1/4 mile down the lane
- August 12 & 15 | The Legacy of the Lumber Baron Era in the QC
- Natalie Linville-Mass, President, QC PastPort
- Walk through the 1840’s - 1880’s to experience what the lumber industry meant to this area and how many aspects of this era can still be seen today. Learn about five of the dominant lumber mills, some of the key players who worked to develop this area, and how they affect us today.
- Meet at: 2100 E River Dr., Davenport, IA
- August 19 & 22 | Nature's Apothecary (kid friendly)
- Amy Loving, Director of Education, Nahant Marsh
- Native wildflowers have long provided food, medicine, and materials for wildlife and humans. On this guided walk, we will look at a variety of local plants, discuss their uses, and explore how pollinators make these benefits possible.
- Meet at: 4220 Wapello Ave., Davenport, IA
- August 26 & 29 | Kreiter Tree Farm: Caring for the Land
- Dick & Judy Kreiter, Farm Owners & Brian Ritter, Executive Director, Nahant Marsh
- Tucked away near Blue Grass, 250 acres of forest and trails are waiting to be explored. The property also features an Iowa limestone home built in the mid-1800s, believed to have been a stagecoach stop. You’ll see the land restoration efforts of dedicated stewards and glimpse into the history.
- Meet at: 12010 70th Ave., Blue Grass, IA
Go to the 2026 Channel Cat Talks full schedule and details.
Return to the Explore the River Series home page.
Purchase Membership & Riverine Walks
Presenting Sponsor
- MetroLINK
Sponsors
- Modern Woodmen Fraternal Financial
- BITCO Insurance Companies
- IHMVCU
- Crawford Company
- Eaton
- Quad-City Times
- Scott County Regional Authority
- Davenport Kiwanis
- Moline Kiwanis
- Optimist International - Moline Breakfast Club
- Davenport Noon Optimists
- Moline Rotary
2026 SPONSORS
Make a donation to River Action via PayPal.
