Putnam opens new exhibit on QC innovators

Jonathan Turner
·2 min read

The Putnam Museum and Science Center (1717 W. 12th St., Davenport) is opening a brand-new permanent exhibit, Quad City Innovators, which highlights inventors, innovators, and trailblazers that hail from the Quad Cities.

The new permanent exhibit showcases innovators, inventors and trailblazers from the Quad Cities.
The new permanent exhibit showcases innovators, inventors and trailblazers from the Quad Cities.

“This exhibit is a great way to celebrate the innovation that comes from our community and inspire visitors to trailblaze in their own ways,” Kelly Lao, vice president of museum experience and education at the Putnam, said in a Monday museum release. “Quad City Innovators shares the incredible stories of Quad City innovators, inventors, and trailblazers through artifacts, stories, hands-on interactives, and fun learning experiences in our updated Fab Lab, re-opening in late April for drop-in maker and educational experiences.”

The goal of the exhibit is to spark hometown pride and inspire future change-makers right here in our community.

“The Putnam’s Innovators exhibit offers visitors an opportunity to see how many creative people we have in the Quad Cities and the world,” Christina Kastell, curator of history and anthropology, said in the release. “Every child will be able to see someone who looks like them and find inspiration to become innovators themselves.”

Some of the people and inventions featured in the QC Innovators exhibit include:

  • Otto Rohwedder (bread slicer)

  • J.F. McCullough, Cecil Medd & Henry C. Duke (Dairy Queen and soft serve ice cream)

  • The Palmer Family (chiropractic)

  • Voss Brothers (washing machine)

  • John Deere (steel plow)

  • Joe Whitty (Happy Joe’s Pizza)

  • Fred Lundahl (Buddy L toys)

  • Fred Boetje (Boetje’s Mustard)

  • Nelly Cheboi (CNN Hero of the Year 2022)

  • Dr. William West Grant (first successful appendectomy)

  • Gene Baker (first African-American on the Cubs roster)

  • Mary Solbrig (early airplane mechanic)

  • Chad Pregracke (environmentalist and 2002 Jefferson Award recipient) and many more.

Quad City Innovators caps off a remodeling and construction project that expanded the footprint of the museum. This remodel adds space to the museum that was previously closed to the public, adding about 1,000 square feet to public exhibit space, including easier access to the Putnam’s Giant Screen Theater lobby, the release said.

Part of the new exhibit at the Putnam, 1717 W. 12th St., Davenport.
Part of the new exhibit at the Putnam, 1717 W. 12th St., Davenport.

This work was made possible, in part, by Bechtal Trust, Carver Trust, SCRA, Ascentra Foundation, Hubbel-Waterman Trust, Goldstein Family, Schermer Family and Arconic Foundation. Quad City Innovators is currently open to the public.

This exhibit is included in the price of general admission—$12 for adults, $10 for youth (ages 3–18), college students, and $8 for seniors and military. Through the Putnam’s Museums for All program, admission is $1 per person for households with the presentation of an EBT card. Admission is free for members.

For more information, visit the Putnam website HERE.

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