Geisternacht Night at the Museum at the German American Heritage Center -- November 9.
Saturday, November 9, 8 p.m.
German American Heritage Center, 712 West Second Street, Davenport IA
Led by Whispering Souls Paranormal, a family team of investigators based in Rock Island, the German American Heritage Center's November 9 event Geisternacht Night at the Museum invites patrons of the Davenport venue to enjoy a spooky evening of paranormal investigation whether guests are skeptics or full believers.
From the building’s long history as a hotel for early German immigrants to its more seedy years as a brothel in the 20th century, the German American Heritage Center was initially a hub for mayhem, mystery, and tragedy in Davenport’s early days. In the November 9 Geisternacht event, participants are invited to learn about the history of this building from the Whispering Souls Paranormal team, who will provide fascinating insight on the tools and strategies used during investigations. This paranormal investigation is designed to see who is still residing at what was once a hotel, with the investigators employing different types of equipment to record any activity that happens to see if there are any spirits willing to communicate. Whispering Souls Paranormal’s purpose is to provide evidence-based findings of the paranormal and provide educational opportunities on the paranormal realm to the community, and a follow-up event to revealing the findings is scheduled for January 11.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, the German American Heritage Center was built by John Brus and opened in 1862 as the Germania House, a gasthaus (guest house) for immigrants. In 1876, it was renamed the Miller Hotel after being bought by John Frederick Miller, a German immigrant who had been a manufacturer in the city since the 1850s, and the hotel's name was changed several additional times during the 20th century, becoming the Arcade Hotel around 1906, the Henry Blessing Boarding House around 1917, and the Standard Hotel in 1924. Since being founded as a not-for-profit cultural institution in 1994, the German American Heritage Center has evolved into a museum that includes a large permanent exhibit and two rotating special exhibits. The venue also provides educational programs, workshops, and classes relating to the German American experience and culture; assists in the coordination of festivals to foster an understanding of German American heritage; provides for cultural exchange through language classes and production of cultural presentations to the public; and partners with other heritage groups on programs, exhibits, and events.
The German American Heritage Center's Geisternacht Night at the Museum will be held on November 9, admission to the 8 p.m. event is $30, and more information is available by calling (563)322-8844 and visiting GAHC.org.
