9MST0302HD_REV20231221 John McGivern's Main Streets Davenport Iowa Transcript Airdate 01/25/2024

- I'm on the Mississippi River, standing across from a city that some people call Iowa's front porch.

- Announcer: Thanks to our underwriters.

- My father taught me that to make great bakery, you have to do it the right way. O&H Danish Bakery, where kringle traditions begin.

- Heiser Automotive is honored to help John McGivern and his team arrive safely to many Main Streets. We are committed to remaining true to the Heiser way: Do what's right for our customers, our employees, and the communities we serve. We are happy to help.

- How to get more out of your Wisconsin Dells vacation? Ride more rides, slide more slides, bite off more than you can chew. Have more fun than a barrel of monkeys! That's more like it. Wisconsin Dells: The Water Park Capital of the World! Wisdells.com.

- Twenty-minute commutes. Weekends on the lake. Warm welcomes and exciting career opportunities. Not to mention all the local flavor! There's a lot to look forward to in Wisconsin. Learn more at InWisconsin.com.

- Wisconsin's picture-perfect historic downtown Greendale isn't just a great backdrop for photos. It's the perfect place to indulge your hobby or your sweet tooth. Try something new, shop for a treasure, and eat some really great food. Ask anyone who's made memories here. We'll all tell you the same thing. You just gotta see Greendale!

- Thanks to the Friends of Plum Media and to the Friends of PBS Wisconsin. 

§ 'Cause these are our main streets § 
§ Somethin' 'bout a hometown speaks to me §
§ There's nowhere else I'd rather be §
§ The heart and soul of community's right here §
§ On these main streets §
[lively rhythmic music]

- This is Davenport, the largest of the Quad Cities. About 100,000 people live here, making it the third-largest city in all of the state of Iowa. Davenport is just south of I-80, on the Mississippi River. And here, what's interesting is the Mississippi River does not flow north-to-south; it runs east-to-west. Did you know that? I didn't. The Sky Bridge, iconic in Davenport. And when you're inside, it's so funny, it doesn't look green.

- Any idea what this area was originally?

- John McGivern: I have no idea; what was it?

- Emmy Fink: It was a Mississippi River rest stop. So the rapids were so rough that anyone traveling on the river actually had to take their boat out and portage around.

- John: Which is how the city formed.

- Right. So in 1836, the City of Davenport was founded by Antoine Le Claire.

- Le Claire. So season one, we were at a community called Le Claire, which is just upriver.

- Guess what? It was the same guy.

- Same guy.

- He was so important around these parts. He actually was half French Canadian, half Potawatomi, so it made him perfect for translating the treaties between the natives and the European settlers. The Native Americans really respected him, so as a thank you gift, they gave him a parcel of land. Well, that became part of the new city, this city.

- John: And he called it Davenport and not Le Claire?

- Emmy: After his best friend, Colonel George Davenport.

- Oh, really? Oh wow, he's a good guy. I would've called it McGivern.

- Emmy: I would've called it Fink.
[rolling string music fading]

- That looks pretty calm out there, doesn't it? No dangerous rapids; you know why? It's because of that. That's Dam Number 15. It's the largest roller dam in the world. So usually the gates of a dam go straight up-and-down, but on a roller dam, they're curved so they roll up and down. Another engineering marvel, take a look at that bridge. On the end of that bridge down by the lock, that can rotate 360 degrees in either direction to allow ships to get in and out of the locks. It's one of the only bridges in the entire world to be able to do a complete 360, right there.
[upbeat rhythmic music]

We're at a place called Isabel Bloom. She started this company, how long ago?

- Donna Young: She started it 60 years ago this year.

- John: Yeah. What was her intention with this company?

- She was an artist, and realized that there just wasn't a lot of garden sculpture. So she looked around for what is an affordable material that I can make work for art? And she came up with concrete. Before she knew it, she had a business going out of her basement. People loved her and loved her work.

- It's Isabel, yes?

- Yes. This was taken in her original studio, in the East Village of Davenport.

- What were you gonna show me today?

- I'm gonna show you the casting. So I put this in there.

- Oh, look at that.

- So it's like a--

- Kinda perfect.

- And I got some concrete already mixed up here.

- What's that?

- What the vibration does, it helps to get the air bubbles outta the mix. So in the morning, solid concrete. And that just kind of pops out 'til it's inside out. And there you go, there's our piece.

- So it looks like you're painting. Is that what you're doing?

- Yes, kind of. I'm doing the greening process, and this was Isabel's original finish that she did.

- You're fast at it too,
[laughing]

look at you.

- Artist: The next process would be the whiting.

- It looks beautiful.

- Do you see the brown highlights comin' through?

- Sure. You've done all this today?

- Yes.

- What time do you... You could go home now.

- Okay, thanks.
[laughing]

- Okay, yeah.
[laughing]

So Jen, you're painting.

- I am painting.

- It's not for sale yet; this is a new piece this year.

- Look at us.

- A sneak peek.
[Jen and John laughing]

- That's so good. Hey, it's May 18, Merry Christmas.

- And then I'm just gonna take this black paint. I'm just pushing it into all the little creases.

- John: Yeah.

- And I'm gonna take this sponge and I'm just gonna start to kinda wipe it off.

- John: That's kinda like magic. Is it magic?
[laughing]

-[laughing]
It is magic.

- Wow.

- He's done.

- Oh, he's gonna hang out with them.

- With his friends, yeah.

- Oh, and look at the difference. I completely get it now.

- This is a fat cat.

- That is a fat cat.
[artist laughing]

- This is her first big piece as a sculptor.

- Are you excited?

- Thank you. Yeah, I'm really excited.

- So we have an acrylic that we use. It gives a little bit of a finish, kinda brings it out.

- Oh, there we go, it sure does.

- Artist: And then after they dry, we go over there and sign them.

- Oh, sign 'em.

- Artist: Like, it's like the born-on date.

- John: Oh, that's so great. Iowa owns this, don't they?

- Donna: It's very iconic here. They're everywhere. This is the only place we make 'em.

- John: It's a very cool business.

- Donna: Well, thank you.

- John: Yeah.

- In 1900, over half of the Iowa residents were German immigrants or their descendants. Now, many of them came to Davenport and they stayed at the Miller's Hotel until they found housing of their own. How fitting that that hotel is now this building, the German American Heritage Center. Here's where you can walk in the footsteps of those early residents. Just step right on their footprints to hear their early stories.

- My husband Christophe is eager to go to America.

- You can't come to Davenport without coming to Palmer College of Chiropractic. You're next.

- Palmer College has a great story to tell. It is truly the fountainhead of the chiropractic profession. It all started right here. Now, chiropractic is a conservative, hands-on approach for health care, but it's been around for thousands of years, the idea of hands-on care of the spine to promote health. But D.D. Palmer was the first one that kind of assembled our modern thought of the profession, the philosophy, the science, and the art all together.

- And is this the oldest chiropractic school in the world?

- Dennis Marchiori: Absolutely.

- John: Yeah.

- Dennis: So we just celebrated our 125th anniversary here at Palmer College.

- How big is this campus?

- We have just under 1,000 students here.

- Okay.

- These are not actors. These are authentic students studying.
[laughing]

- John:
[laughing]

Good to know.

- And then John, you might notice when you're looking at our grand staircase, we tried to design this with the same integrity that we notice of the spine. So this is a room where students can learn hands-on technique. You'll see most of the tables that you would in any chiropractic office. This room is set aside for students to practice some of their moves to get a sense of it. With chiropractic, we're trying to look at the relationship between bones, looking at the joint itself and trying to create increased motion, increased function, better positioning. Between a table and your two hands, you can do a lot.

- John: Do techniques that brought you up in school, have they changed at all?

- Dennis: They have. You know, there's the core that have remained unchanged, but then there's always things that are added on as we learn more information.

- John: Yeah.

- Dennis: In fact, Palmer College does more chiropractic research than all of the other chiropractic programs combined.

- John: That's great.

- Dennis: It's a good story. Palmer has a great story to tell.

- The second generation of Palmers, Dr. B.J. Palmer and his wife Dr. Mabel Palmer, lived in this house right off of campus, and they loved to travel the world, collecting souvenirs. Taking a tour of this house is worth the trip to Davenport alone. Take a look at this tree trunk furniture since the 1920s. Talk about collecting some stuff. Here is a chess set that was owned by Czar Nicholas II, the last czar in Russia. Lots to look at. Their house became a tourist attraction because I'm sure a lotta people wondered, "How did they get that three-ton Buddha back to Iowa?" I know I wonder.
[gong chiming]

Not only did the Palmers have the first chiropractic school in the world, they had the first radio station this side of the Mississippi, WOC. And somebody we all know got his first job there in 1932. Who was that person? Okay, I'll give ya a hint. He was not from Iowa; he was from Illinois.
[bright music]

- Coming up next on the WOC, the sports report with Ronald Reagan, the Ronald Reagan. At 21 years old, his show business career started right here in Davenport.
[audience applauding]

- It's a photographic trick; I was never that young.
[audience laughing]

[bright string music]

- The Art Academy is a program that children can come and start in preschool, all the way through high school, even adults. And they do everything from watercolor, acrylic, pastel, pen and ink, sketching, drawing. The first few years, we have 'em try everything.

- John: Yeah.

- Pat Bereskin: And then later, they develop a sense of what they really love.

- Today, we've got eight students or so, and we're doing watercolors.

- We are. Okay, so you've got this tulip right in front of you. And just take a breath and be confident. There's no line police.
[John laughing]

Push harder down. Now, come up. You're gettin' the hang of this. We can make a watercolorist outta you. John, that's beautiful. Just take your time, don't let it go to your head. Just sayin'.
[John laughing]

A lotta people think watercolor's the hardest medium in the world, but just like livin' with a cat, you just have to understand what you're in for.
[laughing]

- There you go.

- That's one of the hardest things for adults, is to give themself permission to do art. But when you do, you open the door to something really special.

- John: Hmm.

- Pat: Not too shabby.

- That doesn't look so bad.

- No.

- My first watercolor class at the Figge. These are my fellow students; say hi you guys.

- Student: Hi!

- Take a look; I did that. Do not look surprised at home, okay?

- Pat: Thanks for comin' today and playin'.
[bright rhythmic music ending]

- So this is one of our two Haitian galleries. These are all works in the Figge's collection.

- John: Oh, nice.

- And we have around 500 works of Haitian artwork. It's one of the most extensive collections of Haitian art in the United States.

- John: That's great. In 2005, this building was built.

- Vanessa Sage: This building was built in 2005, yup.

- John: It's iconic for downtown Davenport, is it not?

- It absolutely is. And it was one of the first big investments in revitalizing the downtown. And now we have all sorts of wonderful shops and restaurants, and so it's really happening.

- The minor league baseball team here is called the Quad Cities River Bandits. They're affiliated with the Kansas City Royals. They have a beautiful ballpark right on the Mississippi River, and they are surrounded by an amusement park. So Modern Woodmen Park has a Ferris wheel, a double-decker carousel that came from Pier 39 in San Francisco, a great band shell. So people come to watch a great game, and then they spend the rest of the day havin' a great time. Oh, I wish there was a game tonight.

- We're here at Davenport Central High School, and we had to find out the story of these gold balls. Well, here's the scoop. In honor of Super Bowl 50, the NFL sent these gold balls out to all high schools who had alumni who played in any of the past Super Bowls. Well, count 'em, Central has three: Jamie Williams, Jim Jensen, and Roger Craig. And you can bet Blue Devil fans, they're always keeping their eye out for number four.
[crowd cheering]

[deep rhythmic music]

- Let's talk about Common Chord; what exactly is that?

- So Common Chord is a community music organization. We do all sorts of musical activities to help make our community a better place. So that's concerts, that's music at our farmer's market, that's education programs in schools and after school.

- John: Is this your hometown?

- CJ Parker: Yes.

- Can we talk about what you do and how this place is important?

- Yeah, so growin' up, we had field trips all the time in the Redstone Room when I was growin' up in Davenport. I always thought it was really cool to see kinda the music and see different, you know, areas of the Quad Cities. I'm the InTune Lead Mentor.

- Tyson: Our InTune program is all about connecting professional musicians with young kids, and helping them see what all the possibilities are in life.

- John: Yeah.

- So I play seven instruments myself.

- John: Oh, you do?

- CJ: But I am a musician, I'm a singer, a songwriter, things like that. I have a band.

- We were originally called the River Music Experience, and we were strictly a museum with exhibits.

- John: Oh, interesting.

- Tyson: But yeah, over the years, our programming expanded, we did more educational stuff. And really now, we're an active program organization.

- CJ: It's more music, more community. And so that brought the InTune program.

- John: Yeah.

- CJ: So we started, you know, branchin' out and talkin' to kids about music. The Quad City music scene is amazing. There are tons of amazing, very exciting musicians in the Quad Cities that have gone on to do amazing things.

- We hear all the time, we have a lot of touring bands come through, and they're always saying, "Man, it's just so nice here. "People are so nice. Everybody just says, 'Come on, let's go.'"

- Every week, you can go see music, every day.

- What are you dreamin'?

- CJ: My dream really is to just involve the next generation of musicians and excite them about music.

- And that changes lives, doesn't it?

- Absolutely. We say that around here all the time--

- Oh, you do?

- Music changes lives because it does.
[old-timey jazz music]

- In the same building as Common Chord, there's a museum dedicated to the most famous jazz musician that you've probably never heard of, Bix Beiderbecke. Such a great name. At the age of three, he could play the piano by ear, but it was actually the cornet that really launched his career. Unfortunately, his story ended early at the age of 28. But here in Davenport, he's remembered every year at the annual jazz festival, Bix Fest.
[upbeat rhythmic music]

- I'm excited about this next stop. It's Kaleidoscope Works Art Gallery and Gifts. They have an incredible bus that reminds me of the late '60s.

- We love it.

- So, do you remember your first kaleidoscope?

- Yeah, actually my sister had one.

- Yeah.

- And I was so curious, and I finally just couldn't stand it, I took it apart.

- I mean, the actual concept is simple, mirrors, yes?

- That's right, there's mirrors inside and they reflect off of each other. And if you put in a really perfect pattern, they give you a perfect symmetrical mandala.

- It's like a life-sized kaleidoscope, remarkable.

- Tom M. Chouteau: Yeah, the kids love it. It's amazing.

- These are all, like, one piece, and how to view it is all part of the piece as well.

- Right, right, yeah.

- It's a practical device.

- Right.

- And the sun'll change what it looks like, won't it?

- It will, yeah, it will.

- It's great. Oh, this is a standup one.

- This used to be an ashtray in a library in a castle.

- John: Love it. You're never gonna find another one of these.

- Tom: No!

- John: That's like all of your pieces.

- Tom: There's no two alike.

- These beautiful wood ones that feels so good to the touch. And this is a teleidoscope as well?

- Correct, that's a teleidoscope.

- Yes.

- A teleidoscope views what's outside. All you need is mirrors and lamps.

- Hey, cameraman, you look great in this.
[cameraman laughing]

- Tom: People used to have a parlor in their house, and they would have a kaleidoscope on their table. And back then, that was their entertainment. You'd have a piano in your parlor and a kaleidoscope, and maybe some brandy over on a table or something.
[Tom laughing]

- Those three things, you had to.

- Right.

- John: Congratulations, this is great stuff.

- Tom: Thank you, John.

- John: Thanks. I love this neighborhood in Davenport; what's it called?

- So this is the Village of East Davenport. Doesn't it feel like we just stepped back in time?

- John: It does, yeah.

- Now, imagine an army camp and a hospital right up there. I mean, some of these buildings are truly from the Civil War time. And now you just look, it's just this charming little street with shops and restaurants.

- John: There's some shopping here, isn't there?

- Emmy: Some good shopping; should we go?

- Are you going shoppin'? Okay. Lagomarcino's is a place that the locals said we have to stop at. It's a chocolate place, and I am so excited. They've been around forever. Come on, ice cream, chocolate, a deli? Yum! Don't tell on me.

- Okay, well, this is perfect. This is John when he is hungry. Oh yeah, grumpy.

- A local furniture store in Davenport. Okay, if anybody knows why they call a couch a Davenport, it's gotta be this place, right? Yeah.

- Who doesn't love a good doodad?

- It's called the 11th Street Precinct. Is it a police station or a bar and grill? I guess I wouldn't mind getting arrested to find out.

- Emmy: 99 Proof Designs. This is not your average soap and candle shop.

- This is very exciting.

- Oh, what'd you get?

- I got chocolates; what'd you get?

- Ooh, yum! It's a candle.

- That's so great.

- Isn't this great? I'll trade ya.

- No, no.

- I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

- Go ahead.

- Thank you.

- Here we go.

- I got milk; what'd you get?

- Dark, always.

- Yum. Less grumpy!
[gentle music]

It's summer in Iowa, which means it's time for RAGBRAI. RAGBRAI is the event when thousands of people ride their bikes all the way across Iowa. What does the acronym RAGBRAI stand for?
[bright music]

- The Des Moines Register, which is a newspaper, they named this event RAGBRAI, The Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa. It's the oldest, the longest, and the largest multi-day biking event in the entire world. We're talkin' 468 miles on average. What's cool is that the route changes every year, but you start at the Missouri River. And at the start, they dip their back tire in that river, you bike across Iowa. And if you finish, "if" being the key word, you dip your front tire in the Mississippi. How cool is that?
[bikers cheering]

And then, you take a nap.
[upbeat rhythmic music]

- So Sears, does it have anything to do with Sears and Roebuck Sears?

- Jim Sears: Actually, we predate Sears and Roebuck.

- John: What was your first job here?

- My first job was cleaning toilets for our salespeople in our sales office,
[laughing]

that was it.

- How old were you then?

- I would've been probably 13.

- 13?

- We are one of the largest manufacturers in the world of work vehicle seats, okay? So our customers are basically equipment manufacturers in agricultural, construction, material handling, and commercial truck.

- John: It's comfortable riding.

- They expect the same level of comfort that's in their car in their tractor or construction equipment. So, John, this is where we make our great reputation of buildin' quality product and gettin' it to our customers on time.

- John: So you know what's goin' on?

- I think so.

- Thanks, Jim!

- I think we know a thing or two, right?

- Good, good!

- Comfort to the operator, comfort to the driver. And this is one example of foam operation, foam manufacturing.

- John: It's liquid, right?

- Enrique Riojas: It's liquid.

- John: Oh wow, there we have it.

- Enrique: Right there.

- John: It looks like banana cream!

- I know, I know.

- It does.

- It doesn't taste like it though.

- I bet not!
[both laughing]

So, have these already been ordered?

- Yes.

- Okay, these are--

- We build to order. Every single seat that we manufacture is built to order.

- So every one of these that's being poured has been paid for already?

- I'm not sure if it's been paid--

- You gotta love that!
[laughing]

- But it's been ordered, let's put it that way.

- That's good! This is the magic.

- So this is what we saw being poured.

- This is the liquid.

- Good.

- This is the final product. This is one of many, right?

- Right. And how many of these can be put together a day?

- An assembly line like this, you know, we'll probably do a couple hundred a day.

- A day?

- A day, yeah.

- So we can go out and collect ride data in tractors, wheel loaders, on-highway truck. And then we come back in here, and we can duplicate that ride right here in this facility on this simulator. Put your seatbelt on.

- Oh, my seatbelt.

- There ya go.
[John laughing]

- Oh, thank you. Hey, wait a minute!
[laughing]

Wait!
[laughing]

Turn it...
[Kent and John laughing]

- Kent Wichelt: This is an ag tractor ride file.

- What are they plowing?

- So we ride this--

- What?
[laughing]

I live in the city! All this for a ear of corn!

- That's right.
[both laughing]

Been to the county fair?
[low rhythmic music]

We're outside the incredible restaurant Taste of Ethiopia. How long have you been open?

- Oh, almost eight years now.

- Eight years. I am presuming you're from Ethiopia?

- Yes, I am, born and raised.

- Born and raised?

- Yes.

- How did you make it to Davenport, Iowa?

- Married.

- Married, that's how it works, isn't it?

- Genet Moraetes: Yes, yes. My husband is from here.

- Do you have to Americanize any of your food?

- Yeah, everything.
[both laughing]

- I was told that you were gonna teach me how to make the bread. And it's called what?

- Yes, injera.

- Injera?

- Uh-huh.

- This is gonna be bread!

- Injera mix. Like as a pancake batter, so you know--

- That's what it looks like to me.

- Yeah, yeah. So let's do the first one.

- Okay, let's do it.

- Pour it in the middle and you make a circle. It looks good, but--

- It bubbles a bit?

- It bubbles a bit, so...

- John: Now, you cover it for how long?

- I just eyeball it.

- Really?

- Really.

- Oh, is it ready?

- It's ready. Beautiful.

- Perfect!

- So you wanna try?

- I'd love to.

- Pour it in the middle.

- Right in the middle?

- Yep, all right!

- Here we go. No!

- Yeah.

- 'Cause it was too thin?

- Yeah, too thin.

- Yeah; it was her fault.

- I know, everything.
[laughing]

Yeah, that's good enough.

- That's good.

- Yeah. But this one is perfect.

- I'm very happy with the second one!

- John's second injera is perfect.

- Very nice.

- Yeah.

- That was good!

- Genet: So we call it dinner for two.

- John: Are people from Davenport, are they familiar with the cuisine of Ethiopia?

- Some, some. And this is shiro; it's almost like baked beans. We eat it almost every day.

- John: And so somebody who is not native to Ethiopia, what do you suggest?

- Usually, there is a lot of vegans, vegetarians in this area.

- John: So it's a lotta vegetable, a lotta--

- Genet: A lot of vegetables and lentils.

- John: Lentils.

- Genet: Yes. Okay, this is a green lentil.

- John: Green lentils, okay.

- Green lentils.

- John: It's so colorful!

- That's what I mean, it's so beautiful.

- John: Oh, my Lord, that is gorgeous. Why am I so excited right now?

- It tastes good!

- John: It's really about sharing, isn't it?

- Genet: Yes, yes, yes.

- It's about family sharing.

- Family sharing.

- Yes.

- Oh, a lot of people put all the food like to tortilla. They make a sandwich and roll it and eat it too. There's no right way or wrong way.

- The spice is so good.

- So good, yes.

- So good.

- Good.

- John: This is like an event. It's really beautiful and it's so tasty.

- Genet: Yeah.

- Take a look. Injera, with your hands, roll it. Mmm. It's dinner for two, but tonight, guess what?
[whispers]

For one.
[upbeat rhythmic music]

When you think of Iowa, you may think of a small farming town, but you can get a big city experience here as well.

- Absolutely. There's arts, there's music, there's sports, and your favorite, restaurants.

- Of course.
[laughing]

Davenport, I think, delivers.

- Ooh, I like that.

- Yeah, me too.

- Double "D."

- Right.

- It's cute. 
§ There's nowhere else I'd rather be §
§ The heart and soul of community §

- Walk, Emmy, just walk!

- Was that it?
[laughing]

- Dang it, that was close!

- Callin' the police.

- Oh, what?
[John grunting]

- Chocolate, yum!
[producer laughing]

- Producer: One more time!

- Oh, grumpy, did I say crabby?

- Producer: Yeah.

- Well, now I am crabby.

- Announcer: Thanks to our underwriters.

- My father taught me that to make great bakery, you have to do it the right way. O&H Danish Bakery, where kringle traditions begin.

- Heiser Automotive is honored to help John McGivern and his team arrive safely to many Main Streets. We are committed to remaining true to the Heiser way: Do what's right for our customers, our employees, and the communities we serve. We are happy to help.

- How to get more out of your Wisconsin Dells vacation? Ride more rides, slide more slides, bite off more than you can chew. Have more fun than a barrel of monkeys! That's more like it. Wisconsin Dells: The Water Park Capital of the World! Wisdells.com.

- Twenty-minute commutes. Weekends on the lake. Warm welcomes and exciting career opportunities. Not to mention all the local flavor! There's a lot to look forward to in Wisconsin. Learn more at InWisconsin.com.

- Wisconsin's picture-perfect historic downtown Greendale isn't just a great backdrop for photos. It's the perfect place to indulge your hobby or your sweet tooth. Try something new, shop for a treasure, and eat some really great food. Ask anyone who's made memories here. We'll all tell you the same thing: You just gotta see Greendale!

- Announcer: Thanks to the Friends of Plum Media and to the Friends of PBS Wisconsin.

- Camera Operator: Hmm.

- D.D. Palmer, I'm just waitin' for an adjustment. Yeah, so turn the camera away.
[camera operator laughing]

This isn't something I share, okay? Go.
[camera operator laughing]