Butterworth Center & Deere-Wiman House hosts a variety of free family events throughout the year. A traditional 19th Century Christmas open house marks the start of the holiday season on the first Sunday afternoon of December. Other annual events, such as Evenings at Butterworth and Music on the Lawn, appeal to visitors from preschoolers to senior citizens.
Special Programs
Architecture, Material Selection, and Community
Older buildings are essential for a community’s identity, aesthetics, and development. Property owners, historic preservation commissioners, and city planners often work together to maintain the integrity of historic structures and neighborhoods so that they meet the needs of modern society. But, what is historic preservation? How are restoration or rehabilitation decisions made? Where can compromises be made and who has the final say in what happens to a building?
Whether you own an historic property, are a commissioner or city staff member, developer, realtor, or just curious about old buildings, this educational series will provide participants with a deeper understanding about historic properties, the restoration process, and their importance in local communities.
Join us for a series of presentations and networking opportunities in 2026. Register for one or all sessions. Participants will experience the following:
- Quality training sessions for historic preservation commissioners and city staff so that they can serve as resources to preservationists and investors while striving to preserve the unique history of their communities.
- Lively conversations about what it means to live and work in historic structures for owners, potential investors, and realtors.
- An environment where participants can learn together and meet peers from other communities to exchange ideas and network.
- A welcoming educational opportunity for learners from all backgrounds interested in historic preservation.
All sessions are free of charge. Snacks are provided. To register, click here.
Dates & Topics
All sessions are held at: Deere-Wiman House, 817 11th Avenue, Moline IL 61265
Session 1: Is this Original?: Tips for Investigating Historic Architecture 16 April from 4:00-6:00p
Are you an historic property owner or preservation enthusiast who wants to learn how to read a building? Learn how to identify architectural clues that can help establish a building’s original appearance, identify changes over time, and inform the restoration process.
Session 2: The Use of Substitute Materials on Historic Building Exteriors 21 May from 4:00 - 6:00p
Should owners of historic properties be required to use only original materials when renovating their structures? Is it allowable and appropriate to use something else? Learn how using substitute materials provides more flexibility and cost effective options while still meeting the Standards for Rehabilitation.
Session 3: Defending the National Historic Preservation Act and Section 106 18 June from 4:00 - 6:00p
Gain the educational tools you need to teach others about historic preservation, including background information, messaging tips, and real life examples illustrating how NHPA and Section 106 protect historic and cultural heritage resources without hindering community development initiatives.
Session 4: Creating Community with Cheap Old Houses
16 July from 4:00 - 6:00p
Preservationists know the joys and challenges involved in restoring properties; but, did you know that these places also create stronger connections to neighborhoods and communities? Join us for a conversation about the wonder and fun found in the preservation process.
Porch Party
Butterworth Center and Deere-Wiman House is celebrating its 70th anniversary as an arts and culture community center, and will host their annual Porch Party on September 20, 2026, from noon to 5:00 pm. The community is invited to join in the festivities and tour all four buildings on the Deere-Wiman and Butterworth properties, including the tunnel that connects the Deere-Wiman House to the Carriage House. An interactive digital scavenger hunt sponsored by QCPastPort will take participants across both properties with clues from the historic site’s rich history. There will be a family zone with swag and lawn games, as well as a photo booth with props in the rose garden. Guests are invited to bring a lawn chair and enjoy a lineup of music provided by Tewanta & Good Company (jazz), Shaun Easton (eclectic acoustic), Mo and Alex, Subatlantic (indie rock), and Jed Poust, who will play the historic Butterworth organ. The event is free and open to the public. A variety of food trucks will have food and beverages for purchase, including a beer garden at Butterworth Center. The public is invited to celebrate the organization’s 70th anniversary with a free slice of cake.
“This year’s Porch Party theme, Reunion of Friends, celebrates our 70th year of opening our doors to the community for open houses, tours, and cultural events,” stated visitor services director Susan Anderson. “With family-friendly activities, live music, a beer garden, and more, Porch Party really does have something for everyone.”
“The Butterworth Center and Deere-Wiman House honors our heritage by supporting service, culture and education in the
September 20, 2026
Butterworth Center and Deere-Wiman House Invite the Community to a Porch Party
Location: Butterworth Center and Deere-Wiman House, 1105 8th Street and 817 11th Avenue, Moline, IL, 61265
Time: noon to 5:00 pm.
Quad Cities community,” said executive director Heather Calvert. “The Porch Party is the perfect opportunity for the community to celebrate and learn about our local history.”
The event is sponsored by the William Butterworth Foundation, which was founded by Katherine Deere Butterworth to honor her late husband, William. A number of community groups will be present with demonstrations and giveaways, including the Daughters of the American Revolution and Children of the American Revolution with an exhibit on Revolutionary War activity in the state of Illinois. Other community groups will represent a range of interests, including arts and crafts, astronomy, classic cars, and plants and conservation.
The William Butterworth Foundation manages and funds both Butterworth Center, 1105 8th St, Moline, IL 61265, and Deere-Wiman House, 817 11th Ave, Moline IL 61265. These historic homes, once residences of Deere, Butterworth, and Wiman family members, now function as community centers that provide educational and cultural programming, free family events, historic tours, scholarships, and complimentary meeting space for other not-for-profit organizations.
For more information: Susan Anderson, Visitor Services Director, 309-743-2708, sanderson@butterworthcenter.com
Special Tours
The Ladies of the Houses — Mary Deere, Katherine Butterworth, and Pattie Wiman— were raised during the Victorian Era when a woman’s place was with her family, community and church, but behind the scenes, they played an essential role in the growth and success of Deere & Company. As pioneers in the social life of the city, the business and beyond, they helped set the course for the good fortune to come. Visitors will get a glimpse of the private lives of these ladies —their pastimes, personal values, and prized possessions.
Ana Kehoe, who, as a young girl, knew Mrs. Wiman and visited her home, has several unique stories to tell. She will lead the group through both Deere-Wiman House and Butterworth Center for approximately 1 1/2 hours. There will be opportunities to sit during the tour but be sure to wear comfortable shoes.
Saturday, October 10,10-11:30 am and 1-2:30 pm
and Sunday, October 11, 1-2:30 pm
There is an exterior lift and interior elevator at both houses for those with mobility issues. Wheelchairs will not fit in the interior elevator; wheelchair users will be limited to the first floor of both houses.
Parking is available across the street, south of Deere-Wiman House, 817 11th Ave, Moline.
This tour is $20 and is limited to 20 participants.
Registration links:
Friday, November 6, Saturday November 7
& Sunday, November 8 at 10am and 2pm
Charles and Mary Deere built their estate in 1872 and moved to the bluff the following year. Their home, known as “Overlook”, pushed the boundaries of modern living! With time, their
estate, now known as Deere-Wiman House, was updated with technological and mechanical innovations. Equipped with elevators and ribbed cage showers, this home has been witness
to innovations for over 150 years. From customized alterations to practical upgrades, these walls have seen it all.
If These Walls Could Talk provides participants with a unique, guided experience through corridors rarely open to the public with the director of facilities & collections. During this specialty tour, she will spill the tea on everything from the boiler system to the wallpaper to the floorboard nails. Leave with a better idea of the estate’s utility modifications over time and how they reflect the life of a family of early adapters.
This tour is $20 and is limited to 20 participants.
Registration links:
Special Events
We the Native People
IHC Road Scholar Program
Monday, October 12th, 6:30pm
Speaker Bio: Kim Sigafus is an award-winning Ojibwa author and speaker. Her family is from White Earth Reservation in Minnesota. An author of over 20 books, Kim writes Native American fiction and nonfiction, YA (young adults), and children’s books, and travels throughout the Midwest to give presentations on her culture. Kim is the CEO of Quiet Souls Events and Education, a nonprofit organization that promotes native culture through educational programs and special events. When not working, Kim enjoys crafting Talking Feathers and singing and drumming.
Captivating audiences with her stories, knowledge, and Native regalia, Kim will discuss what was happening in the country regarding Native Americans at the time the Declaration of Independence was signed. Kim will emphasize the impact the document had on the lives of the Native people, including how Native people viewed their land, the loss of which negatively impacted them. She will discuss how they once lived, and explain what was lost of their culture as western expansion moved forward. Kim will tell about the lives of the Native people through traditional story and song; native foods will also be discussed. An audience Q & A session will conclude the program.
Evenings at Butterworth
Neil Dahlstrom
Thursday, October 22nd, 6:30pm
Neil Dahlstrom is an archivist, writer, and speaker. He grew up and lives in the Quad Cities, once known as the farm implement capital of the world. Today the Quad Cities is a vibrant community of cities on the Illinois and Iowa sides of the Mississippi River with an exciting history of innovation in the farm equipment and automobile industries.
Neil works at Fortune 100 company John Deere, as the archivist and historian. He is a member of the Kitchen Cabinet, the Food and Agriculture Advisory Board at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, and Visit Quad Cities. Neil’s research and speeches have taken him to historical societies and museums, abandoned factories-turned-coffee shops, and state-of-the-art research centers across the country.
Thursday, Nov. 12th, 2026 at 6:30 p.m.
Dusky Waters is the nom de plume of contemporary Americana songwriter and musician Jenn Jeffers, an artist whose work bridges the rich musical traditions of the South with a modern, genre-defying sound. As the Executive Director and Co-Founder of BlackAmericana Fest, a New Orleans-based music festival celebrating Black artists in Americana, Folk, and Country music, she is at the forefront of fostering a more inclusive roots music landscape.
Dusky Waters is an expression of Jeffers’ affinity for the magic of twilight hours and the ever-present Mississippi River, which has shaped her journey from her childhood on the banks of its tributary in Little Rock, Arkansas, to her early twenties in the Delta of northern Louisiana, to her current home in New Orleans. Her music mirrors this passage, fusing the gospel, folk, and soul traditions of the region with pop melodies and arrangements.
She has earned critical acclaim, with audiences and press lauding her ability to craft songs that are both deeply personal and universally resonant. Her music has been described as “beautifully crafted” and “sublime,” elevating her songwriting craft and “clarion call vocals.” Known for high-energy performances that consistently turn crowds into “a sea of movement,” Dusky Waters brings an electrifying presence to the stage. With soulful lyricism, intricate banjo and guitar licks, and a sound that ebbs and flows like the Mississippi, Dusky Waters reimagines Americana. Her music is a manifestation of the magic and mourning of the bayou state and an uplifting testament to the power of self-actualization - honoring tradition while forging a new path that reflects the ever-evolving spirit of the South.
19th Century Christmas Open House
Sunday, December 6th, 12:00 - 5:00pm
Each year during the 19th Century Christmas event, hundreds of visitors step back in time to experience the sights and sounds of an 1800s Christmas. Plan on visiting Butterworth Center & Deere-Wiman House, the home of Charles Deere and Katherine Deere Butterworth, son and granddaughter of John Deere. Activities are located throughout the properties, including beautiful decorations and musical performances. Free refreshments are served throughout the afternoon.
Music On the Lawn
Birds of a Feather
Rock Together for Music on the Lawn at Deere-Wiman House on Wednesday, July 29th at 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Birds of a Feather is an American indie superduo of family music luminaries: Filipina-American Little Miss Ann (Ann Torralba) of Chicago, and Brooklyn’s longtime family music pioneer, Suzi Shelton. They are beloved veterans of the family music space who bring a combined 30+ years of musical experience and their music videos have reached over 11 million views.
Birds of a Feather is an artistic model for how joyful it can look and sound when two musicians come together to harmonize, and end up taking flight in unexpected ways. They want young listeners and their respective caregivers to understand that having a friend around to keep you grounded will help you be brave.
Their tunes range from “Tough Cat” where meowing horn blasts and whimsical harmonies ignite bravery and strength; a guitar-driven title track “Birds of a Feather” featuring Suzi’s trademark “yeah”s; “Learning to Fly” a feel-good anthem that may just become this summer’s go-to campfire sing along.
Come flock together with us on the Deere-Wiman House (817 11th Avenue, Moline) lawn! Child care centers and day care providers are invited especially to the morning concert. To register for the 9:30 a.m. concert, contact
education@butterworthcenter.com.
The evening concert requires no reservations. It kicks off at 5 p.m. with a variety of family activities followed by the 6:30 p.m. concert. Bring your lawn chairs, a blanket, a picnic dinner and be ready to rock together with Birds of a Feather!
Special Tours
The Ladies of the Houses — Mary Deere, Katherine Butterworth, and Pattie Wiman— were raised during the Victorian Era when a woman’s place was with her family, community and church, but behind the scenes, they played an essential role in the growth and success of Deere & Company. As pioneers in the social life of the city, the business and beyond, they helped set the course for the good fortune to come. Visitors will get a glimpse of the private lives of these ladies —their pastimes, personal values, and prized possessions.
Ana Kehoe, who, as a young girl, knew Mrs. Wiman and visited her home, has several unique stories to tell. She will lead the group through both Deere-Wiman House and Butterworth Center for approximately 1 1/2 hours. There will be opportunities to sit during the tour but be sure to wear comfortable shoes.
There is an exterior lift and interior elevator at both houses for those with mobility issues. Wheelchairs will not fit in the interior elevator; wheelchair users will be limited to the first floor of both houses.
Parking is available across the street, south of Deere-Wiman House, 817 11th Ave, Moline.
This tour is $20 and is limited to 25 participants.
Registration links:
Evenings at Butterworth
Check back for future events