Davenport, Iowa

Davenport lies in the state of Iowa. The city is the largest of the Quad cities which comprise of Bettendorf and the Illinois cities of Moline, East Moline and Rock Island. The city offers a delightful view of the river and also the surrounding regions of the area.

The climate of the city is classified as a humid continental climate which makes the summers hot while the winters get to be real breezy and cold. The city offers a delightful mix of natural sceneries and manmade structures. Some very old monuments can be found in this city that boasts of a very ancient history. There is no dearth of family friendly activities in the city. Every week the city organizes some kind of event that has something to offer to everyone.

There are plenty of museums and parks in Davenport and also some fantastic bridges and stadiums. Take in the massive river bridges here or lay back and enjoy a ride on the boat. Check out the many restaurants of the city or simply walk around taking in its many shades and cultures. Nature lovers will find this city particularly delightful.

Davenport is an attractive city for both local residents as well as tourists. The city also has a bustling nightlife, various places to eat, places to see and can also offer you a great shopping experience. Many businesses in the city also thrive.

Davenport History

Incorporated on the 25th of January in 1839, Davenport was initially settled when United States acquired 828,000 square miles of land from France under the Louisiana Purchase in the year 1803. It was on the 27th of August in 1805 that Pike camped on the present day site of Davenport. In 1832, when the Sauk tribe and the USA army signed the Black Hawk War treaty, it was translated by Antoine LeClaire and the chief of the Indian tribe gave a huge portion of land to the wife of LeClaire. The man went on to build his house in 1833 at the exact spot where the treaty was signed and established Davenport in 1836 on the 14th of May.

When the Scott County was formed in 1837, there was a tug of war between Davenport and Rockingham for the position of the county seat. After two elections, Davenport finally won the county seat position by two votes, but since the fight was so close a third election was also held. It was here that Davenport finally won by a large margin and in order to seal their victory the city quickly constructed the first county courthouse.

Later Rockingham went on to build a railroad across the river and this lead to the entire area getting connected much more easily to Chicago. The city of Davenport became a railroad commercial center and this helped the city to grow further in importance. In 1895 the Davenport hall was built and this was followed by the Kahl Building, the Parker Building, and the Capitol Theatre and these contributed towards the laying of the present skyline of the city.

In 1932 the city faced a huge blow in the form of the Green Depression. Many people lost their jobs and the area on the west end of the city also suffered drastically in the sanitation and ailment departments. However, the situation changed after the Second World War when the citizens went to work for Works Progress Administration. It was in 1956 that the interstate highway project reached Davenport and now the city was to enjoy railroads, water transport and also these major highways. The city saw a dip in the 1980s due to the farm crisis but picked up again in 1990s due to the tourism industry boost.

About Davenport, Iowa

Located in Scott County, Davenport is the county seat and also enjoys the status of being the largest city of Scott County. The city was founded by Antoine LeClaire who also named it after his friend, George Davenport. Since the city is located on the banks of the Mississippi River in Scott, it has always enjoyed a position of prominence with settlers and visitors pouring in almost all through the year.

Davenport is located approximately half way between Chicago and Des Moines and lies on the border of Iowa and Illinois. The city covers 64.9 square miles and 3.31% of this is water. According to the 2010 census the population of the city was 99,685 of which a large 83.68% White population and only 9.24% African Americans. There were 0.37% Native Americans and about 2.00% Asian with 0.02% being Pacific Islanders. The median income of a household in the city was said to be $40,378.

Due to its location Davenport has been able to enjoy a good economic status. The city's largest labor industry is manufacturing with John Deer playing the role of the second largest employer in the Quad cities. Other prominent companies that operate here are the Rock Island Arsenal, Genesis Health System and Trinity Regional Health System. There is also a regional grocery store called Hy-Vee that employs several people in the city. The Davenport Community School District is another major source of employment in the city.

Davenport is the largest city that borders the Mississippi River and does not have a protective floodwall. This is the reason why the city is often exposed to many floods. While most buildings here are not flood proof, there is the famous Figge Art Museum that is constructed on an elevation and does offer some sort of protection against flooding. Interestingly the river at the point where the city is located flows from east to west as opposed to its usual north to south.

The city also offers a large number of significant buildings. There is the massive Davenport City Hall that is a must see and has been valued at a phenomenal $100, 000. The Red Stone building is another very significant construction in this area as is the Davenport Sky Bridge and the Putnam Museum and IMAX Theater. Davenport is also known for its several parks of which the Modern Woodman Park and Credit Island and the Vander Veer Botanical Park are a must see.

About Scott County, Iowa

Located in the state of Iowa is the Scott County that has its seat as Davenport. The county is part of the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island Metropolitan Statistical Area that has three other counties in the group too. It was in 1833 that the first American settlement in the region was recorded. It was said to be at the Valley City which is now known as the Pleasant Valley. The county was established by the Wisconsin legislature in 1837.

The county occupies as area of 468.17 square miles of which 2.19% is water. According to the 2010 census the population of the county then was 165,224 of which a large majority of 88.54% were White, 6.11% were African American and 0.32% were Native American with only 1.58% Asians and 0.02% Pacific Islanders. The median household income in the county was $42,701.

This landlocked county has Clinton County on its north and the Rock Island County, Illinois on its east & south. One the southwest is Muscatine County with Cedar County to its northwest. The county plays host to several cities like Buffalo, Dixon, Bettendorf, Long Grove, Princeton, Riverdale and also Donahue. The Big Rock and Park View are two unincorporated areas of the county.

There are a host of historically important places to be found in Scott County. There is the James Brown House, the Cody Homestead, Joseph F. Bettendorf House, the Dawley House, the Lock and Dam No. 14 Historic District, the LONESTAR, the Old Mill House and the Stone house. The Joseph F. Bettendorf House that is located in the city of Bettendorf is a very significant place. It has 28 rooms in all and was build by Bettendorf himself after whom the city is also named. Today the house has been converted into a school. In 1846 the Alexander Brownlie House was built in Long Grove and is considered an important historical location in the county.