Davenport, Iowa

{{Main|History of Davenport, Iowa}}

The land was originally inhabited by the Sauk, Meskwaki (Fox), and Ho-Chunk (Winnebago) Native American tribes. France laid claim to this territory as part of its New France and Illinois Country in the 18th century. Its traders and missionaries came to the area from Canada (Quebec), but it did not have many settlers here. After losing to Great Britain in the Seven Years' War, France ceded its territory east of the Mississippi River to the British, and transferred the lands to the west to Spain.

In 1803, France regained and sold its holdings in North America west of the Mississippi River to the United States under the Louisiana Purchase. Lieutenant Zebulon Pike was the first United States representative to officially visit the Upper Mississippi River area. On August 27, 1805, Pike camped on the present-day site of Davenport.{{cite book |title=A Study in City Building |last=Fetzer |first=John Clark|year=1945 }}

In 1832, a group of Sauk, Meskwaki, and Kickapoo people were defeated by the United States in the Black Hawk War. The United States government concluded the Black Hawk Purchase, sometimes called the Forty-Mile Strip or Scott's Purchase, by which the US acquired lands in what is now eastern Iowa. The purchase was made for $640,000 on September 21, 1832, and contained an area of some {{convert|6|e6acre|km2|abbr=unit}}, at a price equivalent to 11 cents/acre ($26/km{{sup|2}}). Although named after the defeated chief Black Hawk, he was being held prisoner by the US. Sauk chief Keokuk, who had remained neutral in the war, signed off on the purchase. It was made on the site of present-day Davenport. Army General Winfield Scott and Governor of Illinois, John Reynolds, acted on behalf of the United States, with Antoine Le Claire, a mixed-race (Métis) man, serving as translator. He later was credited with founding Davenport.

Chief Keokuk gave a generous portion of land to Antoine Le Claire's wife, Marguerite, the granddaughter of a Sauk chief. Le Claire built their home on the exact spot where the agreement was signed, as stipulated by Keokuk, or he would have forfeited the land. Le Claire finished the 'Treaty House' in the spring of 1833. He founded Davenport on May 14, 1836, naming it for his friend Colonel George Davenport, who was stationed at Fort Armstrong during the war. The city was incorporated on January 25, 1839.{{cite web|title=Davenport History: Pre-Settlement and Early Years |publisher=Davenport Public Library |url=http://www.qcmemory.org/Default.aspx?PageId=223&nt=207&nt2=222 |access-date=2007-12-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101230030159/http://www.qcmemory.org/Default.aspx?PageId=223&nt=207&nt2=222 |archive-date=December 30, 2010 }} The area was successively governed by the legislatures of the Michigan Territory, the Wisconsin Territory, Iowa Territory and finally Iowa.

Scott County was formed by an act of the Wisconsin Territorial legislature in 1837.{{cite web|url=http://www.scottcountyiowa.com/history/|title=Scott County History|publisher=Scott County, Iowa|access-date=2010-12-29|archive-date=February 7, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070207071520/http://www.scottcountyiowa.com/history/|url-status=live}} Both Davenport and its neighbor Rockingham campaigned to become the county seat. The city with the most votes from Scott County citizens in the February 1838 election would become the county seat. On the eve of the election, Davenport citizens acquired the temporary service of Dubuque laborers so they could vote in the election. Davenport won the election with the help of the laborers. Rockingham supporters protested the elections to the territorial governor, on the grounds the laborers from Dubuque were not Scott County residents. The governor refused to certify the results of the election. A second election was held the following August. To avoid another import of voters, the governor set a 60-day residency requirement for all voters. Davenport won by two votes. Because the margin of victory was so close, a third election was held in the summer of 1840. As the August election drew nearer, Rockingham residents grew tired of the county seat cause. Davenport easily won the third election. Consequently, to avoid questions about the county seat, Davenport quickly built the first county courthouse.Svendsen, Davenport A Pictorial History p. 19

The Rock Island Railroad built the first railroad bridge across the Mississippi River in 1856. It connected Davenport to Rock Island, Illinois.{{cite web|title=Davenport History: Early Collisions with the First Bridge |publisher=Davenport Public Library |url=http://www.qcmemory.org/Default.aspx?PageId=414&nt=207&nt2=229 |access-date=2007-12-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101230032832/http://www.qcmemory.org/Default.aspx?PageId=414&nt=207&nt2=229 |archive-date=December 30, 2010 }} This railway connection resulted in significant improvements to transportation and commerce with Chicago, a booming 19th-century city. The addition of new railroad lines to Muscatine and Iowa City, and the acquisition of other lines by the Rock Island Railroad, resulted in Davenport becoming a commercial railroad hub.

File:BridgeDavenportIAAerialView1800s.jpg

Steamboat companies rightly saw nationwide railroads as a threat to their business. On May 6, 1856, just weeks after the bridge was completed, a steamboat captain deliberately crashed the Effie Afton into the bridge. The owner of the Effie Afton, John Hurd, filed a lawsuit against the Rock Island Railroad Company. Abraham Lincoln was the lead defense lawyer for the railroad company. The hung jury meant that neither party was awarded damages; the bridge was repaired within the span of a few months, and no further intentional sabotage was pursued. However, further litigation continued for many years, until ultimately the United States Supreme Court upheld the right to bridge navigable streams; the bridge, and others like it that had been built in the interim, were allowed to remain.{{cite web| title =Bridging the Mississippi: The Railroads and Steamboats Clash at the Rock Island Bridge| publisher =National Archives and Records Administration| author =Pfeiffer, David A.| url =https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2004/summer/bridge.html| access-date =2008-09-29| archive-date =September 23, 2008| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20080923204642/http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2004/summer/bridge.html| url-status =live}}

File:Davenport Claim House.jpg was constructed by George L. Davenport, son of Colonel George Davenport, in 1832 or 1833. It is believed to be the oldest structure in the city.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ciAJzN6CqiEC&pg=PA211|title=Iowa: A Guide to the Hawkeye State|page=224|publisher=Hastings House|location=New York|last=Federal Writers' Project of the Works Progress Administration for the State of Iowa|year=1938|isbn=9781603540148|access-date=November 10, 2020|archive-date=February 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207052017/https://books.google.com/books?id=ciAJzN6CqiEC&pg=PA211|url-status=live}}]] Prior to the start of the Civil War, Governor Samuel J. Kirkwood declared Davenport to be Iowa's first military headquarters; five military camps were set up in the city to aid the Union.Svendsen, Davenport A Pictorial History p. 12

The Davenport City Hall was built in 1895 for price of $100,000 (${{formatprice|{{inflation|US|100000|1895}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars). {{Inflation-fn|US}} Architectural journals of the time poked fun at the project due to the small amount of money budgeted.Svendsen, Davenport A Pictorial History p. 88 The skyline began forming in the 1920s with the construction of the Kahl Building, the Parker Building, and the Capitol Theatre during a period of economic and building expansion.

File:Davenport Barber 1865p517 crop.jpg, which appears in the Seal of Iowa.]]

By 1932, thousands of Davenport residents were on public relief, due to the Great Depression. A shantytown of the poor developed in the west end of the city, along the Mississippi River. Sickness, hunger, and unsanitary living conditions plagued the area.

The situation would soon change, as many citizens went to work for the Works Progress Administration. Davenport had an economic boom during and after World War II, driven by wartime industry and peacetime demand. As Davenport grew, it absorbed smaller surrounding communities, annexing Rockingham, Nahant, Probstei, East Davenport, Oakdale, Cawiezeel, Blackhawk, Mt. Joy, Green Tree, and others. Oscar Mayer, Ralston Purina, and other companies built plants in west Davenport. The Interstate highway network reached Davenport in 1956, improving transportation in the area. By 1959, more than 1,000 homes a year were being constructed.

By the late 1970s, the good times were over for both downtown and local businesses and industries. Railroad restructuring in the mid-20th century had caused a loss of jobs in the industry. The farm crisis of the 1980s negatively affected Davenport and the rest of the Quad Cities, where a total of 35,000 workers lost their jobs throughout the entire Quad Cities area. Restructuring of heavy industry also continued: the Caterpillar plant on the city's north side closed, causing another wave of job loss.

With the 1990s, the city finally showed the beginnings of a resurgence.{{cite web| title = Davenport thinks cycle on upswing again| publisher = Dispatch – Argus| author = Brecht, Tony| url = http://qconline.com/progress99/1pgdport.shtml| access-date = 2008-01-07| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://archive.today/20130105000841/http://qconline.com/progress99/1pgdport.shtml| archive-date = January 5, 2013}} In the early 21st century, many renovations and building additions have occurred to revitalize the downtown area, including repairing Modern Woodmen Park, the building of the Skybridge and the Figge Art Museum. In 2011, the Gold Coast and Hamburg Historic District was named as a 2011 "America's Great Place" by the American Planning Association.{{cite news|title=Gold Coast and Hamburg Historic District |url=http://www.planning.org/greatplaces/streets/2011/index.htm |access-date=April 6, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315195421/http://www.planning.org/greatplaces/streets/2011/index.htm |archive-date=March 15, 2012 }}

File:Davenport IowalJS.jpg of Davenport from a letter-head dating to 1868]]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|65.92|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|63.8|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|2.12|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.{{cite web |title=2020 Gazetteer Files |url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.2020.html |website=census.gov |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=July 22, 2022 |archive-date=October 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026060851/https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.2020.html |url-status=live }} Davenport is located approximately {{convert|170|mi}} west of Chicago and {{convert|170|mi}} east of the Iowa state capital of Des Moines. The city is located about {{convert|200|mi}} north of St. Louis, Missouri, and {{convert|265|mi}} southeast of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Farmland surrounds Davenport, outside the Quad Cities area.

Davenport is located on the banks of the Mississippi River. At this point the river has a maximum depth of around {{convert|30|to|40|ft}} and is {{convert|2217|ft}} wide where the Centennial Bridge crosses it. The river flows from east to west in this area, as opposed to its usual north to south direction.{{cite web|url=http://cgee.hamline.edu/rivers/Resources/river_days/info.html|title=QRivers of Life: Mississippi River Information|publisher=Hamline University|access-date=2009-12-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100512194133/http://cgee.hamline.edu/rivers/Resources/river_days/info.html|archive-date=May 12, 2010|url-status=dead}} From the river the city starts to slope north up a hill, which is steep at some points. The streets of the city, especially downtown and in the central part of the town, follow a grid design.

Davenport often makes national headlines when it suffers seasonal flooding by the Mississippi River. It is the largest city bordering the Mississippi that has no permanent flood wall or levee.{{cite news|title=Flooded City Awaits Word on U.S. Help|work=The New York Times|author=Fountain, John W.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/27/us/flooded-city-awaits-word-on-us-help.html|date=April 27, 2001|access-date=2008-11-01|archive-date=July 9, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170709072158/http://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/27/us/flooded-city-awaits-word-on-us-help.html|url-status=live}} Davenport residents prefer to maintain open access to the river for parks and vistas rather than have it cut off by dikes and levees. Davenport has adopted ordinances requiring any new construction in the floodplain to be elevated above the 100-year-flood level, or protected with walls. As a result, former mayor Phil Yerington said that if they "let Mother Nature take her course, we'll all be better off".{{cite news|title=Floodwall not in near future for Davenport|author=Geyer, Thomas|work=Quad-City Times|url=http://www.qctimes.com/news/local/article_c099bb28-7bb2-5ac3-a069-2460f7fbeb8d.html|access-date=2007-12-19|date=June 28, 2003|archive-date=January 11, 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130111081951/http://www.qctimes.com/news/local/article_c099bb28-7bb2-5ac3-a069-2460f7fbeb8d.html|url-status=live}} An example of a Davenport building that is elevated or flood-proofed is the Figge Art Museum.{{cite news|url=http://www.qctimes.com/sports/basketball/college/big-10/iowa/article_2a00c222-d996-5f3e-b33d-1625aac85c4d.html|title=Good thing it doesn't take a city to raise a museum|work=Quad-City Times|last=Ickes|first=Barb|date=August 2, 2001|access-date=2009-03-25|archive-date=May 13, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513020018/http://qctimes.com/sports/basketball/college/big-10/iowa/article_2a00c222-d996-5f3e-b33d-1625aac85c4d.html|url-status=live}}

File:April 30, 2008 flood in Davenport, Iowa.jpg should be. The picture was taken from the Skybridge.]]

Under the Köppen climate classification, Davenport is considered to have a humid continental climate (Dfa). Summers are very warm to hot with high levels of humidity. Winters have cold temperatures and often high winds, with snow likely from November through February. Average snowfall in Davenport is {{convert|30.7|in|mm}} per year.{{cite web |title = Snowfall average |url = http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/online/ccd/snowfall.html |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |access-date=2008-01-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110619061102/http://www.governor.nh.gov/media/news/2011/061511-hb218.htm |archive-date=June 19, 2011 }} January is on average the coldest month, while July is the warmest.{{cite web |title = Monthly Averages for Davenport, IA |url = http://www.weather.com/outlook/health/allergies/wxclimatology/monthly/52804 |publisher = Weather Channel |access-date=2007-08-24 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081008014408/http://www.weather.com/outlook/health/allergies/wxclimatology/monthly/52804 |archive-date = 2008-10-08 |url-status=dead }} The highest temperature recorded in Davenport was {{convert|111|°F|°C|abbr=on}} on July 12, 1936.{{Cite web|url=https://www.weather.gov/dvn/07011936_julyheatwave|title=July 1936 Heat Wave|access-date=April 27, 2019|archive-date=April 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427084937/https://www.weather.gov/dvn/07011936_julyheatwave|url-status=live}} The lowest temperature, {{convert|-29|°F|°C|abbr=on}}, was recorded on January 18, 2009.{{Cite web|url=https://qconline.com/news/local/degrees-sets-all-time-record-low-for-the-quad-cities/article_b776b94a-9724-5f55-8223-694d5eebabf2.html|title=-29 degrees sets all-time record low for the Quad-Cities|access-date=April 27, 2019|archive-date=April 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427084938/https://qconline.com/news/local/degrees-sets-all-time-record-low-for-the-quad-cities/article_b776b94a-9724-5f55-8223-694d5eebabf2.html|url-status=live}} Substantial weather changes frequently occur at three- to four-day intervals as a result of mid-latitude storm tracks, which is where low and high pressure extratropical disturbances occur.{{cite web |url = http://www.crh.noaa.gov/images/dvn/downloads/Climate%20of%20Moline.pdf |title = Climate of Moline, Illinois |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |access-date = 2008-11-05 |archive-date = October 5, 2006 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061005101426/http://www.crh.noaa.gov/images/dvn/downloads/Climate%20of%20Moline.pdf |url-status = live }}{{cite web |url = http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg1/en/annex1sglossary-p-z.html |title = Glossary P-Z |publisher=Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change |access-date=2010-09-29 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181130134752/https://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg1/en/annex1sglossary-p-z.html |archive-date = 2018-11-30 |url-status=dead }} During the summers, farmers experience difficulties while farming such as shallow soil, the humidity, and cold damp winds{{Cite book |last=Parry |first=C. C. |title=Historical Address on the Early Exploration and Settlement of the Mississippi Valley |publisher=Young Men's Christian Association Poor Fund |year=1873 |location=Davenport, Iowa}}

Although several minor tornadoes have occurred, no devastating tornado has ever touched down in Davenport.{{cite news |title = Did Mass Mound save Davenport again? |newspaper = Quad-City Times |last = Wundram |first = Bill |url = http://www.qctimes.com/news/opinion/editorial/columnists/bill-wundram/article_0d7b0e79-a91f-5806-8b0c-f7c322f42198.html |date = June 2, 2007 |access-date = 2007-12-19 |archive-date = April 5, 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160405131028/http://qctimes.com/news/opinion/editorial/columnists/bill-wundram/article_0d7b0e79-a91f-5806-8b0c-f7c322f42198.html |url-status = live }} Flooding, however, is often a problem in Davenport due to the lack of a flood wall. During the Great Flood of 1993, the water crested at {{convert|22.63|ft|m}} on July 9.{{cite web |title = Davenport History |publisher = Davenport Public Library |url = http://www.qcmemory.org/Default.aspx?PageId=228&nt=207&nt2=222 |access-date = 2007-12-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101230030233/http://www.qcmemory.org/Default.aspx?PageId=228&nt=207&nt2=222 |archive-date = 2010-12-30 }} This is nearly {{convert|8|ft|m}} above the {{convert|14.9|ft|m|adj=on}} flood stage. Major flooding in Davenport causes many problems. Roads in and around the downtown area, including U.S. Route 67, are closed and cause increased traffic on other city roads. The effects of major flooding can be long-lasting. For example, during the 2008 flooding, Credit Island in the city's southwest corner remained closed for 5½ months while crews worked on cleaning up damage and removing river debris.{{cite news |title = Credit Island to reopen Saturday |newspaper = Quad-City Times |last = Brecht |first = Tory |url = http://www.qctimes.com/news/local/article_c362665a-0922-51d4-8c85-944700e631e5.html |date = October 3, 2008 |access-date = 2008-10-05 |archive-date = March 8, 2017 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170308045851/http://qctimes.com/news/local/article_c362665a-0922-51d4-8c85-944700e631e5.html |url-status = live }} Duck Creek, a stream situated in Bettendorf and Davenport, is also vulnerable to flash flooding. Severe thunderstorms on June 16, 1990, created heavy flash flooding in Bettendorf and Davenport that killed four people.{{cite web |title = Flood Facts |publisher = Davenport Public Library |url = http://www.qcmemory.org/Page/Flood_Facts.aspx?nt=266 |access-date=2009-04-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110525192404/http://www.qcmemory.org/Page/Flood_Facts.aspx?nt=266 |archive-date = 2011-05-25 }} Another major flood happened on June 12, 2008, when severe thunderstorms caused Duck Creek to overflow its banks and flood properties and nearby streets (see Iowa flood of 2008).{{cite web |title = Duck Creek Flooding Closes Davenport Streets |publisher = Dispatch – Argus |url = http://www.qconline.com/archives/qco/display.php?id=391015 |access-date = 2009-04-17 |archive-date = September 27, 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110927183818/http://www.qconline.com/archives/qco/display.php?id=391015 |url-status = live }} The Mississippi river flooded again in 2019 and 2023.{{cite web |title = Mississippi Floods Davenport Streets |publisher = KWQC News |url = https://www.kwqc.com/2023/05/01/river-expected-crest-216-feet-monday-afternoon-qca/ |access-date = 2024-04-14 |archive-date = May 1, 2023 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230501194146/https://www.kwqc.com/2023/05/01/river-expected-crest-216-feet-monday-afternoon-qca/ |url-status = live }}

{{Weather box

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|location = Davenport, IA (1991-2020), snow at municipal airport for 2005-2023

| Jan high F =29.9

| Feb high F =34.4

| Mar high F =48.3

| Apr high F =61.4

| May high F =72.5

| Jun high F =81.3

| Jul high F =83.8

| Aug high F =82.0

| Sep high F =76.2

| Oct high F =63.4

| Nov high F =48.3

| Dec high F =35.1

| year high F =

| Jan mean F =21.9

| Feb mean F =26.3

| Mar mean F =38.6

| Apr mean F =50.3

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| Jun mean F =71.1

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| Feb low F =18.1

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|source = NOAA{{Cite web |url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USW00094982&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL |title=Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020: DAVENPORT, IA |access-date=April 17, 2024 |website=ncei.noaa.gov |publisher=National Centers for Environmental Information |pages=1, 2}} (snowfall, snow depth and snow days{{Cite web |url=https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=dvn |title=NOAA Online Weather Data: Davenport Mun AP, IA |access-date=April 17, 2024 |website=weather.gov |publisher=National Weather Service}})

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{{Main|Neighborhoods of Davenport, Iowa}}

File:Map of Davenport, Iowa Neighborhoods.png

File:Village of East Davenport.jpg, is full of small specialty shops.]]

Davenport has several neighborhoods dating back to the 1840s.Historic Preservation in Davenport, Iowa, p. 17 The original city plot was around current day Ripley and 5th Streets, where Antoine Le Claire had built his house. The city can be divided into five areas: downtown, central, east end, near north and northwest, and west end. Many architectural designs are found throughout the city including Victorian, Queen Anne, Tudor Revival, and others.Historic Preservation in Davenport, Iowa, p. 12 Many of the original neighborhoods were inhabited by German settlers.

The east side of the city dates back to 1850 and has always contained higher end housing. The proximity and commanding view of the river kept these neighborhoods a fashionable address, long after the original families departed.Historic Preservation in Davenport, Iowa, p. 31 Lindsay Park, in The Village of East Davenport, was used as parade grounds for Civil War soldiers from Camp McClellan.

In contrast to the east side, the central and west neighborhoods originally contained many of the working class Germans who settled the town. Development on the west side started in the 1850s, with extensive construction occurring in the 1870s.Historic Preservation in Davenport, Iowa, p. 36 Housing was mostly one and a half to two-story front gable American Foursquare and simplified Queen Anne style. The central Hamburg neighborhood, now known as the Hamburg Historic District, contains the most architecturally significant residences in the old German neighborhoods.Historic Preservation in Davenport, Iowa, p. 19 Also in central Davenport, the Vander Veer Park Historic District is a neighborhood anchored by Vander Veer Park, a large park with a botanical garden and a fountain. The park was modeled after New York City's Central Park and originally shared its name.Historic Preservation in Davenport, Iowa, p. 35 Vander Veer is surrounded by large Queen Anne and Tudor Revival style houses that were built between 1895 and 1915. Development of the Vander Veer Park was one of the first major beautification efforts.

Today, the eastern side of Davenport still contains many of the higher class houses in the city. The old Civil War parade grounds, in The Village of East Davenport ("The Village" for short), have been turned into Lindsay Park, which is surrounded by small specialty shops. West of The Village, Downtown contains the two tallest buildings in the Quad Cities; the Wells Fargo Bank Building, which is 255 feet tall, and the Mid-American Energy Building, which is 220 feet tall.{{cite news|title=Tallest Buildings in Q-C|newspaper=Quad City Times|url=http://qctimes.com/news/local/article_a5d85d53-2f28-533c-bab7-b45ad29fe4b4.html|date=January 4, 2002|access-date=2011-03-05|archive-date=August 3, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170803050638/http://qctimes.com/news/local/article_a5d85d53-2f28-533c-bab7-b45ad29fe4b4.html|url-status=live}} Other tall buildings include the 11-story Hotel Blackhawk, the 150-foot Kahl Building and the Davenport City Hall.{{cite news| title =Ask the Times: Davenport buildings tower above the rest| newspaper =Quad City Times| url =http://www.qctimes.com/news/local/article_7e5a04ad-8a54-5fb3-8f02-d2fd3af7a3b8.html| access-date =2008-10-05| archive-date =June 17, 2016| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20160617172557/http://qctimes.com/news/local/article_7e5a04ad-8a54-5fb3-8f02-d2fd3af7a3b8.html| url-status =live}}

{{See also|African Americans in Davenport, Iowa}}

{{US Census population

|1850= 1848

|1860= 11267

|1870= 20038

|1880= 21831

|1890= 26872

|1900= 35254

|1910= 43028

|1920= 56727

|1930= 60751

|1940= 66039

|1950= 74549

|1960= 88981

|1970= 98469

|1980= 103264

|1990= 95333

|2000= 98359

|2010= 99685

|2020= 101724

|2022 est.= 100,486

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015|archive-date=July 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210701194652/https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|url-status=live}}

}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

|+Davenport, Iowa – Racial and ethnic composition
{{nobold|Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.}}

!Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)

!Pop 2000{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Davenport city, Iowa |url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=160XX00US1919000&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|publisher=United States Census Bureau}}

!Pop 2010{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Davenport city, Iowa |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US1919000&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|publisher=United States Census Bureau}}

!{{partial|Pop 2020}}{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Davenport city, Iowa |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US1919000&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|publisher=United States Census Bureau}}

!% 2000

!% 2010

!{{partial|% 2020}}

|-

|White alone (NH)

|79,972

|76,404

|style='background: #ffffe6; |72,246

|81.3%

|76.65%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |71.02%

|-

|Black or African American alone (NH)

|8,917

|10,465

|style='background: #ffffe6; |11,833

|9.1%

|10.50%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |11.63%

|-

|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|303

|270

|style='background: #ffffe6; |223

|0.3%

|0.27%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.22%

|-

|Asian alone (NH)

|1,947

|2,140

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,224

|2.0%

|2.15%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.19%

|-

|Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|21

|36

|style='background: #ffffe6; |35

|0.02%

|0.04%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.03%

|-

|Other race alone (NH)

|138

|128

|style='background: #ffffe6; |292

|0.1%

|0.13%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.29%

|-

|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)

|1,793

|2,987

|style='background: #ffffe6; |5,890

|1.8%

|3.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |5.79%

|-

|Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|5,268

|7,255

|style='background: #ffffe6; |8,981

|5.4%

|7.28%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |8.83%

|-

|Total

|98,359

|99,685

|style='background: #ffffe6; |101,724

|100.00%

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

|}

As of the census of 2020,{{cite web |title=2020 Decennial Census: Davenport city, Iowa |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US1919000&y=2020&d=DEC%20Redistricting%20Data%20%28PL%2094-171%29 |website=data.census.gov |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=July 22, 2022 |archive-date=July 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220722204040/https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US1919000&y=2020&d=DEC%20Redistricting%20Data%20(PL%2094-171) |url-status=live }} the population was 101,724. The population density was {{convert|1594.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 46,964 housing units at an average density of {{convert|736.2|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 74.1% White, 12.0% Black or African American, 2.2% Asian, 0.4% Native American, 2.6% from other races, and 8.7% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 8.8% Hispanic or Latino of any race.

File:Race and ethnicity 2020 Davenport, IA.png

According to the 2010 United States Census estimate, the city population grew to 99,685 and the Quad Cities metropolitan area grew to 379,690.{{cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_PL_GCTPL2.ST05&prodType=table|title=American FactFinder|publisher=United States Census Bureau|year=2010|access-date=2011-05-26}} {{dead link|bot=medic|date=April 2020}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}Note: Quad City population is equivalent to adding up the populations of Scott County, Iowa and Rock Island, Mercer, and Henry Counties in Illinois.

As of the 2000 census, there were 98,359 people, 39,124 households, and 24,804 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|1566.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 41,350 housing units at an average density of {{convert|658.5|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. Davenport's population density was 30 times the average density of Iowa and 20 times the average density of the United States.{{cite web|title=GCT-PH1. Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|series=United States – States; and Puerto Rico|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U&-_lang=en&-_caller=geoselect&-redoLog=false&-format=US-9%7CUS-9S&-mt_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_GCTPH1_US9|access-date=2010-06-29|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200210221950/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U&-_lang=en&-_caller=geoselect&-redoLog=false&-format=US-9%7CUS-9S&-mt_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_GCTPH1_US9|archive-date=February 10, 2020|url-status=dead}} However, it was about a third less than Des Moines and 20 percent less than Cedar Rapids, the only two cities in Iowa with higher populations than Davenport. Sioux City, the next city smaller than Davenport in population, had a density of 5 people more per square mile.{{cite web|publisher=United States Census Bureau|title=Iowa – Place|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=04000US19&-_box_head_nbr=GCT-PH1&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U&-redoLog=true&-format=ST-7|access-date=2010-06-29|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212043553/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=04000US19&-_box_head_nbr=GCT-PH1&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U&-redoLog=true&-format=ST-7|archive-date=February 12, 2020|url-status=dead}}

The racial makeup of the area was 83.7% White (410,861), 11.43% Black or African American (27,757), 0.4% American Indian and Alaskan Native (1,255), 2.0% Asian (6,624), 0.03% Pacific Islander (156), and 2.0% from two or more races (11,929). 7.1% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race (37,070).{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/ |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website |archive-date=December 27, 1996 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961227012639/https://www.census.gov/ |url-status=live }} There were 39,124 households, out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.0% were married couples living together, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.6% were non-families. Of all households, 29.5% were made up of individuals, and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.03.

Age spread: 26.2% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.7 males.{{cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=&geo_id=16000US1919000&_geoContext=01000US%7c04000US19%7C16000US1919000&_street=&_county=davenport&_cityTown=davenport&_state=04000US19&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=160&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=null&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null®=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry=|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200210231016/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=&geo_id=16000US1919000&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US19%7C16000US1919000&_street=&_county=davenport&_cityTown=davenport&_state=04000US19&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=160&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=null&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null®=null:null&_keyword=&_industry=|url-status=dead|archive-date=2020-02-10|title=Davenport Fact Sheet|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=2010-06-29}}

Davenport's biggest labor industry is manufacturing, with over 7,600 jobs in the sector.{{cite web|title=Davenport, IA |publisher=United States Census Bureau |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFEconFacts?_event=&geo_id=16000US1919000&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US19%7C16000US1919000&_street=&_county=davenport&_cityTown=davenport&_state=04000US19&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=160&_submenuId=business_1&ds_name=&_ci_nbr=&qr_name=®=&_keyword=&_industry= |access-date=2008-02-26 }}{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} John Deere is the second largest employer in the Quad Cities, after the Rock Island Arsenal as a whole. Deere, however, is the largest single employer, employing 7,200 workers in the Quad Cities and 948 on its north side Davenport plant.{{cite news|title=The Answer Book 2011|newspaper=Quad City Times|page=20}} John Deere World Headquarters is located in Moline. Other large employers in Davenport and the Quad Cities include, Genesis Health System with 5,125 employees and 4,900 in Davenport, Trinity Regional Health System with 3,333, regional grocery store Hy-Vee with 3,138 and the Davenport Community School District with 2,237 employees.

Davenport is the headquarters for department store Von Maur, which has 24 stores.{{cite news|title=Von Maur's strategy of steady growth pays off during downturn|work=Quad-City Times|url=http://www.qctimes.com/business/article_6e85102d-4dee-51a0-9ecf-5b0dbe5fd6d9.html|date=November 10, 2008|access-date=2009-12-04|archive-date=April 1, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160401043032/http://qctimes.com/business/article_6e85102d-4dee-51a0-9ecf-5b0dbe5fd6d9.html|url-status=live}} Davenport is also the headquarters of Lee Enterprises, which publishes fifty daily newspapers and more than 300 weekly newspapers, shoppers, and specialty publications, along with online sites in 23 states.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/companyProfile?symbol=LEE|title=Profile: Lee Enterprises, Incorporated (LEE)|work=Reuters|access-date=2010-12-05|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304080002/http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/companyProfile?symbol=LEE|url-status=dead}} As of September 2009, the unemployment rate in Davenport and the rest of the Quad Cities, had risen to 8.4%.{{cite web| title=Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL| publisher=United States Department of Labor| url=http://stats.bls.gov/eag/eag.ia_davenport_msa.htm| access-date=2009-11-18| archive-date=August 26, 2009| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090826174240/http://stats.bls.gov/eag/eag.ia_davenport_msa.htm| url-status=live}}

The median income for a household in the city was $40,378, with families earning $51,445.{{cite web| title =Davenport, Iowa Income| publisher =United States Census Bureau| url =http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/STTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=16000US1919000&-qr_name=ACS_2006_EST_G00_S1901&-ds_name=ACS_2006_EST_G00_| access-date =2008-02-26| archive-url =https://archive.today/20200210214454/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/STTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=16000US1919000&-qr_name=ACS_2006_EST_G00_S1901&-ds_name=ACS_2006_EST_G00_| archive-date =February 10, 2020| url-status =dead}} Males had a median income of $41,853 versus $30,002 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,828. About 10.5% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.2% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those ages 65 or over.

The surrounding Quad Cities have major places of employment, including the Rock Island Arsenal,{{cite news|url=http://www.qctimes.com/news/local/rock-island/article_558c7a93-2129-581c-8767-4354eefa5ac5.html|title=From D-Day to RIA, historic First Army brings clout to QC|work=Quad-City Times|last=Arnold|first=Rebecca|date=July 14, 2007|access-date=2009-03-25|archive-date=April 24, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160424201103/http://qctimes.com/news/local/rock-island/article_558c7a93-2129-581c-8767-4354eefa5ac5.html|url-status=live}} KONE, Inc and Alcoa.

{{See also|Davenport Register of Historic Properties|Quad Cities Landmarks}}

File:Redstone Building.jpg was originally the longtime home of the Petersen Harned Von Maur flagship store and is now home of the River Music Experience.{{cite news|title=Centro to close Dec. 31; new restaurant will open in January|work=Quad City Times|url=http://qctimes.com/business/article_3e07e8e4-9fac-5db7-a180-a7612e884186.html|date=November 8, 2007|access-date=2010-07-06|archive-date=August 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816163700/http://qctimes.com/business/article_3e07e8e4-9fac-5db7-a180-a7612e884186.html|url-status=live}}]]

File:Putnam Museum.jpg]]

Downtown Davenport has many points of interest including the Davenport Public Library, the Davenport Skybridge, Figge Art Museum, River Music Experience, Putnam Museum, the RiverCenter/Adler Theater, Modern Woodmen Park which is home of the Quad City River Bandits baseball team and the Centennial Bridge. The former Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Freight House, now known as The Freight House, is home to several small businesses featuring locally grown items, such as a deli, a grocery hub, and a tap room for a local brewery.

Davenport's cultural and educational institutions include the Figge Art Museum, which houses The National Center for Midwest Art and Design, and was founded in 1925 as the Davenport Municipal Art Gallery.{{cite web|url=http://figgeart.org/Figge-Art-Museum-%281%29/September-2009/National-Center-for-Midwest-Art-and-Design.aspx|title=National Center for Midwest Art and Design|publisher=Figge Art Museum|access-date=2010-11-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140629125942/http://figgeart.org/Figge-Art-Museum-(1)/September-2009/National-Center-for-Midwest-Art-and-Design.aspx|archive-date=June 29, 2014|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|title=Figge Art Museum: What's in the collections|work=Quad City Times|url=http://qctimes.com/lifestyles/leisure/article_157387fd-4887-5c74-9a72-bde54f0b62d3.html|date=August 5, 2005|access-date=2010-11-01|archive-date=August 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801142529/https://qctimes.com/lifestyles/leisure/article_157387fd-4887-5c74-9a72-bde54f0b62d3.html|url-status=live}} The Putnam Museum, which was founded in 1867 and was one of the first museums west of the Mississippi River.{{cite news|url=http://www.qctimes.com/news/local/article_b179c6b0-98f5-5bcf-b45c-4ef63f043e3b.html|title=Putnam retires IMAX debt, prepares to launch endowment campaign|work=Quad-City Times|last=Gaul|first=Alma|date=April 27, 2007|access-date=2009-03-25|archive-date=April 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160414074623/http://qctimes.com/news/local/article_b179c6b0-98f5-5bcf-b45c-4ef63f043e3b.html|url-status=live}} The Quad City Symphony Orchestra, headquartered in downtown Davenport, was founded in 1915.{{cite news|title=Quad-City Symphony Orchestra|newspaper=Quad City Times|url=http://m.qctimes.com/app/goanddo/the_arts/arts/?itemID=54&t=Quad-City_Symphony_Orchestra_%7c_327_Brady_St.,_Davenport,_IA|access-date=2011-03-05}}{{Dead link|date=February 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The Davenport Public Library was opened in 1839.{{cite web|url=http://www.qcmemory.org/Default.aspx?PageId=240&nt=207&nt2=239 |title=History of Davenport Public Library |publisher=Davenport Public Library |access-date=2010-11-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101230023728/http://www.qcmemory.org/Default.aspx?PageId=240&nt=207&nt2=239 |archive-date=December 30, 2010 }} The German American Heritage Center is located at the foot of the Centennial Bridge.

Uptown features a few historic landmarks such as the Iowa Soldiers' Orphans' Home which took in homeless children from all of Iowa's ninety-nine counties following the Civil WarSvendsen, Davenport A Pictorial History p. 54 and Ambrose Hall which was the original building of St. Ambrose University.{{cite book|last=Schmidt|first=Madeleine M.|title=Seasons of Growth: History of the Diocese of Davenport|year=1981|publisher=Diocese of Davenport|location=Davenport, Iowa|page=150}} Aside from landmarks, uptown contains some entertainment venues too, such as the Great Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds, which hosts fairs, stock car racing, and many other events. NorthPark Mall is the city's main shopping mall and has 160 stores. Its companion, SouthPark Mall, is located in Moline. Brady Street Stadium is home to Davenport high school and Saint Ambrose University football games. Davenport has a number of parks, including Credit Island park which has a bike path, baseball diamonds, tennis courts, and fishing along the Mississippi River. Vander Veer Botanical Park has a small botanical garden and also features a walking path, a lagoon, and a large fountain.{{cite web|title=Vander Veer Botanical Park |publisher=Davenport Public Library |url=http://www.qcmemory.org/Default.aspx?PageId=253 |access-date=2010-10-23 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101230005543/http://www.qcmemory.org/Default.aspx?PageId=253 |archive-date=December 30, 2010 }} The Stampe Lilac Garden is located in Duck Creek Park, on Locust St.

Bix Fest is a three-day music festival with many traditional jazz bands held in tribute to internationally renowned jazz cornetist, pianist, composer, and Davenport native Bix Beiderbecke. The festival was started in August 1971 and the Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Society was founded one year later to organize and sponsor it.Svendsen, Davenport A Pictorial History p. 82 2009 was the 39th consecutive festival. In addition to the Bix Fest, the Wells Fargo Street Fest features live music, food, and vendors.

The annual Bix 7 is a {{convert|7|mi|km|adj=on}} road race held in late July in Davenport. The race was founded in 1975 by John A. Hudetz a resident of Bettendorf, Iowa, who wanted to bring to the Quad Cities some of the excitement he felt when he ran his first Boston Marathon. The first race had 84 participants, but today 12,000 to 18,000 runners take part.{{cite news|title=Q-C race has grown from a humble beginning into one of the nation's most spectacular events|work=Quad-City Times|author=Doxsie, Don|url=http://www.qctimes.com/sports/running/bix7/article_59ed56e0-06cf-5e3d-9f7d-931fb4fd9127.html|date=July 31, 1994|access-date=2009-09-22|archive-date=April 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160404212158/http://qctimes.com/sports/running/bix7/article_59ed56e0-06cf-5e3d-9f7d-931fb4fd9127.html|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://www.qctimes.com/sports/running/bix7/article_4260b52b-7468-5a5c-bc49-cd54ab237f1a.html|title=Q-C area entries lagging of the 10,000 signed up, 1/3 are from the area|work=Quad-City Times|author=Moeller, Sean|date=June 26, 2007|access-date=2008-11-10|archive-date=July 31, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140731002225/http://qctimes.com/sports/running/bix7/article_4260b52b-7468-5a5c-bc49-cd54ab237f1a.html|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://www.qctimes.com/sports/running/bix7/article_0cd79c67-d52c-5a2c-b588-07e0a591d56e.html|title=Viewpoint: Quality of Bix 7 isn't measured in size|work=Quad-City Times|author=Doxsie, Don|date=July 27, 2008|access-date=2008-11-10|archive-date=May 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160504020550/http://qctimes.com/sports/running/bix7/article_0cd79c67-d52c-5a2c-b588-07e0a591d56e.html|url-status=live}} In late July or early August the six-day Great Mississippi Valley Fair features major grandstand concerts, carnival rides, attractions, and food vendors.{{cite news|url=http://www.qctimes.com/news/local/article_d8303774-8559-11de-b555-001cc4c03286.html|title=260,000 visit this year's Mississippi Valley Fair|work=Quad-City Times|last=Speer|first=Mary Louise|date=August 9, 2009|access-date=2009-08-12|archive-date=August 13, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090813225240/http://www.qctimes.com/news/local/article_d8303774-8559-11de-b555-001cc4c03286.html|url-status=live}} Sturgis on the River is a large annual gathering of motorcycles which includes bands and food vendors.{{cite news|url=http://www.qctimes.com/news/local/article_eb6f94ec-5e03-11de-a1e5-001cc4c002e0.html|title=Thousands ride into Sturgis Mississippi River Motorcycle Rally|work=Quad-City Times|last=Fudge|first=Tamara|date=July 20, 2009|access-date=2009-08-12|archive-date=March 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160325193523/http://qctimes.com/news/local/article_eb6f94ec-5e03-11de-a1e5-001cc4c002e0.html|url-status=live}} Other local expositions include River Roots Live, Beaux Arts Fair and many others.

Davenport (along with neighboring Rock Island, Illinois), won the 2007 City Livability Award in the small-city category from the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Tom Cochran, executive director of the Conference, stated that the award "gives the Conference a chance to highlight mayoral leadership in making urban areas safer, cleaner and more livable."{{cite web|title=2007 City Livability Award Winners Announced |publisher=The United States Conferences of Mayors |url=http://www.usmayors.org/75thAnnualMeeting/citylivability/pressrelease_062507.pdf |access-date=2008-01-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080227213131/http://www.usmayors.org/75thAnnualMeeting/citylivability/pressrelease_062507.pdf |archive-date=February 27, 2008 }} The award acknowledges achievements from the RiverVision plan of Davenport and Rock Island.{{cite news|title=Livability award comes to the Q-C|work=Quad-City Times|author=Brecht, Tory|url=http://www.qctimes.com/news/local/article_6793b126-3de0-558a-82aa-e6ef34fe9a89.html|date=August 9, 2007|access-date=2008-11-24|archive-date=July 23, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160723035354/http://qctimes.com/news/local/article_6793b126-3de0-558a-82aa-e6ef34fe9a89.html|url-status=live}}

{{See also|Quad Cities sports teams}}

Davenport and the Quad Cities are home to many sports teams. The Quad Cities River Bandits baseball team play games at Downtown Davenport's Modern Woodmen Park. The TaxSlayer Center in Moline is home the Quad City Steamwheelers indoor football team and the Quad City Storm hockey team. Davenport high schools are in the Mississippi Athletic Conference for sports.

File:Junge Park.jpg

Davenport has over fifty parks or recreational trails. Major parks include Credit Island, which is a {{convert|450|acre|km2|adj=on}} park in southwest Davenport located alongside the Mississippi River. Fejervary Park contains a pool and has had approximately 20,000 visitors each year since 1996. Junge Park is situated along the Duck Creek Parkway and includes baseball and softball fields, sand volleyball, and basketball courts. LeClaire Park is located right on the banks of the Mississippi River next to Modern Woodmen Park and hosts many summer events including River Roots Live and Ribfest.{{cite news|title=Q-C Packed with People|work=Quad-City Times|author=Geyer, Thomas|url=http://www.qctimes.com/news/local/article_ad7cc9be-d01e-5573-988f-7dd1295ff0b7.html|access-date=2009-11-19|archive-date=August 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801193521/https://qctimes.com/news/local/article_ad7cc9be-d01e-5573-988f-7dd1295ff0b7.html|url-status=live}} Bands for the Bix Fest play in the park each July. Vander Veer Botanical Park welcomes approximately 25,000 visitors to continuous floral shows.

The city features two recreational trails for biking or walking. Duck Creek Parkway extends from Emeis Park in west Davenport {{convert|8.26|mi|km}} east to Bettendorf along Duck Creek. Riverfront Parkway extends {{convert|4.75|mi|km}} along the Mississippi waterfront from Credit Island to Bettendorf. Both these trails continue into Bettendorf.{{cite web|title=City of Davenport|publisher=City of Davenport|url=http://www.cityofdavenportiowa.com/department/division.php?fDD=21-194|access-date=2010-10-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110101210040/http://www.cityofdavenportiowa.com/department/division.php?fDD=21-194|archive-date=January 1, 2011|url-status=dead}} Plans are being discussed to connect the two trails in Riverdale.{{cite news|title=Riverfront trail forum is tonight|work=Quad-City Times|url=http://www.qctimes.com/news/article_6b929276-6bae-5f49-92f8-73bb97fef702.html|date=August 23, 2007|access-date=2008-03-07|archive-date=May 29, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160529234404/http://qctimes.com/news/article_6b929276-6bae-5f49-92f8-73bb97fef702.html|url-status=live}} Three public golf courses are offered in the city.{{cite web| title = City of Davenport| publisher = City of Davenport| url = http://www.cityofdavenportiowa.com/department/index.php?fDD=41-0| access-date = 2010-10-29| archive-date = January 1, 2011| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110101210147/http://www.cityofdavenportiowa.com/department/index.php?fDD=41-0| url-status = dead}} For river-related activities, The Channel Cat boat offers rides across the river and has two stops in Iowa and three stops in Illinois and connects the bike paths that each state has on its river front.[http://www.qcchannelcat.com/routes.html Channel Cat Water Taxi – Routes] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090529101438/http://www.qcchannelcat.com/routes.html |date=May 29, 2009 }} MetroLink. Retrieved 2009-08-22.

{{Further|List of mayors of Davenport, Iowa}}

File:Davenport, Iowa City Hall.jpg was built in 1895 at the price of $100,000.]]

Davenport uses a mayor–council form of local government. {{As of|2021}}, city government consists of mayor Mike Matson{{cite web |title=Mayor's Bio |url=https://www.davenportiowa.com/government/mayor_council |website=City of Davenport |access-date=July 19, 2021 |archive-date=July 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719030944/https://www.davenportiowa.com/government/mayor_council |url-status=live }} and a ten-person council. One person is elected from each of the eight wards and two at-large aldermen are elected to represent the whole city.{{cite web |title=Mayor & Council |url=https://www.davenportiowa.com/government/mayor_council |website=City of Davenport |access-date=July 19, 2021 |archive-date=July 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719030944/https://www.davenportiowa.com/government/mayor_council |url-status=live }} Nonpartisan elections are held in odd-numbered years. The mayor is the top elected individual for the city and presides over city council meetings, voting in case of a tie. The mayor appoints city board members.{{cite web |title=Mayor's Office |url=https://www.davenportiowa.com/government/mayor_council/mayors_office |website=City of Davenport |access-date=July 19, 2021 |archive-date=July 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719030944/https://www.davenportiowa.com/government/mayor_council/mayors_office |url-status=live }} The city council's job is to make laws and set the city budget.{{cite web | title =The Role of the city council | publisher =City of Davenport | url =http://www.cityofdavenportiowa.com/egov/docs/1153276696566.htm | access-date =2008-01-18 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20110708172415/http://www.cityofdavenportiowa.com/egov/docs/1153276696566.htm | archive-date =July 8, 2011 | url-status =dead }} The city administrator, currently Corrin Spiegel, is appointed by the mayor with confirmation by two-thirds of the council. Citywide goals through 2012 include having a financially responsible government, having a growing economy, revitalizing neighborhoods, and upgrading city infrastructure and public facilities.{{cite web| title = 2011 City-Wide Goals| publisher = City of Davenport| url = http://www.cityofdavenportiowa.com/egov/docs/1179334425605.htm| access-date = 2008-02-05| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110708174546/http://www.cityofdavenportiowa.com/egov/docs/1179334425605.htm| archive-date = July 8, 2011| url-status = dead}} The establishment of Davenport as a political and government unit came in 1839, three years after the city was settled.Svendsen, Davenport historical survey report : a thematic history of Davenport, Iowa, 1836–1940 with reference to buildings, structures & sites pp. 7–1 The city was incorporated as a result of a resolution by Iowa Representative Jonathan W. Parker by special charter in the Iowa Territory on January 25, 1839. Parker was a resident of Davenport and one of six trustees elected to govern the city with Rodolphus Bennet being the first mayor. Activity for the first four months was minimal as the council failed to meet. In 1842, the city charter was amended for the first time. Changes include having six alderman replace the five trustees, dividing the city into three wards, and appointing a city clerk position to replace the recorder. The charter was amended again in 1851 to expand the city area, provide greater detail of the duties of the mayor, city council, and other officials. During the last half of the 19th century, government assumed expanding responsibilities for public welfare and public works improvements.

The city expanded police protection, even temporarily having volunteer police officers to assist the three paid officers. Fire protection was expanded in 1882, with the city's first 13 paid firefighters. Former mayor Henry Vollmer accomplished several public works achievements, including large street paving and new sub-divisions being plotted. A large city budget surplus brought the creation of the Davenport City Hall.Svendsen, Davenport historical survey report : a thematic history of Davenport, Iowa, 1836–1940 with reference to buildings, structures & sites p. 7-2 After 1900, each mayor brought new agendas for city improvement. Waldo Becker encouraged new railroads for the city. He also promised a more business-like government, in terms of financial responsibility and to depoliticize the police department. In the mid-1920s the city established the first zoning ordinances, electrical traffic signals and street lighting. The city also expanded with the incorporation of the city of Rockingham and the establishment of the Davenport Municipal Airport.

The 2010 fiscal year budget was $199.2 million, an increase of $35 million from 2009.{{cite web| title = 2008 Budget| publisher = City of Davenport| url = http://www.cityofdavenportiowa.com/egov/docs/1252683315_27801.pdf| access-date = October 9, 2010| archive-date = July 8, 2011| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110708193043/http://www.cityofdavenportiowa.com/egov/docs/1252683315_27801.pdf| url-status = dead}} The city's general fund receives the largest amount of funds from property taxes, followed by service fees such as solid waste collection and swimming pool or golf course admission and 80% of its expenses go to personnel costs. The city has given a few surveys for citizens to rate the quality of life and city services. The largest department in the city is the public works department with a budget of $36.7 million. The police department is second with a budget of $22.4 million, while the fire department has a budget of $15 million. The parks department has $6.1 million, and the Davenport Public Library has a $3.8 million budget.

File:United States Courthouse, Davenport, Iowa.jpg

At the federal level, Davenport is in Iowa's 1st congressional district. It is represented by Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks. The two Senators are Republicans Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst. At the state level, Davenport is represented by the 45th, 46th, and 47th Iowa Senate districts and in the Iowa House of Representatives by the 89th, 90th, 92nd, 93rd, and 94th districts.{{Cite web|url=https://gis.legis.iowa.gov/FYL/index.html|title=Find Your Legislator|access-date=April 2, 2021|archive-date=April 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421145946/https://gis.legis.iowa.gov/FYL/index.html|url-status=live}}

{{As of|2012}}, the 41st senate district covers the eastern third of the city and all of Bettendorf, Riverdale, and Panorama Park. It is more conservative than other Davenport districts being represented by a Republican since the 1970s. The district is slightly moving more liberal with an increase of 3,000 Democrats between 2006 and 2010.{{cite news|title=Hartsuch challenged for Iowa senate seat in GOP primary|newspaper=Quad City Times|author=Tibbetts, Ed|url=http://qctimes.com/news/local/article_6b62aef8-6936-11df-9958-001cc4c002e0.html|date=May 26, 2010|access-date=2010-11-06|archive-date=May 28, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528191444/http://qctimes.com/news/local/article_6b62aef8-6936-11df-9958-001cc4c002e0.html|url-status=live}} The district is represented by Republican Senator Roby Smith.{{cite web|url=http://www.legis.state.ia.us/Redist/sjpg/s-41.jpg |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120908074028/http://www.legis.state.ia.us/Redist/sjpg/s-41.jpg |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 8, 2012 |title=Iowa Senate District 41 |publisher=Iowa General Assembly |access-date=September 19, 2009 }} The 42nd district covers the western third of the city along with all of Scott County that is not in Davenport, Bettendorf, Riverdale, or Panorama Park as well as western and southern rural Clinton County and is represented by Republican Senator Shawn Hamerlinck.{{cite web|url=http://www.legis.state.ia.us/Redist/sjpg/s-42.jpg |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120803104001/http://www.legis.state.ia.us/Redist/sjpg/s-42.jpg |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 3, 2012 |title=Iowa Senate District 42 |publisher=Iowa General Assembly |access-date=September 19, 2009 }} The 43rd senate district covers the central third of the city and is represented by Democrat Joe Seng.{{cite web|url=http://www.legis.state.ia.us/Redist/sjpg/s-43.jpg |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120803133134/http://www.legis.state.ia.us/Redist/sjpg/s-43.jpg |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 3, 2012 |title=Iowa Senate District 43 |publisher=Iowa General Assembly |access-date=September 19, 2009 }}

The 81st house district covers the eastern third of the city along with small western portion of Bettendorf. The district shares the same western boundaries as the forty-first senate district. The district is represented by Democrat Phyllis Thede.{{cite web|url=http://www.legis.state.ia.us/Redist/hjpg/h-81.jpg |title=Iowa House of Representatives district 81 |publisher=Iowa General Assembly |access-date=September 19, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060113012135/http://www.legis.state.ia.us/Redist/hjpg/h-81.jpg |archive-date=January 13, 2006 }} The 84th district covers the western third of the city, and has the same eastern boundary as Senate district forty-two and is represented by Republican Ross Paustian.{{cite web|url=http://www.legis.state.ia.us/Redist/hjpg/h-84.jpg |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120909133803/http://www.legis.state.ia.us/Redist/hjpg/h-84.jpg |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-09-09 |title=Iowa House of Representatives district 84 |publisher=Iowa General Assembly |access-date=2010-11-06 }} The 85th and 86th districts are made up of the same area as the forty-third senate district. The 85th district covers the north and west-central area while the 86th district covers southern and eastern part of the senate district.{{cite web|url=http://www.legis.state.ia.us/Redist/hjpg/h-85.jpg |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120803094837/http://www.legis.state.ia.us/Redist/hjpg/h-85.jpg |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 3, 2012 |title=Iowa House of Representatives district 85 |publisher=Iowa General Assembly |access-date=September 19, 2009 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.legis.state.ia.us/Redist/hjpg/h-86.jpg |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120905145707/http://www.legis.state.ia.us/Redist/hjpg/h-86.jpg |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 5, 2012 |title=Iowa House of Representatives district 86 |publisher=Iowa General Assembly |access-date=September 19, 2009 }} Both are represented by Democrats with Jim Lykam representing the 85th and Cindy Winckler representing the 86th.

Davenport has a Federal Court House for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa.

{| class="wikitable"

|+ US House of Representatives

|-

! Name

! Congressional District

!Party

|-

| Mariannette Miller-Meeks

| 1st District

| {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican

|-

|}

{| class="wikitable"

|+ Iowa Senate

|-

! Name

! District

!Party

|-

| Jim Lykam

| District 45

| {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic

|-

| Mark S. Lofgren

| District 46

| {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican

|-

| Roby Smith

| District 47

| {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican

|-

|}

{| class="wikitable"

|+ Iowa House of Representatives

|-

! Name

! District

!Party

|-

| Monica Kurth

| District 89

| {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic

|-

| Cindy Winckler

| District 90

| {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic

|-

| Ross Paustian

| District 92

| {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican

|-

| Phyllis Thede

| District 93

| {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic

|-

| Gary Mohr

| District 94

| {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican

|-

|}

File:St. Ambrose University.jpg, established in 1882, is the oldest of the two universities in Davenport.]]

{{For|other higher education schools in the area|Quad Cities Colleges and Universities}}

Davenport public schools serve nearly 14,500{{Cite web|url=https://educateiowa.gov/documents/school-district-certified-enrollment/2020/12/2020-21-certified-enrollment-district|title=2020-21 Certified Enrollment by District | Iowa Department of Education|access-date=July 19, 2021|archive-date=July 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719012148/https://educateiowa.gov/documents/school-district-certified-enrollment/2020/12/2020-21-certified-enrollment-district|url-status=live}} students in the communities of Davenport, Blue Grass, Buffalo, and Walcott. The Davenport Community School District is the fourth-largest school district in Iowa. Davenport has four public high schools: Central, West, Mid City{{cite web|url=http://www.davenportschools.org/midcity/|title=Mid City High School – Home of the Mavericks|website=DavenportSchools.org|access-date=June 7, 2017|archive-date=June 8, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170608214227/http://www.davenportschools.org/midcity/|url-status=live}} and North and one private high school: Assumption. There are six public intermediate schools and 23 public elementary schools.{{cite web|url=http://www.davenportschools.org/schools/schooldirectory.asp |title=Directory of Schools |publisher=Davenport Community Schools |author=City of Davenport, Iowa |access-date=December 8, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090605000730/http://www.davenportschools.org/schools/schooldirectory.asp |archive-date=June 5, 2009 }} Sudlow, one of the intermediate schools, was named after Phebe Sudlow, the first female public school superintendent in the United States.{{cite web|url=http://www.qcmemory.org/Default.aspx?PageId=238&nt=207&nt2=229 |title=Phebe W. Sudlow: Iowa's First Lady of Education |publisher=Davenport Public Library |access-date=September 24, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101230033849/http://www.qcmemory.org/Default.aspx?PageId=238&nt=207&nt2=229 |archive-date=December 30, 2010 }} She was superintendent for Davenport schools from 1874 to 1878. The high schools are part of the Mississippi Athletic Conference for sports.

The city has four colleges and universities: Saint Ambrose University, established in 1882, is the oldest; Kaplan University, Palmer Chiropractic College, and Hamilton Technical College. Palmer College is the first chiropractic school and the site of the first chiropractic adjustment in the world.{{cite news |url=http://www.qctimes.com/news/local/article_e99a9e53-bbd4-594e-8761-06728e5995b3.html |title=Celebrating Palmer's past |work=Quad-City Times |last=Dooley |first=Sheena |date=September 20, 2006 |access-date=March 25, 2009 |archive-date=June 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160604022949/http://qctimes.com/news/local/article_e99a9e53-bbd4-594e-8761-06728e5995b3.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news|url=http://qctimes.com/app/goanddo/family/fun/?itemID=286&t=Palmer_Museum_of_Chiropractic_History_%7c_115_West_7th_Street,_Davenport,_IA|title=Palmer Museum of Chiropractic History|newspaper=Quad City Times|access-date=September 28, 2010|archive-date=February 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207042010/https://qctimes.com/entertainment/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.worldchiropracticalliance.org/consumer/history.htm |title=The History of Chiropractic |publisher=The World Chiropractic Alliance |access-date=September 28, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100918031354/http://www.worldchiropracticalliance.org/consumer/history.htm |archive-date=September 18, 2010 }}

Marycrest International University was a university in Davenport from 1939 to 2002, when it closed. The campus was renovated and adapted to senior citizen housing.{{cite news|title=Marycrest campus renovated into senior center|newspaper=Quad City Times|url=http://qctimes.com/news/local/article_baee0034-e031-5520-b0af-9bacfa3ec3ea.html|author=McGlynn, Ann|date=December 14, 2003|access-date=September 29, 2010|archive-date=May 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180512112436/http://qctimes.com/news/local/article_baee0034-e031-5520-b0af-9bacfa3ec3ea.html|url-status=live}}

File:KWQC studios.jpg building was the first television station in Davenport.]]

{{Further|Media in the Quad Cities}}

There are two major daily newspapers in Davenport. The Quad-City Times is based out of Davenport and The Dispatch/Rock Island Argus is based out of Moline. An alternative free newspaper, the River Cities' Reader, is published in Davenport. All four major television networks have stations in the area, including KWQC (NBC) and KLJB (Fox) in Davenport. WHBF (CBS) is located in Rock Island and WQAD (ABC) is in Moline.

The Quad Cities ranks as the 97th largest market for television{{cite web | title = Nielsen Local Television Market Universe Estimates| publisher=TV By the Numbers|author=Gorman, Bill|url =http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2008/09/10/nielsen-local-television-market-universe-estimates/5037|archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20101203003814/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2008/09/10/nielsen-local-television-market-universe-estimates/5037|url-status =dead|archive-date =2010-12-03| access-date =2009-11-18 }} and the 147th largest market for radio.{{cite web | title =Arbitron Radio Market Rankings: Spring 2010 | publisher =Arbitron | url =http://www.arbitron.com/radio_stations/mm001050.asp | access-date =2009-11-18 | archive-date =July 10, 2007 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20070710153242/http://www.arbitron.com/Radio_Stations/mm001050.asp | url-status =live }} Radio station WOC made its local broadcasting debut on February 18, 1922. It was the second licensed station on the air.{{cite web|title=Davenport History 2 |publisher=Davenport Public Library |url=http://www.qcmemory.org/Default.aspx?PageId=227&nt=207&nt2=222 |access-date=2007-12-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101230030608/http://www.qcmemory.org/Default.aspx?PageId=227&nt=207&nt2=222 |archive-date=December 30, 2010 }} In 1933, WOC hired future president Ronald Reagan as a staff announcer.

File:Rockiscentbridge.jpg connects Downtown Davenport with Downtown Rock Island, Illinois]]

Three interstate highways serve Davenport: Interstate 80, Interstate 280, and Interstate 74. Interstate 88 serves the Illinois Quad Cities and runs east to Chicago. U.S. Route 6, U.S. Route 61, and U.S. Route 67 also go through Davenport; U.S. 67 crosses over to Illinois via the Rock Island Centennial Bridge. Davenport is connected to the Illinois side of the Quad Cities by a total of three bridges across the Mississippi River. The Government Bridge and the Centennial Bridge connect Downtown Davenport with the Rock Island Arsenal and downtown Rock Island, respectively. The I-280 Bridge connects the western edge of Davenport with the western edge of Rock Island.

File:Harrision Street..jpg on Harrison Street (US 61) South Bound.]]

Other highways include Iowa Highway 22, which is on the city's southwest side, and Iowa Highway 130, which runs along Northwest Boulevard on Davenport's north edge. For air travel, Davenport Municipal Airport – located adjacent to the city's northern city limits – serves smaller aircraft, and is the home of the annual Quad City Airshow. The Quad City International Airport across the river in Moline, Illinois, is the closest commercial airport. Major railroads include the Iowa Interstate Railroad and the Iowa, Chicago and Eastern. Two national U.S. recreation trails intersect in Davenport: the Mississippi River Trail and the American Discovery Trail.

Amtrak currently does not serve Davenport or the Quad Cities. The closest station currently is about {{convert|50|mi|km}} away in Galesburg, Illinois. In 2008, United States Senators Tom Harkin, Chuck Grassley, Dick Durbin, and Barack Obama sent a letter to Amtrak asking them to begin plans to bring rail service to the Quad Cities.{{cite news|title=Ready to trade wheels for rails|work=Quad-City Times|author=Coulter, Melissa|url=http://www.qctimes.com/news/opinion/editorial/columnists/alma-gaul/article_7311518b-a2e5-58d5-b82e-4de48362f0c2.html|date=June 6, 2008|access-date=2008-09-29|archive-date=May 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160516193003/http://qctimes.com/news/opinion/editorial/columnists/alma-gaul/article_7311518b-a2e5-58d5-b82e-4de48362f0c2.html|url-status=live}} In October 2010, a $230 million federal fund was announced that will bring Amtrak service to the Quad Cities, with a new line running from Moline to Chicago. They had hoped to have the line completed in 2015, and offer two round trips daily to Chicago.{{cite news|title=Quad-City rail project to get $230 million|newspaper=Quad City Times|author=Tibbetts, Ed|url=http://qctimes.com/news/local/article_ca36f2b2-e065-11df-8f4d-001cc4c03286.html|date=October 25, 2010|access-date=2010-10-29|archive-date=November 6, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101106200829/http://qctimes.com/news/local/article_ca36f2b2-e065-11df-8f4d-001cc4c03286.html|url-status=live}} Currently the Moline station does not have any Amtrak service. Greyhound Lines/Burlington Trailways bus service has a station in Davenport. The building is shared with the local Davenport Citibus. Davenport does not have any river ports.

Davenport has an infamous "truck-eating bridge".{{cite news|title='Troll' tracks toll of truck-eating bridge|author=Wundram, Bill|work=Quad-City Times|url=http://www.qctimes.com/news/opinion/editorial/columnists/bill-wundram/article_76f01e1c-fe68-56e8-ab08-5505c9cce33e.html|date=April 20, 2008|access-date=2009-10-12|archive-date=August 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801133022/https://qctimes.com/news/opinion/editorial/columnists/bill-wundram/article_76f01e1c-fe68-56e8-ab08-5505c9cce33e.html|url-status=live}} The bridge, or rather three bridges, is a set of railroad bridges that cross over north and southbound U.S. Route 61 and another street. Every year an average of 12 semi trucks hit the bridge, usually causing massive damage to the trucks. The bridges, made out of iron, steel, and concrete, are rarely damaged.

{{Main|Davenport Citibus}}

Public transit appeared in Davenport in 1969 when the city created a City Transit Authority.{{cite web| title = About Davenport CitiBus| publisher = City of Davenport| url = http://www.cityofdavenportiowa.com/department/division.php?fDD=27-138| access-date = 2010-10-29| archive-date = July 8, 2011| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110708203829/http://www.cityofdavenportiowa.com/department/division.php?fDD=27-138| url-status = dead}} The authority at first provided monetary support to Davenport City Lines Bus Company, which was a privately owned company. After a few years the city purchased the Davenport City Lines and placed the operation of public transportation under the jurisdiction of the city's Department of Municipal Transportation. Today, CitiBus is a division of the Department of Public Works. CitiBus has a total of 20 vehicles and covers approximately {{convert|30|sqmi|km2}} of the city. CitiBus connects with both Bettendorf Transit and the Illinois Quad Cities mass transit system, MetroLINK. In 2007 Citibus saw a ridership of 1,022,815 customers. Ridership as of September 2008 had grown to 1,045,000 due in part to high gas prices.{{cite news| title =Ridership for CitiBus grows| work =Quad-City Times| url =http://www.qctimes.com/news/local/article_a9f839d0-302b-5778-ad6d-c5a970a7314f.html| date =September 11, 2008| access-date =2008-09-30| archive-date =June 24, 2016| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20160624195105/http://qctimes.com/news/local/article_a9f839d0-302b-5778-ad6d-c5a970a7314f.html| url-status =live}}

File:Genesis West in Davenport, Iowa.jpg

Electricity to Davenport, and the rest of the Iowa Quad Cities, is provided by MidAmerican Energy Company. Water is provided by the Mississippi River and is treated by the Iowa American Water Company. The water treatment facility is located in southeast Davenport.

Davenport is served by two hospitals: Genesis Medical Center East – Rusholme Street and Genesis Medical Center – West Central Park Avenue part of the Genesis Health System. Together the facilities, along with two other facilities outside Davenport have 665 beds.{{cite web|publisher=Genesis Health System|title=Welcome To Genesis Medical Center|url=http://www.genesishealth.com/about/index.aspx|access-date=2008-01-25|archive-date=August 31, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090831154205/http://www.genesishealth.com/about/index.aspx|url-status=live}} The hospitals employ more than 600 physicians and 5,000 staff members. The American Nurses Credentialing Center, awarded Genesis Medical Center the Magnet designation for excellence in nursing services.{{cite news|url=http://www.qctimes.com/business/article_19335c77-e541-50a7-83c3-0db9c8120411.html|title=Genesis wins care award|work=Quad-City Times|last=Treiber|first=Rachelle|date=October 5, 2005|access-date=2008-11-18|archive-date=August 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801134237/https://qctimes.com/business/article_19335c77-e541-50a7-83c3-0db9c8120411.html|url-status=live}} Fewer than three percent of hospitals receive this honor.

{{See also|List of people from Davenport, Iowa}}

Music

Guitarist and vocalist John Kadlecik, who founded The Dark Star Orchestra and toured with the members of The Grateful Dead in the band Furthur, also grew up in Davenport, as well as rapper Dave Blunts. Jazz musician Bix Beiderbecke, after whom the Bix 7 road race and jazz festival are named.

Sports

Sports figures born in Davenport include former middleweight and super-middle champion of the world in boxing Michael Nunn, NFL running back Roger Craig, NFL offensive lineman Julian Vandervelde, former NBA guard Ricky Davis, former NBA G-League guard Marlon Stewart, UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler, NFL wide receiver Kenny Shedd, and professional wrestler Seth Rollins.

Politics

The former mayor of St. Louis, Lyda Krewson.

Artists

Actors Stuart Margolin, Lara Flynn Boyle, Sue Lyon, Linnea Quigley, and Greg Stolze, and Jock Mahoney are from Davenport. The artist Isabel Bloom was raised in Davenport; she is the creator of decorative concrete figurines that bear her name.

Innovators

Other natives include the aviation pioneer Samuel Cody and Otto Frederick Rohwedder the inventor of mass-produced sliced bread.

• Bix Beiderbecke recorded a song in 1925 called "Davenport Blues".
• In the bed department scene of the Marx Brothers 1941 movie "The Big Store" Groucho tells a man to "Just press that button over by the davenport.". The man replies "Where is the davenport?" and Groucho replies "It's in Iowa."''.
• The 1958 Johnny Cash song, "Big River", also later recorded by Bill Monroe and other artists, mentions "cavortin' in Davenport."
• Davenport is one of eight cities listed in the song "Iowa Stubborn" from the 1957 musical The Music Man.
• In the film Tommy Boy, Richard Hayden attempts to get directions to a business appointment in Davenport from a service station 22 miles away on the Illinois side of the river, but the employee tells him to get a new map.

Davenport's sister cities are:{{cite web|title=Davenport Sister Cities|url=http://davenportsistercities.org/|publisher=Davenport Sister Cities|access-date=2020-10-30|archive-date=November 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201105134642/http://davenportsistercities.org/|url-status=live}}

• {{flagicon|DEU}} Kaiserslautern, Germany (1960)
• {{flagicon|BRA}} Ilhéus, Brazil (2005)
• {{flagicon|IRL}} County Carlow, Ireland (2006)

Davenport has friendly relations with:{{cite web|title=Friendship Cities|url=http://davenportsistercities.org/communities/friendship_cities/|publisher=Davenport Sister Cities|access-date=2020-10-30|archive-date=November 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201105134643/http://davenportsistercities.org/communities/friendship_cities/|url-status=live}}

• {{flagicon|CHN}} Langfang, China (2018)
• {{flagicon|MEX}} Colón, Mexico

{{Portal|Iowa}}

• African Americans in Davenport, Iowa
• Bucktown, Davenport
• List of tallest buildings in the Quad Cities

{{Notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Refbegin}}

• {{cite web |title = 2013 American Community Survey data for Davenport, Iowa (city) |url = https://www.census.gov/ |access-date = August 22, 2018 |archive-date = December 27, 1996 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/19961227012639/https://www.census.gov/ |url-status = live }}

{{Refend}}

• Plan and Zoning Commission, Historic Preservation in Davenport, Iowa for Inclusion in the Davenport Comprehensive Plan, Davenport (1985) {{OCLC|20501198}}
• Svendsen, Marlys, Davenport A Pictorial History, (1987) Davenport: G. Bradley Publishing, Inc., {{ISBN|0-940286-05-X}}
• Svendsen, Marlys, Davenport Historical Survey Report : A Thematic History of Davenport, Iowa, 1836–1940 with reference to buildings, structures & sites, (1980) Davenport, {{OCLC|21526770}}

{{Sister project links|wikt=no|v=no|n=no|q=no|s=no|b=no|voy=Davenport}}

• [https://www.davenportiowa.com/ City of Davenport]

{{Davenport}}

{{Quad Cities}}

{{Scott County, Iowa}}

{{Iowa county seats}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Cities in Iowa

Category:Cities in the Quad Cities

Category:County seats in Iowa

Category:Iowa populated places on the Mississippi River

Category:Quad Cities

Category:Cities in Scott County, Iowa

Category:1836 establishments in Michigan Territory