Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836, byAntoine Le Claire and named for his friend,George Davenport. From 1860 until 1980, Davenport enjoyed a long period of industrial and population growth, averaging yearly increases of about 760 people.[8] Over that period, Davenport industries were diverse, from manufacturing locomotives,[9] a major meat-packing plant,[10] a Caterpillar loader plant,[11] a historic movie-projector plant, to car and truck wheel manufacture.[12] These and other industries left, and since 1980, population growth has been flat, hovering around 100,000 over the past 40 years.[13]
The city is prone to frequent flooding due to its location on the Mississippi River and the city's resistance to building a modern levee, unlike its sister cities. Davenport's flood wall dates from 1919,[14] while Rock Island's higher flood wall dates from 1970[15] and Bettendorf's from the 1980s. The latter two protected their respective downtowns during the 2019 flood.[16] The history and historical costs of proposed levee projects were summarized in 2023 by the local paper after Davenport received national media attention for the 2019 flood.[17]
There are two main universities:St. Ambrose University andPalmer College of Chiropractic, where the first chiropractic adjustment took place. Several annual music festivals take place in Davenport, including the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival, the Mississippi Valley Fair, and theBix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival. An internationally known 7-mile (11 km) foot race, called theBix 7, is run during the festival. The city has a Class A minor-league baseball team, theQuad Cities River Bandits. Davenport has 50 plus parks and facilities, as well as more than 20 miles (32 km) of recreational paths for biking or walking.
Threeinterstates (I-80, I-74 and I-280) and two majorUnited States Highways serve the city. Davenport has seen steady population growth since its incorporation. National economic difficulties in the 1980s resulted in job and population losses.
The land was originally inhabited by theSauk,Meskwaki (Fox), and Ho-Chunk (Winnebago) Native American tribes. France laid claim to this territory as part of itsNew 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 theSeven Years' War, France ceded its territory east of the Mississippi River to the British and transferred the lands to the west toSpain.
In 1803, France regained and sold its holdings in North America west of the Mississippi River to the United States under theLouisiana Purchase. LieutenantZebulon Pike was the first United States representative to officially visit theUpper Mississippi River area. On August 27, 1805, Pike camped on the present-day site of Davenport.[18]
In 1832, a group of Sauk, Meskwaki, andKickapoo people were defeated by the United States in theBlack Hawk War. The United States government concluded theBlack 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 6 million acres (24,000 km2), at a price equivalent to 11 cents/acre ($26/km2). Although named after the defeated chief Black Hawk, he was being held prisoner by the US. Sauk chiefKeokuk, who had remained neutral in the war, signed off on the purchase. It was made on the site of present-day Davenport. Army GeneralWinfield Scott and Governor of Illinois,John Reynolds, acted on behalf of the United States, withAntoine Le Claire, amixed-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 ColonelGeorge Davenport, who was stationed atFort Armstrong during the war. The city was incorporated on January 25, 1839.[19] The area was successively governed by the legislatures of theMichigan Territory, theWisconsin Territory, theIowa Territory, and finally Iowa.
Scott County was formed by an act of theWisconsin Territorial legislature in 1837.[20] 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 ofDubuque 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.[21]
TheRock Island Railroad built the first railroad bridge across the Mississippi River in 1856. It connected Davenport toRock Island, Illinois.[22] This railway connection resulted in significant improvements to transportation and commerce with Chicago, a booming 19th-century city. The addition of new railroad lines toMuscatine andIowa City, and the acquisition of other lines by the Rock Island Railroad, resulted in Davenport becoming a commercial railroad hub.[18]
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 theEffie Afton into the bridge. The owner of theEffie Afton, John Hurd, filed a lawsuit against the Rock Island Railroad Company.Abraham Lincoln was the lead defense lawyer for the railroad company.[22] Thehung 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 theUnited 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.[23]
TheClaim House 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.[24]
Prior to the start of theCivil War, GovernorSamuel J. Kirkwood declared Davenport to be Iowa's first military headquarters; five military camps were set up in the city to aid theUnion.[25]
TheDavenport City Hall was built in 1895 for price of $100,000 ($3.78 million in 2024 dollars).[26] Architectural journals of the time poked fun at the project due to the small amount of money budgeted.[27] The skyline began forming in the 1920s with the construction of theKahl Building, the Parker Building, and the Capitol Theatre during a period of economic and building expansion.
By 1932, thousands of Davenport residents were on public relief, due to theGreat 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 theWorks 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. TheInterstate 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.[28] Restructuring of heavy industry also continued: theCaterpillar plant on the city's north side closed, causing another wave of job loss.[28]
With the 1990s, the city finally showed the beginnings of a resurgence.[28] In the early 21st century, many renovations and building additions have occurred to revitalize the downtown area, including repairingModern Woodmen Park, the building of theSkybridge, and establishing theFigge Art Museum. In 2011, the Gold Coast and Hamburg Historic District was named as a 2011 "America's Great Place" by theAmerican Planning Association.[29]
Lithograph of Davenport from a letter-head dating to 1868
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 65.92 square miles (170.73 km2), of which 63.8 square miles (165.24 km2) is land and 2.12 square miles (5.49 km2) is water.[30] Davenport is located approximately 170 miles (270 km) west of Chicago and 170 miles (270 km) east of the Iowa state capital ofDes Moines. The city is located about 200 miles (320 km) north ofSt. Louis, Missouri, and 265 miles (426 km) southeast ofMinneapolis, Minnesota. Farmland surrounds Davenport outside theQuad Cities area.
Davenport is located on the banks of theMississippi River. At this point the river has a maximum depth of around 30 to 40 feet (9.1 to 12.2 m) and is 2,217 feet (676 m) wide where theCentennial Bridge crosses it. The river flows from east to west in this area, as opposed to its usual north to south direction.[31] 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.[32] It is the largest city bordering the Mississippi that has no permanentflood wall orlevee.[33] 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".[32] An example of a Davenport building that is elevated or flood-proofed is theFigge Art Museum.[34]
Flooding on April 30, 2008. The red line (at the top right) indicates where theMississippi River should be. The picture was taken from theSkybridge.
Under the Köppen climate classification, Davenport is considered to have ahumid 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 30.7 inches (780 mm) per year.[35] January is on average the coldest month, while July is the warmest.[36] The highest temperature recorded in Davenport was 111 °F (44 °C) on July 12, 1936.[37] The lowest temperature, −29 °F (−34 °C), was recorded on January 18, 2009.[38] 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 pressureextratropical disturbances occur.[39][40] During the summers, farmers experience difficulties while farming such as shallow soil, the humidity, and cold damp winds[41]
Although several minor tornadoes have occurred, no devastating tornado has ever touched down in Davenport.[42] Flooding, however, is often a problem in Davenport due to the lack of a flood wall. During theGreat Flood of 1993, the water crested at 22.63 feet (6.90 m) on July 9.[43] This is nearly 8 feet (2.4 m) above the 14.9-foot (4.5 m) flood stage. Major flooding in Davenport causes many problems. Roads in and around the downtown area, includingU.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.[44] Duck Creek, a stream situated in Bettendorf and Davenport, is also vulnerable toflash flooding. Severe thunderstorms on June 16, 1990, created heavy flash flooding in Bettendorf and Davenport that killed four people.[45] Another major flood happened on June 12, 2008, when severe thunderstorms caused Duck Creek to overflow its banks and flood properties and nearby streets (seeIowa flood of 2008).[46] The Mississippi river flooded again in 2019 and 2023.[47]
Climate data for Davenport, IA (1991-2020), snow atmunicipal airport for 2005-2023
Map highlighting the historic neighborhoodsOne of Davenport's oldest neighborhoods, theVillage of East Davenport, is full of small specialty shops.
Davenport has several neighborhoods dating back to the 1840s.[53] The original city plot was around current day Ripley and 5th Streets, whereAntoine 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 includingVictorian,Queen Anne,Tudor Revival, and others.[54] Many of the original neighborhoods were inhabited by German settlers.[53]
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.[55] Lindsay Park, in TheVillage of East Davenport, was used as parade grounds forCivil War soldiers from Camp McClellan.[25]
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.[56] Housing was mostly one and a half to two-story frontgableAmerican Foursquare and simplifiedQueen Anne style. The central Hamburg neighborhood, now known as theHamburg Historic District, contains the most architecturally significant residences in the old German neighborhoods.[57] Also in central Davenport, theVander Veer Park Historic District is a neighborhood anchored byVander Veer Park, a large park with a botanical garden and a fountain. The park was modeled after New York City'sCentral Park and originally shared its name.[58] 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.[58]
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; theWells Fargo Bank Building, which is 255 feet tall, and theMid-American Energy Building, which is 220 feet tall.[59] Other tall buildings include the 11-storyHotel Blackhawk, the 150-footKahl Building and theDavenport City Hall.[60]
Davenport, Iowa – Racial and ethnic composition 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.
As of thecensus of 2020,[5] the population was 101,724. Thepopulation density was 1,594.5 inhabitants per square mile (615.6/km2). There were 46,964 housing units at an average density of 736.2 per square mile (284.2/km2). 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% fromother races, and 8.7% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 8.8% Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Map of racial distribution in Davenport, 2020 U.S. census. Each dot is one person:⬤ White⬤ Black⬤ Asian⬤ Hispanic⬤ Multiracial⬤ Native American/Other
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 1,566.5 inhabitants per square mile (604.8/km2). There were 41,350 housing units at an average density of 658.5 per square mile (254.2/km2). Davenport's population density was 30 times the average density of Iowa and 20 times the average density of the United States.[66][67] However, it was about a third less thanDes Moines and 20 percent less thanCedar 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.[66][67]
Theracial 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).[68] 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.[68]
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.[68][69]
Davenport's biggest labor industry is manufacturing, with over 7,600 jobs in the sector.[70]John Deere is the second largest employer in the Quad Cities, after theRock 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.[71][72]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 storeHy-Vee with 3,138 and theDavenport Community School District with 2,237 employees.[72]
Davenport is the headquarters for department storeVon Maur, which has 24 stores.[73] Davenport is also the headquarters ofLee Enterprises, which publishes fifty daily newspapers and more than 300 weekly newspapers, shoppers, and specialty publications, along with online sites in 23 states.[74] As of September 2009, the unemployment rate in Davenport and the rest of the Quad Cities, had risen to 8.4%.[75]
The median income for a household in the city was $40,378, with families earning $51,445.[76] Males had a median income of $41,853 versus $30,002 for females.[76] 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,[77]KONE, Inc andAlcoa.
Uptown features a few historic landmarks such as theIowa Soldiers' Orphans' Home which took in homeless children from all of Iowa'sninety-nine counties following the Civil War[84] andAmbrose Hall which was the original building ofSt. Ambrose University.[85] 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 inMoline. Brady Street Stadium is home to Davenport high school andSaint Ambrose University football games. Davenport has a number of parks, includingCredit 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.[86] 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 nativeBix Beiderbecke. The festival was started in August 1971 and the Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Society was founded one year later to organize and sponsor it.[87] 2009 was the 39th consecutive festival. In addition to the Bix Fest, theWells Fargo Street Fest features live music, food, and vendors.
The annualBix 7 is a 7-mile (11 km) road race held in late July in Davenport. The race was founded in 1975 by John A. Hudetz a resident ofBettendorf, Iowa, who wanted to bring to the Quad Cities some of the excitement he felt when he ran his firstBoston Marathon.[88] The first race had 84 participants, but today 12,000 to 18,000 runners take part.[88][89][90] In late July or early August the six-day Great Mississippi Valley Fair features major grandstand concerts, carnival rides, attractions, and food vendors.[91] Sturgis on the River is a large annual gathering of motorcycles which includes bands and food vendors.[92] Other local expositions include River Roots Live, Beaux Arts Fair and many others.
Davenport (along with neighboringRock 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."[93] The award acknowledges achievements from the RiverVision plan of Davenport and Rock Island.[94]
Junge Park is situated along the Duck Creek bike path. The park includes baseball and softball fields, along with sand volleyball, and basketball courts.
Davenport has over fifty parks or recreational trails.[95] Major parks includeCredit Island, which is a 450-acre (1.8 km2) park in southwest Davenport located alongside the Mississippi River.[95]Fejervary Park contains a pool and has had approximately 20,000 visitors each year since 1996.[95] Junge Park is situated along theDuck Creek Parkway and includes baseball and softball fields, sand volleyball, and basketball courts.[95]LeClaire Park is located right on the banks of the Mississippi River next toModern Woodmen Park and hosts many summer events including River Roots Live and Ribfest.[96] Bands for the Bix Fest play in the park each July.Vander Veer Botanical Park welcomes approximately 25,000 visitors to continuous floral shows.[95]
The city features two recreational trails for biking or walking. Duck Creek Parkway extends from Emeis Park in west Davenport 8.26 miles (13.29 km) east to Bettendorf along Duck Creek.Riverfront Parkway extends 4.75 miles (7.64 km) along the Mississippi waterfront fromCredit Island to Bettendorf. Both these trails continue into Bettendorf.[95] Plans are being discussed to connect the two trails inRiverdale.[97] Three public golf courses are offered in the city.[98] 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.[99]
Davenport uses amayor–council form of local government. As of 2021[update], city government consists of mayor Mike Matson[100] 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.[101] 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.[102] The city council's job is to make laws and set the city budget.[103] 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.[104] The establishment of Davenport as a political and government unit came in 1839, three years after the city was settled.[105] The city was incorporated as a result of a resolution by Iowa Representative Jonathan W. Parker by special charter in theIowa Territory on January 25, 1839.[105] 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.[105] 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.[105] 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.[105] 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.[105] Fire protection was expanded in 1882, with the city's first 13 paid firefighters.[105] Former mayorHenry Vollmer accomplished several public works achievements, including large street paving and new sub-divisions being plotted.[105] A large city budget surplus brought the creation of theDavenport City Hall.[106] 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 theDavenport Municipal Airport.[106]
The 2010 fiscal year budget was $199.2 million,[71] an increase of $35 million from 2009.[71] 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.[71] 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.[71] The police department is second with a budget of $22.4 million, while the fire department has a budget of $15 million.[71] The parks department has $6.1 million, and theDavenport Public Library has a $3.8 million budget.[71]
As of 2012[update], the 41st senate district covers the eastern third of the city and all ofBettendorf,Riverdale, andPanorama 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.[108] The district is represented byRepublican SenatorRoby Smith.[109] The 42nd district covers the western third of the city along with all ofScott County that is not in Davenport, Bettendorf, Riverdale, or Panorama Park as well as western and southern ruralClinton County and is represented by Republican SenatorShawn Hamerlinck.[110] The 43rd senate district covers the central third of the city and is represented byDemocratJoe Seng.[111]
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 DemocratPhyllis Thede.[112] 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 RepublicanRoss Paustian.[113] 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.[114][115] Both are represented by Democrats withJim Lykam representing the 85th andCindy Winckler representing the 86th.
Davenport public schools serve nearly 14,500[116] students in the communities of Davenport,Blue Grass,Buffalo, andWalcott. TheDavenport Community School District is the fourth-largest school district in Iowa. Davenport has four public high schools:Central,West,Mid City[117] andNorth and one private high school:Assumption. There are six public intermediate schools and 23 public elementary schools.[118] Sudlow, one of the intermediate schools, was named afterPhebe Sudlow, the first female public school superintendent in the United States.[119] She was superintendent for Davenport schools from 1874 to 1878.[119] The high schools are part of theMississippi Athletic Conference for sports.
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.[123]
The Quad Cities ranks as the 97th largest market for television[124] and the 147th largest market for radio.[125] Radio stationWOC made its local broadcasting debut on February 18, 1922. It was the second licensed station on the air.[126] In 1933, WOC hired future presidentRonald Reagan as a staff announcer.[126]
Other highways includeIowa Highway 22, which is on the city's southwest side, andIowa 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. TheQuad City International Airport across the river inMoline, Illinois, is the closest commercial airport. Major railroads include theIowa Interstate Railroad and theIowa, Chicago and Eastern. Two national U.S. recreation trails intersect in Davenport: the Mississippi River Trail and theAmerican Discovery Trail.
Amtrak currently does not serve Davenport or the Quad Cities. The closest station currently is about 50 miles (80 km) away inGalesburg, Illinois. In 2008,United States SenatorsTom Harkin,Chuck Grassley,Dick Durbin, andBarack Obama sent a letter to Amtrak asking them to begin plans to bring rail service to the Quad Cities.[127] 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.[128] Currently theMoline 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.[129] Davenport does not have any river ports.
Davenport has an infamous "truck-eating bridge".[130] The bridge, or rather three bridges, is a set of railroad bridges that cross over north and southboundU.S. Route 61 and another street. Every year an average of 12 semi trucks hit the bridge, usually causing massive damage to the trucks.[130] The bridges, made out of iron, steel, and concrete, are rarely damaged.[130]
Public transit appeared in Davenport in 1969 when the city created a City Transit Authority.[129] 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 ofPublic Works. CitiBus has a total of 20 vehicles and covers approximately 30 square miles (78 km2) of the city. CitiBus connects with both Bettendorf Transit and the Illinois Quad Cities mass transit system, MetroLINK.[129] 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.[131]
Genesis West is one of the two hospitals in Davenport. The other hospital is Genesis East.
Electricity to Davenport, and the rest of the Iowa Quad Cities, is provided byMidAmerican Energy Company. Water is provided by the Mississippi River and is treated by theIowa 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 theGenesis Health System. Together the facilities, along with two other facilities outside Davenport have 665 beds.[132] The hospitals employ more than 600 physicians and 5,000 staff members.[132] TheAmerican Nurses Credentialing Center, awarded Genesis Medical Center the Magnet designation for excellence in nursing services.[133] Fewer than three percent of hospitals receive this honor.[133]
Guitarist and vocalistJohn 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 rapperDave Blunts. Jazz musicianBix Beiderbecke, after whom theBix 7 road race and jazz festival are named.
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 1958Johnny Cash song, "Big River", also later recorded byBill Monroe and other artists, mentions "cavortin' in Davenport."
In the filmTommy 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.
^Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the expected highest and lowest temperature readings at any point during the year or given month) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.
^Official precipitation records for the Quad Cities kept at the Weather Bureau Office (WBO) in Davenport, Iowa from July 1871 to December 1931, alternating between Quad City Int'l (KMLI) and the Davenport WBO from January 1932 to 17 February 1937, and remaining at KMLI since 18 February 1937. Temperature, snowfall, and snow depth records date to 1 January 1874, 1 August 1882, and 1 January 1901, respectively. For more information, seeThreadex
^Federal Writers' Project of the Works Progress Administration for the State of Iowa (1938).Iowa: A Guide to the Hawkeye State. New York: Hastings House. p. 224.ISBN9781603540148.Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. RetrievedNovember 10, 2020.{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
^"Climate of Moline, Illinois"(PDF). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.Archived(PDF) from the original on October 5, 2006. RetrievedNovember 5, 2008.
^"Glossary P-Z". Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Archived fromthe original on November 30, 2018. RetrievedSeptember 29, 2010.
^Parry, C. C. (1873).Historical Address on the Early Exploration and Settlement of the Mississippi Valley. Davenport, Iowa: Young Men's Christian Association Poor Fund.
^abcdefghSvendsen,Davenport historical survey report : a thematic history of Davenport, Iowa, 1836–1940 with reference to buildings, structures & sites pp. 7–1
^abSvendsen,Davenport historical survey report : a thematic history of Davenport, Iowa, 1836–1940 with reference to buildings, structures & sites p. 7-2
^abTreiber, Rachelle (October 5, 2005)."Genesis wins care award".Quad-City Times.Archived from the original on August 1, 2020. RetrievedNovember 18, 2008.
Plan and Zoning Commission,Historic Preservation in Davenport, Iowa for Inclusion in the Davenport Comprehensive Plan, Davenport (1985)OCLC20501198
Svendsen, Marlys,Davenport A Pictorial History, (1987) Davenport: G. Bradley Publishing, Inc.,ISBN0-940286-05-X
Svendsen, Marlys,Davenport Historical Survey Report : A Thematic History of Davenport, Iowa, 1836–1940 with reference to buildings, structures & sites, (1980) Davenport,OCLC21526770
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