Mid-Late 19th century History of Davenport, Iowa

davenport in 1865, facing north rock island



first bridge on mississippi river @ davenport

colonel davenport arrived in 1816 establishment of fort armstrong. acted sutler , or supplier, united states army garrisoned @ fort armstrong. fort armstrong located on northwestern tip of arsenal island purpose of monitoring fur trade traffic in area , keeping peace between local native american tribes. contributed organization , mapping out of community, known quad cities. aided in establishing plans first railroad bridge cross mississippi. on july 4, 1845, colonel davenport assaulted in home banditti of prairie men thought had fortune in safe. beaten , left dead, survived long enough give full description of criminals before died night. 5 men charged murder of george davenport, , one, escaped before trial, hung murder. 3 more men charged accessories murder. 1 man sentenced life in prison, escaped , killed 3 months later, 1 man served 1 year in prison, , charges dropped against third man, left area.

on june 9, 1849, maj. william williams visited davenport , provided brief description in journal:

davenport situated on iowa site of river on extensive flat of land, gently rising river mississippi mile back, when bluff rises considerable height affording beautiful sites improvements. charming place; buildings in part scattered; streets wide , beautified trees on each side; pretty residences; great deal of taste displayed. have fine view of river both , down. population 1,100 1,200. town has appearance of more ancient town have seen on mississippi... davenport county seat of scott county. supports 2 lawyers, 4 doctors, has 7 churches... no cholera here- healthy place. ...two large steam flouring mills manufactures 620 barrels of flower per week, 1 steam saw mill. ...eight or ten stores here, ones, groceries, 3 drug stores, 1 regular hotel- 2 doggeries... fine college [iowa college] @ davenport under direction of congregationalists; fine building, beautifully situated on bluffs in rear of town.

in 1850s, germans made davenport s largest settlement group. 1858, more one-fifth of davenport s 11,000 residence germans. growing city had need railroad bridge cross illinois. before bridge built, privately owned ferryboats transported passengers, wagons, , cargo across mississippi river. in 1856, first railroad bridge built across mississippi river connecting davenport , rock island, il. built rock island railroad. steamboaters saw nationwide railroads threat business. on may 6, 1856, weeks after completed, steamboater crashed effie afton steamboat bridge. owner of effie afton, john hurd, filed lawsuit against rock island railroad company. rock island railroad company selected abraham lincoln trial lawyer.

the case, hurd v. rock island bridge company argued lincoln in u.s. circuit court in chicago before judge john maclean, on september 8, 1857. jury deliberated few hours , ended hung jury case dismissed. in 1858, committee on commerce of united states house of representatives conducted investigation decide if rock island bridge serious obstruction navigation of river. committee concluded bridge hazard because of length of pier, angle of bridge, , swift current under bridge. committee believed, however, courts should settle matter , therefore did not recommend action united states congress. in may 1858, ward filed suit in united states district court southern district of iowa asking court declare bridge nuisance , order removal , restore river original capacity purposes of navigation. judge declared bridge nuisance , ordered mississippi , missouri railroad remove 3 piers , superstructure lay on iowa side. judge reasoned if bridge not stopped, many other bridges follow. piers not torn out, because railroad company appealed case united states supreme court. supreme court, reversed decision of district court , allowed bridge remain.

front street during high water (1888)

just before start of civil war, governor samuel j. kirkwood declared davenport iowa s first military headquarters. 5 camps set in davenport during war. camp mcclellan largest camp, on eastern edge of city. thousands of iowa troops trained here. camp mcclellan contained twenty wooden barracks, stockade building, headquarters buildings, , hospitals. davenport neighborhood, mcclellan heights named after camp.

the davenport city hall built in 1895, during deep economic depression. construction completed without issuing bonds, , financed through taxes on illegal saloons , brothels.

hundreds of iowa children left homeless civil war. on november 16, 1865, iowa soldiers orphans home (renamed annie wittenmyer home in 1949) opened. first 150 children arrived keokuk, iowa. starting in 1876, children broken homes orphans of iowa s ninety-nine counties taken in @ home. home self-contained community, containing residences, school, tailor shop, , chapel. home had 3 separate fires during course. on november 9, 1887, @ 3 o’clock in morning, third fire started. building burnt ground. next day’s morning democrat gazette pointed out if home not set several different buildings houses, 350 children @ time have been homeless, , may have not survived fire. after 110 years of service, home closed in 1975. estimated on 12,000 children helped home during operation.

in 1872, phebe sudlow appointed principal of davenport high school. first female principal in united states. on june 19, 1874, phebe sudlow unanimously voted position of superintendent of davenport schools. first woman in united states history public school superintendent.

in 1895, in midst of deep national economic depression, davenport built ornate new city hall. cost $90,000 — astronomical sum @ time — , city constructed new building without issuing municipal bonds. local legend has long suggested city retired debt taxing city s brothels, fines levied against brothels accounted between $7,000-$9,000 per year, portion of financial windfall city reaped in mid-1890s. bulk of funds came new state law (the mulct tax ) applied city s 150 illegal saloons , amounted around $50,000 per year. tax allowed construction not of city hall, paved streets , new sewer system, , 1902–08, city eliminated property taxes altogether.

in 1897, palmer college of chiropractic founded daniel david palmer. first chiropractic school in world.