Driving Around Downtown Davenport, Iowa in 4k Video

Filmed on Sunday, November 19 2023, I drive around Davenport, IA to see what's going on.
The land was originally owned by the historic Sauk people, Meskwaki (Fox), and Ho-Chunk (Winnebago) Native American tribes. France laid claim to this territory in the 18th century.
After losing to Great Britain in the Seven Years' War, France ceded its territory east of the Mississippi River to the victor, but retained lands to the west.
In 1803, France 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.
The defeat of the Sauk, Meskwaki, and Kickapoo in the Black Hawk War in 1832 led to the Black Hawk Purchase. This transaction, involving the U.S. acquiring about 6 million acres at a mere 11 cents per acre, included the area where Davenport would be founded. Sauk chief Keokuk, having remained neutral during 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. Le Claire was later 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.
The Rock Island Railroad built the first railroad bridge across the Mississippi River in 1856. It connected Davenport to Rock Island, Illinois. This railway connection resulted in significant improvements to transportation and commerce with then-booming Chicago. 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.
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 into the bridge. The owner of the ship, John Hurd, filed a lawsuit against the Rock Island Railroad Company. Abraham Lincoln was the lead defense lawyer for the railroad company.
The jury was hung and 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 build bridges on navigable streams.
Davenport's largest employer is Rock Island Arsenal, the largest government-owned weapons manufacturer for the U.S. Armed Forces. They manufacture ammunition, artillery, gun mounts, recoil mechanisms, small arms, aircraft weapons sub-systems, grenade launchers, weapons simulators, and a host of associated components.
#driving #drivingtour #travel

[@northernlitez1]

I grew up here, things have really changed.....thank you for posting! I just saw the festival of trees banner. Me and my kids miss that so much. We loved it.

[@jonkrispeterson6678]

There is some really pretty architecture down there. Nice theater for concerts, and the hotel Blackstone is really nice. But all the activity in Davenport is up on 53rd and Kimberly now.

[@martyaz]

Thanks for the video.

[@thiagofigueiredo22]

Bom dia amigo, obrigado pela carona! 😊👍

[@f.w.2054]

Is it because of the cold that you don't see people walking or is it dangerous to walk downtown?

[@user-wf8ol5hv6k]

At night it's not the best time. For the most part the downtown area died when North Park mall was opened up. Davenport lost it's downtown over 40 years ago

[@user-wf8ol5hv6k]

I hate that city. It was nice 40 years ago tho.

[@joederocco9321]

what kind of a downtown has no people. and not at night

[@exploreusacities]

95% of the downtowns I’ve been to

[@mr.woowoo8826]

Downtown is a high crime area and people don't go down there really. Northeast is newer so people go there. A LOT of people moving from Chicago to here and this town is turning to a beephole!

[@mr.woowoo8826]

There were these huge low income complexes across the river. They closed it all down, so people came across the river, because it's easier to get benefits on this side. We got swamped with people and some folks who could care less about our town...and I'm going to stop there! This place was awesome from the 50's till about the late 90's. If you're thinking about moving to Davenpit...DON'T!!! 💯 I moved out to the country. They can have Davenport! ( he showed going over the bridge. That's the bridge where gang members do bad things here and then sprint back to the Illinois side to avoid jurisdiction pursuit. There was shooting for that. It's on YT, check it out. The cops weren't playing. Sad to watch your town die! 💯

[@JoeMoschetta]

@@mr.woowoo8826

[@JoeMoschetta]

I know what your saying bro. I read between the lines. Same where I live there were some really great areas then one guess