Downtown Davenport

The city of Davenport, Iowa, United States has neighborhoods dating back to the 1840s. The Davenport Plan and Zoning Commission divided the city into five areas: downtown, central, east end, near north, and northwest and west end. The neighborhoods contain many architectural designs, including Victorian, Queen Anne, and Tudor Revival. Many of the original neighborhoods were first inhabited by German settlers.

Downtown Davenport sits on the banks of the Mississippi River. Downtown is bordered on the south by the river; the east and north, by railroad tracks running on the north side along Fifth Street; and the west, by Warren Street. Downtown underwent several generations of growth beginning in the 1840s and 1850s. During this period, the buildings were all modest one- and two-story frame buildings. The prosperity of the 1880s and 1890s led to the development of upscale commercial buildings, during which the first department store, a five-story brick building, was constructed. Technological improvements in skeleton construction and elevators enabled buildings to reach new heights. Development in the west end of Downtown shifted from commercial to residential buildings, mostly in the form of apartments. Downtown contains the two tallest buildings in the Quad Cities: the Wells Fargo Bank Building, which is 255 feet (78 m) tall, and the Mid-American Energy Building, which is 220 feet (67 m) tall. Other tall buildings include the 11-story Blackhawk Hotel, the 150-foot (46 m) Kahl Building and the Davenport City Hall.

The West Third Street neighborhood extends from Scott Street to Myrtle Street along West Third Street. The significance of this neighborhood is derived from the German-American community that originally lived in the neighborhood. Residents during that time period consisted mostly of members of the working class. The focus of the neighborhood was Washington Square—a single block laid out by Antoine LeClaire in the original city. The square was the site of German beer gardens, musical events, veterans' celebrations and other outdoor activities, and served as the welcoming point for new German immigrants.

...
Wikipedia