Davenport, Iowa

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Davenport, Iowa

Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 98,359. A 2009 estimate shows the population has increased slightly to 101,360, making it Iowa's third-largest city. Davenport is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring Bettendorf and the Illinois cities of Moline, East Moline, and Rock Island. The Quad Cities has a population of 379,066. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836, and was named after Colonel George Davenport, a friend of founder Antoine LeClaire. As of 2010, the mayor is Bill Gluba.
Located approximately half way between Chicago and Des Moines, Davenport sits on the Mississippi River on the border of Iowa and Illinois. The city is prone to frequent flooding due to its location on the Mississippi River. There are two main universities: Saint Ambrose University and Palmer College of Chiropractic, which is the birthplace of chiropractic and wellness techniques. Several well-known annual music festivals take place in Davenport, including the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival, The Mississippi Valley Fair, and the Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival, which is dedicated to native Bix Beiderbecke. An internationally known 7-mile (11 km) foot race called the Bix 7 is run during the festival. The city has a Class A minor league baseball team, the Quad Cities River Bandits. Davenport has twenty-seven parks and over 12 miles (19 km) of recreational paths for biking or walking.
Four interstates and two major United States Highways serve the city. Davenport has seen steady population growth since its incorporation, with an exception being the 1980s, when the population decreased due to job loss. Davenport has a declining crime rate and a low rate of unemployment, and was ranked as the most affordable metropolitan area in 2010 by Forbes. In 2007, Davenport, along with neighboring Rock Island, won the City Livability Award. Notable natives include jazz musician Bix Beiderbecke and NFL running back Roger Craig.