DAVENPORT

city, seat (1837) of Scott county, eastern Iowa, U.S. It lies on the north bank of the Mississippi River and is the largest of the Quad Cities urban complex (which includes Moline, East Moline, and Rock Island, all across the river in Illinois). Credit Island, now a park, was a battlefield in the War of 1812; Fort Armstrong (restored) was established on Rock Island in 1816. Antoine LeClaire acquired the site (originally called Oskosh and later called Morgan) after the Black Hawk Treaty (1832) and sold it to a fur company headed by Colonel George Davenport. The first railroad bridge to span the Mississippi River was opened at Davenport in 1856, and the development of both river and rail transportation assured the city's growth as a trading centre. Davenport's manufactures include farm machinery, clothing, and processed foods. The Palmer College of Chiropractic was founded in Davenport by D.D. Palmer, who initiated the chiropractic system in 1895. Davenport is also the seat of Marycrest College (1939), St. Ambrose College (1882), and Palmer Junior College (1965). The Davenport Municipal Art Gallery has a notable collection of Grant Wood paintings. Inc. town, 1839; city, 1851. Pop. (1990) city, 95,333; DavenportRock IslandMoline MSA, 350,861.