Davenport, Iowa in the 1800s

Paper Summary:

This paper details the numerous written accounts from travelers who settled down or passed through Davenport Iowa. Account after account tells of the beautiful sloping hills and high bluffs to be seen on the west bank of the river across from Rock Island, Illinois. From these statements, one begins to get a picture of how the area appeared in the early 1800s. The earliest inhabitants were the Indians, who considered the Davenport area a very desirable place. Many tribes settled in the vicinity, including the Illini, soon followed by the Sauk and Fox tribes, of whom Black Hawk was the chief. As the great Mississippi Valley began opening up, more and more people began to travel to this vast region. This paper also examines the political and business side of Davenport. Jonathan W. Parker, a young attorney, was one of the earliest settlers in Davenport. Parker saw Davenport as fertile area which would soon become a thriving, industrious city. Parker's interest and belief in his new home is evidenced in the fact that he became mayor in 1841. This well-researched paper contains numerous historical and geographical facts pertaining to the structure of Davenport, Iowa.

From the Paper:

"It is not known who the first white man was to see Iowa, "The beautiful land." Traditionally, and perhaps rightfully so, the honor has been given to two men, Marquette and Joliet. But for our purposes we will begin with one of the earliest accounts that we know for certain to be about the Davenport area. Zebulon M. Pike, a Lieutenant in the 6th U.S. infantry, was commissioned by the army to explore the upper Mississippi. On August 27, 1805, Pike made camp by the Rapids of Riviere de Roche (Rock River Rapids), of which Davenport stands at the foot. Pike made the following entry in his journal, "From this place to Rock River, we generally had beautiful prairies on the west and in some places very rich land, with black walnut and hickory timber." As the great Mississippi Valley began opening up, more and more people began to travel in this vast region."

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