Davenport is a city in the American state of Iowa that borders the Mississippi River. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 98,359. A 2005 estimate tells that the city had grown slightly to 98,845. The city is part of the Quad Cities of Iowa and Illinois. Davenport is the home of Saint Ambrose University. Palmer College of Chiropractic, the birthplace of chiropractic medicine and wellness technique is also located in Davenport. Davenport is the county seat of Scott County.
Davenport often makes national headlines when the Mississippi River floods. It is the only city over 20,000 people bordering the Mississippi that has no permanent floodwall or levee. Davenport prefers the open access to the river for parks and vistas over having access cut off by dikes and levees. Davenport has adopted ordinances that any new construction in the floodplain must be elevated above the 100 year flood level or protected with walls. As a result, feasibility studies done by the United States Army Corps of Engineers have determined that building a floodwall along Davenport's riverfront is not feasible. Two examples of buildings that are elevated or floodproofed in Davenport are John O'Donnell Stadium and the Figge Art Museum.


