LeClaire Park is a public park located along the Mississippi River

Mississippi River

The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...

 in downtown Davenport, Iowa

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. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. It is situated between two other riverfront parks: Centennial Park

Centennial Park (Davenport, Iowa)

Centennial Park is one of four parks located along the Mississippi River in downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. The other three are LeClaire Park, which is immediately to the east of Centennial Park, Veterans Memorial Park, which will be developed immediately to the west, and a park that is...

 on the west and a new park that is being developed to the east. The 400 acres (1.6 km²) park includes monuments, a bandshell. a baseball stadium and it is one of the terminal points for the Davenport Skybridge

Davenport Skybridge

The Davenport Skybridge is a pedestrian cable-stayed bridge that spans River Drive in downtown Davenport, Iowa. It connects LeClaire Park and Rhythm City Casino to a courtyard and parking ramp on 2nd Street, located right next to the River Music Experience. The bridge is 50 feet tall and 575 feet...

. The Riverfront Parkway

Riverfront Parkway

Riverfront Parkway is located along the Mississippi River in the cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in the U.S. state of Iowa. The parkway extends for 11 miles starting at Credit Island on the west passing through Davenport for 7.6 miles before entering Bettendorf. It continues for another 3.4...

 pass through the park. Other features of the park include picnic shelters, horseshoe pits and river access for fishing. Moored off the park’s levee

Levee

A levee, levée, dike , embankment, floodbank or stopbank is an elongated naturally occurring ridge or artificially constructed fill or wall, which regulates water levels...

 is a riverboat casino.

History

LeClaire Park was established on the riverfront during the mayoral administration of C.A. Ficke in the early 1890s. In 1911 the Levee Improvement Commission was created. It was responsible for developing the city’s riverfront for recreational, industrial and transportation purposes. It was also to beautify the area. The seawall was extended over a period of years from 1912-1931. LeClaire Park was dramatically improved by the commission from 1912-1914. The John Dillon Memorial was added in 1918, the Municipal Natatorium

Natatorium

A natatorium is a term given for a building containing a swimming pool. In Latin, a cella natatoria was a swimming pool in its own building, although it is sometimes also used to refer to any indoor pool even if not housed in a dedicated building...

 was built in 1923, the W.D. Petersen Music Pavilion was added the following year and Municipal Stadium opened in 1931. Privately funded additions included the Lend-A-Hand Club

Lend-A-Hand Club

The Lend-A-Hand Club was located in downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States along the riverfront. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, and on the Davenport Register of Historic Properties in 1997.-History:...

 building in 1923, the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Freight House

Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Freight House

The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Freight House was built by the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad in 1917 in Davenport, Iowa. The building is rectangular in shape and built of brick. The eastern end is two stories and held the offices...

 in 1918 and Union Station

Union Station and Burlington Freight House

Union Station and Burlington Freight House is located near the riverfront in downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The buildings are in a section of downtown with several historic structures. Across Ripley Street to the west is the...

 in 1924. The President Casino

President (steamboat)

President was a steamboat that currently lies dismantled in St. Elmo, Illinois. Originally named Cincinnati, it was built in 1924, and is the only remaining "Western Rivers" style sidewheel river excursion steamboat in the United States...

 was one of the boats that initiated riverboat gambling in Iowa in the early 1990s. The Lend-A-Hand building and the natatorium have subsequently been torn down.

John Dillon Memorial

The memorial to Judge John Forrest Dillon

John Forrest Dillon

John Forrest Dillon was an American jurist who served on both federal and Iowa state courts, and who authored a highly influential treatise on the power of states over municipal governments.-Early life and career:...

 was paid for through a bequest. The fountain was originally built in the middle of Main Street and the Lend-A-Hand Club and the natatorium were built on the east and west sides of the street respectively. In 1997 after the other buildings were torn down Main Street was closed south of River Drive and a plaza was created.

W.D. Petersen Music Pavilion

Popularly referred to as the LeClaire Park Bandshell, the pavilion was named for Walter D. Petersen, a promoter of Davenport’s riverfront in the late 19th and early 20th century. It annually hosts concerts such as the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival, Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival

Bix 7 Road Race and Memorial Jazz Festival

The Bix 7 Road Race and Memorial Jazz Festival is a road race and music festival held annually in Davenport, Iowa. The race and festival commemorate Davenport native and jazz musician Bix Beiderbecke.-Race:...

, Festival of Praise as well as other public events.

Modern Woodmen Park

The stadium opened as Municipal Stadium on May 26, 1931. It is situated between LeClaire Park on the east and Centennial Park on the west. The name of the stadium was changed to John O’Donnell Stadium, after a local sportswriter, in 1971, and to Modern Woodmen Park after the fraternal insurance company of the same name bought the naming rights in 2007. It has been the home for Davenport based minor league baseball teams, including the Davenport Blue Sox

Davenport Blue Sox

*Location: Davenport, Iowa*League: Three-I League ; Mississippi Valley League ; Western League *Affiliation: Brooklyn Dodgers 1936-1937*Ballpark: Municipal Stadium 1931-1937-Year-by-year record:...

 and the teams the area has fielded as a member of the Midwest League

Midwest League

The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...

. The current team to occupy the stadium is the Quad City River Bandits. It was also the home field for the St. Ambrose University and Assumption High School

Assumption High School (Davenport, Iowa)

Assumption High School is a Roman Catholic high school in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport. Charles Elbert is the current principal of Assumption High....

athletic programs. Concerts and other sporting events have also been held in the stadium.