A Brief History of Bucktown: Davenport's Infamous District Transformed

by Jonathan Turner

German immigrants created leafy beer gardens here nearly two centuries ago, establishing Bucktown as the heart of entertainment in downtown Davenport for generations. In 1916, the founding of the Tri-City Symphony Orchestra at the Burtis Opera House embodied the neighborhood's reputation for high culture. The numerous saloons and theaters, as well as the forty-two documented brothels that flourished within two blocks, lent a bawdy side to the good times. Varied industries thrived through World War II, and downtown bustled with shoppers visiting department stores like Petersen's. Later, the neighborhood struggled and declined as a farming crisis hit the region hard. With revitalized landmarks like the magnificent Hotel Blackhawk and the historic Redstone Building, the community is growing more vibrant as a place to live, work and play. Author Jonathan Turner explores this dynamic history and transformation.

176 pages, Paperback

Published September 26, 2016

Reviews

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting

[Mike Lund · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth reading if your from Scott County Ia

Well written and researched. It is good to acknowledge the work the city and individuals have done to keep the area vibrant and alive. Today BuckTown has many interesting restaurant’s, bars and art oriented shops. It wasn’t always as respectable. I suggest following along in Google maps.

Personally, I find the early history of Iowa and the BuckTown area a little more interesting than the current state. I had no idea 49 out of 50 Iowa counties voted to prohibit Alcohol sales one year after Iowa became a state (1847). Or that Temperance Societies were so prevalent. The Davenport Temperance Society was formed in 1839 and the Scott County Temperance Society in 1842. Regardless, by 1900 BuckTown had become a haven for entertainment. Davenport’s east end had 42 brothels, 40 saloons 24 dance halls and burlesque theaters with whine rooms. For every 21 women working in legitimate employment, one Davenport woman worked in prostitution. Many entertainers, such as Al Jolson worked in area night spots before becoming famous.

[Estelle Abbott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was full of local history that I'd never heard of! Very interesting!

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short history of Davenport, Iowa's Bucktown district from "wicked" to "wickedly thriving."

[Mary Davidsaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a small but mighty volume that highlights the history and heritage of an important river town. Davenport was part of the Tri-Cities first and then the Quad Cities most recently as they all shared the banks of the Mississippi River. The river brought life, prosperity, and growing pains to an early frontier Davenport that rivaled the likes of cities many times its size. Turner documents it all with faithful quotes from a great many sources. He begins in the 1880s by showing us the booze-soaked red-light district and progresses forward through the boom and bust years of two world wars and a major farm crisis. He ends with an amazing come-back story of urban revitalization.

The high point for me was going to hear the Quad City Wind Ensemble preform at St. Ambrose University's Allaert Hall. I'd just finished the part of chapter four that highlighted the cultural influence of the German American population's love of all things musical. The title of the performance was "Fiesta" and the music was lively and uplifting. I felt like I had a direct line back to those rowdy beer halls of Bucktown in its heyday without having to stagger home.

There's just so much information here and the before and after photos are very helpful, but it left me wishing for someone to put together a tour to give me more. Turner has done an impressive job with his brief overview. I think he has opened a door to a lot of stories waiting to be told.