[2] It was platted by land company stockholders that included George Davenport, a merchant and trader at Fort Armstrong and the city's namesake, and Antoine LeClaire, a French-Indian interpreter, lawyer, and speculator.

He received the land as the interpreter for the 1832 treaty that ended the Black Hawk War.

[3] The CRI&Ps mainline followed the base of the river bluff on the north side of the downtown area.

The CRI&P passenger station was also located in the district, but service ended there in 1968 and the depot was torn down in the 1970s.

[2] During the intervening years buildings were constructed for civic, commercial, light industrial, entertainment, multiple dwelling, and fraternal uses.

Multiple theaters were located in the district, but only two remain the Capital Theatre (1922) and the former RKO Orpheum (1931).

[2] Media related to Davenport Downtown Commercial Historic District at Wikimedia Commons