LeClaire Park 4.14

LeClaire Park is a public park located along the Mississippi River in downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. It is situated between two other riverfront parks: Centennial Park on the west and River Heritage Park, a new park that is being developed to the east. The 400acre park includes monuments, a bandshell. a baseball stadium and it is one of the terminal points for the Davenport Skybridge. The Riverfront Parkway 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 is a riverboat casino.HistoryLeClaire 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 was built in 1923, the W.D. Petersen Music Pavilion was added the following year, the Municipal Inn in 1929 and Municipal Stadium opened in 1931. Privately funded additions included the Lend-A-Hand Club building in 1923, the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Freight House in 1918 and Union Station in 1924. The President Casino 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.