Bettendorf, Iowa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bettendorf, Iowa
City
Top: Quad Cities Waterfront Convention Center, Bettendorf House, Middle: I-74 Bridge, Bottom: The Abbey Center, The Family Museum.
Motto(s):  A Premier City
Location in the State of Iowa
Country	United States
State	Iowa
County	Scott
Incorporated	1903
Government
• Type	Mayor-council government
Area
• Total	22.43 sq mi (58.09 km2)
• Land	21.30 sq mi (55.17 km2)
• Water	1.13 sq mi (2.92 km2)
Elevation	571 ft (174 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	39,102
• Estimate  (2022)	39,548
• Rank	15th in Iowa
• Density	1,835.60/sq mi (708.75/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	52722
Area code(s)	563
FIPS code	19-06355
GNIS feature ID	0454588

Bettendorf is a city located in Scott County, Iowa, in the United States. It's known as the 15th largest city in Iowa. Bettendorf is also the third-largest city in an area called the "Quad Cities". This area includes Davenport in Iowa, and Moline, East Moline, and Rock Island in Illinois. In 2020, about 39,102 people lived in Bettendorf. The entire Quad Cities area had an estimated population of 379,374 in 2022.

History of Bettendorf

Bettendorf is in what was once the Wisconsin Territory. The United States bought this land from the Sac and Fox Native American tribes after a conflict called the Black Hawk War. This land deal was known as the Black Hawk Purchase in 1832.

The first European-American settlers created a small village called Lilienthal. Another village, Gilbert, grew next to it in 1858, named after Elias Gilbert. Most people living there were German immigrants. They worked as farmers, skilled workers, and small business owners. Eventually, Lilienthal and Gilbert joined together to become the town of Gilbert.

Around 1900, two brothers, William and Joseph Bettendorf, were given land by the town. They agreed to move their iron wagon business from Davenport to Gilbert. In 1903, the town, which had about 440 citizens, officially became a city. They decided to change the town's name to Bettendorf to honor the brothers. Their factory was very important to the city's early growth.

In the late 1940s, a large company called Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA) built the world's biggest aluminum factory in Riverdale, which is near Bettendorf. This huge factory created thousands of jobs. It helped Bettendorf's population grow a lot, and it has continued to grow ever since.

The first modern riverboat casinos in the United States started in Bettendorf on April 1, 1991. A local businessman named Bernard Goldstein opened them. He later started the Isle of Capri Casinos company. Goldstein's family also runs Alter Companies, which handles scrap metal and operates barges on the river. The Quad Cities Waterfront Convention Center opened in 2009, next to the casino and hotel. The city owns it, and the Isle of Capri operates it.

Bettendorf is located along the Mississippi River. Because of this, the city sometimes experiences flooding. The city works to manage storm water runoff. They have plans to improve water quality and reduce flooding by fixing pipes and ditches.

Starting in 2012, some buildings in downtown Bettendorf were taken down. This made way for a new I-74 Bridge project and helped redevelop the downtown area. The original I-74 bridge was built in 1935, and a second one in 1959. The new I-74 bridge project will replace these old bridges. Construction started in July 2017 and was finished in 2021. This project also changed Grant Street in downtown Bettendorf to have three lanes in each direction. New shops and homes have been built in the redesigned area. The I-74 bridge connects Bettendorf to Moline, Illinois.

Geography and Climate

Bettendorf is located at 41°33′0″N 90°29′37″W / 41.55000°N 90.49361°W / 41.55000; -90.49361.

The city covers about 22.43 square miles (58.09 square kilometers). Most of this area, 21.30 square miles (55.17 square kilometers), is land. The remaining 1.13 square miles (2.92 square kilometers) is water.

What is Bettendorf's Weather Like?

Bettendorf has a climate with warm summers and cold winters. Here's a quick look at the weather:

Population and People

The population of Bettendorf, Iowa from US census data

How Many People Live in Bettendorf?

The census helps us understand how many people live in a city and what they are like. In 2020, Bettendorf had 39,102 people. The city had about 1,835 people per square mile. There were 16,697 homes in the city.

Most people in Bettendorf are White (82.4%). There are also people of Asian (6.2%), Black or African American (3.7%), and Native American (0.2%) backgrounds. About 1.3% of people are from other races, and 6.2% are from two or more races. About 5.3% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.

In 2010, there were 33,217 people living in Bettendorf. About 33% of homes had children under 18. The average age of people in the city was 40.7 years old. About 25.5% of residents were under 18, and 14.8% were 65 or older. The city had slightly more females (51.4%) than males (48.6%).

Education in Bettendorf

Bettendorf has two main school districts: the Bettendorf Community School District and the Pleasant Valley Community School District.

Bettendorf School District

The Bettendorf Community School District serves most of central, northern, and western Bettendorf. Younger students attend one of five elementary schools. These schools are named after famous people like Neil Armstrong, Herbert Hoover, Paul Norton, Mark Twain, and Grant Wood. The district also has a middle school and Bettendorf High School. Neil Armstrong School is special because it operates year-round. A board of seven members helps run the district.

Pleasant Valley School District

Pleasant Valley High School is in nearby Riverdale and serves Bettendorf.

The Pleasant Valley Community School District covers eastern Bettendorf and nearby towns like Pleasant Valley, Riverdale, and LeClaire. Four of its six elementary schools (Pleasant View, Riverdale Heights, Hopewell, and Forest Grove) are in Bettendorf. Pleasant Valley High School and the main office are in Riverdale. Junior high students go to Pleasant Valley Junior High School. The district has about 3,454 students in total.

Both Bettendorf High School and Pleasant Valley High School compete in sports as part of the Mississippi Athletic Conference.

Private Schools in Bettendorf

Bettendorf also has several private schools:

• Rivermont Collegiate: This is a school for students from preschool to 12th grade. It's not connected to a religion and prepares students for college. It's located in the former mansion of J.W. Bettendorf, who the city is named after.
• Lourdes Catholic School: This is a Roman Catholic school for preschool through 8th grade.
• Morning Star Academy: This is a Christian school for preschool through 12th grade.

Colleges and Universities

Scott Community College is part of the Eastern Iowa Community College District. It's located in Riverdale but is often thought of as being in Bettendorf. There are also two private colleges:

• Upper Iowa University: This university has a campus in Bettendorf.
• Brown Mackie College: This college also has a campus in Bettendorf.

Other Educational Programs

The Bettendorf, Pleasant Valley, and North Scott school districts work together to run Edison Academy. This is an alternative high school in downtown Bettendorf. The Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency also has a Learning Center in Bettendorf. It offers training for teachers and services for students, like driver education.

Sports in Bettendorf

• Mississippi Athletic Conference: This conference organizes high school sports for schools in the area, including Bettendorf.

Notable People from Bettendorf

Many interesting people have come from Bettendorf, including:

• Pat Angerer: A professional linebacker in American football.
• Tavian Banks: A former NFL player and college football star.
• Scott Beck: A filmmaker who wrote and produced the movie A Quiet Place.
• Joseph W. Bettendorf: A businessman who helped found the Bettendorf Axle Company and is one of the city's namesakes.
• William P. Bettendorf: An inventor and industrialist, also a namesake of the city.
• Jack Fleck: A professional golfer who won the 1955 U.S. Open.
• Bernard Goldstein: A businessman who started the first modern riverboat casinos in the U.S.
• Butch Harmon: A PGA Tour golfer and famous golf coach.
• Eduvie Ikoba: A professional soccer player.
• Hazel Keener: An actress.
• Mark Kerr: A Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter.
• Robbie Lawler: A former Ultimate Fighting Championship Welterweight champion.
• Johnny Lujack: A famous college football player who won the 1947 Heisman Trophy.
• Pat Miletich: A mixed martial artist and trainer, and the first UFC Welterweight Champion.
• Eric Christian Olsen: An actor known for shows like NCIS: Los Angeles.
• Linnea Quigley: An actress.
• Tim Sylvia: A former Ultimate Fighting Championship Heavyweight champion.
• Bryan Woods: A filmmaker who wrote and produced the movie A Quiet Place.
• Yung Skeeter: An American DJ, producer, and director.

Images for kids

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  Top: Quad Cities Waterfront Convention Center, Bettendorf House, Middle: I-74 Bridge, Bottom: The Abbey Center, The Family Museum.

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  Location in the State of Iowa

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  The population of Bettendorf, Iowa from US census data

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  Pleasant Valley High School is in nearby Riverdale and serves Bettendorf.

See also

In Spanish: Bettendorf (Iowa) para niños