Vander Veer Park Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Vander Veer Park Historic District
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Vander Veer Park fountain is a Civil Works Administration project.
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | Roughly bounded by Temple Lane, W. Central Park Ave., Brady, High, and Harrison Sts., Davenport, Iowa |
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| Area | 70.8 acres (28.7 ha) |
| Architect | Multiple |
| Architectural style | Late 19th And Early 20th Century American Movements, Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals, Late Victorian |
| MPS | Davenport MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 85000784 |
| Added to NRHP | April 9, 1985 |
The Vander Veer Park Historic District is a special area in Davenport, Iowa. It's known for its history and beautiful buildings. This district is so important that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's officially recognized for its historical value.
The district covers about 70.8 acres. In 1985, it included many important parts. There were 66 historic buildings, two structures, one site, and one object. All of these things help tell the story of the area.
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Exploring the Vander Veer Park Area
This historic district is made up of houses that surround Vander Veer Park. The neighborhood is located about 22 blocks north of the Mississippi River. It sits at the top of the hills, where major streets like Harrison, Main, and Brady begin. These streets come from the city's main business area.
The park itself has clear boundaries. Central Park Avenue is to the north, Brady Street to the east, Lombard Street to the south, and Harrison Street to the west. Most of the houses here were built between 1895 and 1915. They often feature popular styles like Queen Anne and Tudor Revival.
Two important landmarks anchor the neighborhood to the south. These are St. Paul Lutheran Church and the Outing Club. The main attraction of the whole district is Vander Veer Park. It's a large, trapezoid-shaped park covering about 33 acres. The area is very pretty, though the busy traffic on Brady and Harrison Streets can be a bit noisy.
A Look Back: The History of the Park and Neighborhood
How Vander Veer Park Began
In 1885, the city of Davenport bought the land that used to be the Scott County Fairgrounds. This was a big step in city planning. It showed how much the city wanted to improve its public spaces in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Five years after the land was bought, it was named Central Park. This name was inspired by the famous Central Park in New York City. Like its namesake, Davenport's Central Park had a natural look. It featured a glasshouse, colorful flower gardens, a large pond, and a picnic area. There was also a charming bridge.
Central Park was the first major park created by Davenport. The same year it opened, the city started the Board of Parks Commissioners. This board helped buy more land for parks. They created other residential parks similar to Central Park. These included Lookout Park (later called Riverview Terrace) and Prospect Park. Both were added to the city's park system in 1894. Fejervary Park was bought in 1902.
Other big projects helped make the city more beautiful. These included improving the riverfront. This led to the creation of LeClaire Park. It also included the W.D. Petersen Memorial Music Pavilion, Dillon Fountain, and Union Station. These projects happened between 1911 and 1931.
In 1911, Central Park was renamed Vander Veer Park. This was to honor an early park commissioner. In the 1930s, workers from the Civil Works Administration made some changes to the park. They removed the entrances at the corners of Brady and Lombard Streets, and Harrison and Lombard Streets. The old street lights and iron fountain were replaced. New, modern lights and an electric stone-and-concrete fountain were installed.
The Neighborhood Around the Park
When Central Park was created, it made the land around it very popular. This also made the land more expensive for building homes. On the east side of Brady Street, new areas called Central Park and Central Park Second were planned in 1891 and 1896.
Later, after 1900, more areas were planned. These included the Outing Club and Temple Lane additions on the south side of the park. Also, two Norwood Park additions were planned on the west side of Harrison Street.
Davenport's streetcar system became electric and grew into new neighborhoods in 1888. The Brady Street line went from Second Street to Central Park. This helped the area grow, as well as neighborhoods further east. This streetcar route started as a horse-drawn line in 1870. It was one of Davenport's first streetcar paths. It connected the main business area with the county fairgrounds. By the late 1800s, it became a route for people commuting to work.
Because the neighborhood was quite wealthy, many houses were designed by famous local architects. Three of these architects even lived near the park! Rudolph Clausen, from the firm Clausen & Burrows, lived in a Tudor-style house at 2330 Harrison Street. His firm also designed the H.G. Pape House at 2326 Harrison.
Edward S. Hammatt, who designed many buildings for the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa, designed his own house at 2313 Brady Street. Gustav Hanssen's house was at 124 Rusholme Street. He also designed two Neoclassical-style houses at 2317 and 2319 Brady Street. Hanssen worked with Dietrich Harfst. They designed the C.E. Hanssen House at 2322 Harrison Street in the American Craftsman style. Another house linked to Hanssen and Harfst is the Henry Heubotter House at 2116 Main Street. It's a large version of the American foursquare style.
Even though they didn't live in the neighborhood, the architects Temple and Burrows designed the Georgian Revival E.C. Mueller House at 2136 Brady Street.
