Bettendorf, Iowa

Bettendorf is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Bettendorf is the fifteenth largest city in the U.S. state of Iowa and the fourth largest in the "Quad Cities". As of the 2010 United States Census the population grew to 33,217. Bettendorf is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring Davenport and the Illinois cities of Moline, East Moline and Rock Island. The Quad Cities has a population of 379,690.

History
Bettendorf lies in the original Wisconsin Territory, which the United States bought from the Sac and Fox Indians after defeating them in the Black Hawk War. The territory was ceded in the Black Hawk Purchase of 1832. The first European-American settlers established a village which they called Lillienthal, after an early tavern and dance hall. The village of Gilbert developed alongside Lillienthal in 1858, honoring Elias Gilbert, who platted the original site. At that time, the residents were predominantly German immigrants and worked as farmers, skilled laborers, and small business owners. The two villages eventually combined to become the town of Gilbert.

Circa 1900, the town gave William and Joseph Bettendorf 70 acre of riverfront land on the condition that they move their iron wagon business from Davenport to Gilbert. In 1903, the town of 440 citizens petitioned for incorporation, requesting to change the town's name to honor the brothers whose factory was a major economic influence in the early development of the city.

In the late 1940s, Aluminum Company of America (A.L.C.O.A.) chose Riverdale, a site adjacent to Bettendorf, for construction of the world's largest aluminum mill. The huge mill, and the attendant developments from it, created thousands of jobs and greatly increased growth in Bettendorf's population, which has continued to the present day.

The first modern-day riverboat casinos in the United States were launched in Bettendorf on April 1, 1991 by local businessman Bernard Goldstein. He went on to found the Isle of Capri Casinos. Goldstein and his family members also operate Alter Companies, which is a scrap metal, barge and towboat company operating on the river waterfront. The Quad Cities Waterfront Convention Center opened by the casino and hotel in 2009. It is owned by the city and operated by the Isle of Capri.

Geography
Bettendorf is located at 41.55°N, -90.49361°W (41.550044, -90.493679).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 22.4 square miles (57.9 km²), of which 21.2 square miles (55.0 km²) are land and 1.1 square miles (3.0 km²) (5.10%) are water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 31,275 people, 12,474 households, and 8,719 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,472.8 people per square mile (568.5/km²). There were 13,044 housing units at an average density of 614.3 per square mile (237.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.01% White, 1.58% African American, 0.21% Native American, 1.42% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.68% from other races, and 1.08% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.47% of the population.

There were 12,474 households out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.5% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.1% were non-families. 26.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.2% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 26.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 94.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $54,217, and the median income for a family was $66,620. Males had a median income of $48,524 versus $28,564 for females. The per capita income for the city was $28,053. About 3.3% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.3% of those under age 18 and 4.9% of those age 65 or over.

Top Employers
According to the City's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Government
Bettendorf has a mayor and city council form of government with seven city council members. Two council members are elected at-large, while the other five are elected by each of the city's five wards.

Bettendorf School District
The Bettendorf School District covers most areas of central, northern and western Bettendorf. Elementary students are assigned to one of six elementary schools: named in honor of Neil Armstrong, Herbert Hoover, Thomas Jefferson, Paul Norton, Mark Twain and Grant Wood. The district also has a middle and high school. The Neil Armstrong School, most recently built, is the only one in the district to operate on a "balanced calendar" of year-round, full-time use. A seven-member board of education represents district residents; they meet on the first and third Monday of each month at the Ray Stensvad Administration Center.

Pleasant Valley School District
The Pleasant Valley School District encompasses areas of eastern Bettendorf, as well as the outlying communities of Pleasant Valley, Riverdale and LeClaire. Located inside the city limits are two of the district's four elementary schools (Pleasant View and Riverdale Heights), Pleasant Valley High School and the administrative center; a third elementary school is set to open in 2011. Junior high students are bussed to Pleasant Valley Junior High School, on the outskirts of LeClaire, while LeClaire elementary students go to either Cody or Bridgeview Elementary Schools. Board members are elected from seven director districts, five within Bettendorf's city limits and two others serving LeClaire-area residents. The high school has 1,132 students, the junior high 501 students, and the four combined elementary schools 1,821 students. The total district has 3,454 students.

Both high schools are part of the Mississippi Athletic Conference for sports.

Private schools
Also located within the city limits are Rivermont Collegiate, a nonsectarian, independent, multicultural, college-preparatory school for preschool through 12th-grade students; and Morning Star Academy, a Christian school for preschool through 12th-grade students. Rivermont Collegiate operates in the former mansion of J.W. Bettendorf, the founder of the city.

Post-secondary Education
Scott Community College, part of the Eastern Iowa Community College District, is located in Bettendorf.

Sports

 *  See also 


 * Mississippi Athletic Conference for high school sports.

Notable people

 * Chris Anthony, arena football player relationship to Bettendorf
 * Pat Angerer, linebacker, drafted in the 2010 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts
 * Tavian Banks, (1974–xxxx) NFL Football player, Big Ten Conference player of the year, first-team All-American
 * Jack Fleck, (1921–xxxx) Professional golfer who won the 1955 U.S. Open.
 * Michael Grumley, (1942–1988) writer relationship to Bettendorf
 * Mark Kerr, (1968–xxxx) Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter and subject of the HBO documentary entitled The Smashing Machine, relationship to Bettendorf
 * Robbie Lawler, (1982–xxxx) MMA fighter relationship to Bettendorf
 * Johnny Lujack, (1926–xxxx) 1947 Heisman Trophy winner, member of the College Football Hall of Fame, and was an analyst for NFL on CBS relationship to Bettendorf
 * Rory Markham, MMA fighter relationship to Bettendorf
 * Drew McFedries, MMA fighter relationship to Bettendorf
 * Pat Miletich, MMA fighter and trainer, the first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight Champion in 1998 relationship to Bettendorf
 * David Nelson, (1993–xxxx) software developer who developed the Muziic media player system
 * Eric Christian Olsen, (1977–xxxxx) actor, Dumb and Dumberer 2
 * Robert Smallwood, writer relationship to Bettendorf
 * Tim Sylvia, (1976–xxxx) former Ultimate Fighting Championship Heavyweight champion relationship to Bettendorf