Scott

Formed December 21, 1837 (20^th county)

Scott County (174,669), Davenport (101,728)                

The Modern masonry and glass courthouse was constructed in 1955 at 4^th and Scott streets.  United States Highway 61 Business is one block to the east of the site.  The facility was remodeled in 1973 and enlarged in 2007.  Dougher, Rich & Woodburn are the building designers.  There was a classic 1886 courthouse in Davenport, the only county seat.  The county was created on December 21, 1837 from Native American Territory as the 20^th county.  The county is named for General Winfield Scott of Mexican War fame.  The county seat is named for settler George Davenport. 

Scott County government consists of a sheriff and 5 Supervisors.  Seventeen District Court Judges and Fifteen Magistrates serve Scott, Cedar, Clinton, Jackson, and Muscatine counties.  Scott County is on the eastern border with Illinois.  The Mississippi River forms its eastern border.  Cedar Rapids, Iowa is northwest of the county.  The county center is 10 miles North-Northwest of Davenport nearer Eldridge.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Clinton County and Illinois and Muscatine and Cedar counties. 

The county has an area of 458 square miles.  It is 77 of 99 in the state.  It ranks 3 out of 99 in population in the state.  It has a density of 381.4 persons per square mile making it 2 out of 99 in the state.  Scott County has 91.6% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 74 originates in the county and goes south into Illinois.  Interstate Highway 80 travels east to west from Illinois to Cedar County.  United States Highway 6 enters joined with Interstate Highway 80, splits then rejoins it, and exits west into Cedar County.  United States Highway 61 comes from Clinton County, north, and goes into Muscatine County, southwest.  United States Highway 67 goes north to south from Clinton County to Illinois.  The county is shaped like a hatchet facing south.  Davenport dominates the southern border on the Mississippi River.  Davenport is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 58.2% of the county population.  This county is in the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island Metropolitan Statistical Area.