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Vander Veer Park, Davenport, Iowa. It was the Scott County Fairgrounds and its early history deserves a listing.

On March 5, 1885, the city of Davenport purchased for $13.000 a little over 33 acres of the old Scott County Fairgrounds for use as a city park. Olaf Benson, a Chicago landscape engineer, designed a naturalistic concept in the style of New York City's famous greenspace, so Davenport's newest recreational area was also named Central Park. By 1910, heated greenhouses were built to house flowers and plants year round. A conservator with a Victorian Palm house was erected. A Grand Alle, graced with flower beds and trees extended to the Main Street entrance fountain. Waterfowl and animals--including a baby monkey--were introduced to the park, to the delight of visitors. A program of regular summer concerts drew large crowds.

In 1912, the Park was renamed Vander Veer Botanical Park in honor of A.W. Vander Veer, who was the first secretary of the Davenport Park Board of Commissioners, serving in the position from April of 1890 until his death in August of 1911.