Visitor Information
Direct your questions to Visit Quad Cities (563.322.3911).
- NOTE: See the Quad Cities overview for more information on tourism centers, festivals, and getting around the region.
History
Riverdale is barely two square miles of real estate that is surrounded by Bettendorf on three sides and by the Mississippi River on the other. A relative newcomer to the local incorporation scene, Riverdale came into being in the late 1940s after the Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa but now called Arconic), completed its mile-long aluminum rolling mill along the riverfront, keeping alive a Quad Cities tradition of massive industrial sites next to the river. In 1948 the growing subdivisions attracted the attention of Bettendorf officials, who tried to annex the area. Residents objected, however, and in 1950 they filed a petition to incorporate as a separate town. The Iowa Supreme Court ended a three-year legal battle by ruling in favor of Riverdale.
**Want to know more about other Mississippi River communities? Check out Road Tripping Along the Great River Road, Vol. 1. Click the link above for more. Disclosure: This website may be compensated for linking to other sites or for sales of products we link to.
Where to Go Next
Heading upriver? Check out Pleasant Valley.
Heading downriver? Check out Bettendorf.
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©Dean Klinkenberg, 2024, 2021, 2018,2013,2011