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[Narrator] Tucked quietly along the river, just east of downtown, lies a community that time never forgot. A place where vintage storefronts and 19th century architecture thrive with modern amenities. Founded in 1851, the village of East Davenport began as an independent settlement for the logging industry and those employed in the trade. With its strategic riverside location, the village became home to sawmills, iron foundries and riverboat landings and bustled with the ambition of a growing frontier town.

[Julie Keehn] It was one of the easiest places to get off of the river. So, it became a lumberyard, a stone quarry, a blacksmith shop. This building itself was called house flower and seed. So, we had a lot of industrial like type places here. One of the unique things about this area is none of the exteriors of the buildings have been changed much.

[Narrator] As you stroll along the village streets, you'll find the architecture itself tells a story.

Many of the buildings date back to the 1850s through the 1880s, and were constructed in Queen Anne and Italianate styles, suggesting both prosperity and productivity.

[Keehn] In the beginning, it was very unique in that both the owners of the businesses, the industrialists who lived here, had great big mansions throughout the area. But you also found little tiny houses where the people lived. So, it's a unique mix of big, beautiful places and tiny little cottages.

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[Narrator] Perched just uphill sits Lindsay Park, a green expanse with a legacy all its own. Once a Civil War training ground known as Camp McClellan, this stretch of nature is revived today with art fairs and music festivals and offers a peaceful spot from which to take in the view of the river beneath towering old oaks.

[Keehn] Lindsay Park was one of the first park areas to be more than just a tiny little square block area. It's a good-sized park and the view up there to see the river is just gorgeous. One of the things I like to do every morning is walk up to Lindsay Park and overlook the river and just get that sense of calm.

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[Keehn] Almost everything in this area faces the river, so we have worked very hard to not allow high rise buildings. We want you to be able to see the river and enjoy the beauty that is there.

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[Narrator] Today, the village has evolved, but its heart remains unchanged. The same storefronts that once housed blacksmiths and general stores now brim with boutiques, art studios, and wineries.

[Keehn] Many of the buildings are on the historical registry. In 1974, we created a village business association, which still exists today, and it is here to help preserve some of that history and yet find ways to incorporate new retail businesses and restaurants and bars into the area. We consider it our own little piece of history, I guess. And the fact that you can come down here and spend the day and shop and eat and dine and enjoy a drink, maybe some wine tasting, you know, it's just a very pleasant way to spend the day, walk through Lindsay Park. It's a good place to just spend the afternoon and go right on through the evening.

[Narrator] The village of East Davenport is more than a neighborhood of historic buildings. It's a community of living legacy. A place where the echoes of the past meet the energy of today. A village shaped by time, preserved by passion, and celebrated by all who walk its charming streets.

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