Quad City Times
The Iowa State Democrat published its first edition on October 15 of that year, with E.T. The newspaper underwent many changes through its early history, and by 1899, its circulation was 1,300 daily and 2,500 weekly.
The newspaper eventually became known as the Davenport Democrat & Leader.
The Blue Ribbon News began publication in 1878; by 1886, it was known as the Davenport Daily Times. The newspaper, which struggled for many years, was sold in 1899 to A.W.
Lee (founder of Lee Enterprises) for $120,000.
Both newspapers continued to grow in circulation, before combining operations in 1964. By 1974, with circulation expanding throughout eastern Iowa and western Illinois, the newspaper was given its current name.
In December 1989, the Quad-City Times moved into its current building at 500 E.
The facility, completed at a cost of $23.8 million, includes a five-story press room, mail room, warehouse and editorial offices. Electronic pagination began in 1988, with all-digital photography taking root by 1994.
Current Quad-City Times columnists include Don Doxsie, Alma Gaul, Barb Ickes, Steve Martens, John Willard and Bill Wundram.
Julie Bechtel is the publisher of the Quad-City Times.
Other editions
The Quad-City Times maintains a bureau in Clinton, Iowa, and publishes a "Gateway Edition," which is circulated throughout Clinton and Jackson counties in Iowa, and Carroll and Whiteside counties in Illinois during the week.
The newspaper receives Iowa political news from Lee Enterprises' Des Moines bureau, and Illinois political news from its Springfield bureau.
During the 1980s and 1990s, the Times published a separate Illinois edition that circulated in the Illinois Quad Cities, but that has since been discontinued.
Other publications
In addition to its other editions, the Quad-City Times also publishes:
Quad-City Business Journal, a monthly business magazine with stories about Quad-City area businesses.
On the River, a journal dedicated to life on the Mississippi River.
Sources
"Scott County Heritage," Scott County Heritage Book Committee, Taylor Publishing, Dallas, 1991.
"Quad-City Times: Doing Business Then and Now," Quad-City Times 150th anniversary section, Sept.