The Col Ballroom: Davenport's Century of Sound

The Col Ballroom was long one of the Quad Cities' premier music halls, and it grew out of the Coliseum, rebuilt after a fire destroyed an earlier structure. The building's brick and steel arched-roof design has barely changed since.

Over more than a century the Col is said to have hosted a long run of famous blues, rock, and rhythm-and-blues acts. It began as a German cultural hall hosting the annual Saengerfest music festival before evolving into a rock and rhythm-and-blues landmark. The venue has been honored for its place in Iowa music history. The Col has since closed as an active venue.