Rock Island, Illinois

Rock Island is a city in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States, and its county seat. The population was 37,108 at the 2020 census. Located at the confluence of the Rock and Mississippi rivers, it is one of the Quad Cities along with neighboring Moline and East Moline in Illinois and the cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa. The Quad Cities metropolitan area had a population of 384,324 in 2020.

The city is home to Rock Island Arsenal, the largest government-owned weapons manufacturing arsenal in the United States, which employs 6,000 people. The original Rock Island, from which the city name is derived, is now called Arsenal Island.

History

The original portion of what is now known as Rock Island was called Farnhamsburg – after the original two homes were built by Colonel George Davenport and Russell Farnham in 1826. Davenport and Farnham were business partners, trading with the local Native Americans. The original city plat was filed on July 10, 1835, and was named Stephenson. It was renamed Rock Island in March 1841.

The southern portion of Rock Island, including today's Watch Hill area, was originally known as Searstown. It was named after David B. Sears, who built the Sears Power Dam on the Rock River. Searstown was annexed by Rock Island in 1915. This area has been a fortuitous place first for settlement and then for steamboat traffic, bridges, and railroads.

The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad (RI) was founded here in 1851, known informally as the Rock Island Line; over the next century, the railroad grew to serve fourteen states but ended in bankruptcy in 1980. As part of later nineteenth-century development, two first-class hotels: the Harper House (built by Ben Harper and opened in February 1871) and the Rock Island House were built in town. The Rock Island Arsenal has manufactured military equipment and ordnance for the U.S. Army since the 1880s.

The Rock Island Southern Railway was an interurban line that ran from Rock Island to Monmouth, Illinois, then onward to Galesburg, Illinois. It was built between 1906 and 1910. A portion of the trackage, from Rock Island to Preemption, Illinois, was shared with the CRI&P line that served the coal mines in Cable, Illinois, and Sherrard, Illinois. The line finally folded in 1952.

Construction began in April 2017 for a new Rock Island County courthouse. The $28 million project was completed in the fall of 2018, and the old courthouse was expected to be torn down upon completion of the new building. However, resident opposition delayed the demolition, with the phrase "Save Our Courthouse" being used by opponents to the demolition. The old courthouse was demolished in April 2023.

Geography

According to the 2010 census, Rock Island has a total area of , of which (or 94.28%) is land and (5.72%) is water.

Climate

Demographics

2010 Census

In 2000 Census, there were 39,684 people, 16,148 households, and 9,543 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 17,542 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 77.13% White, 17.17% African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.75% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 2.41% from other races, and 2.19% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.90% of the population.

There were 16,148 households, out of which 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.2% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.9% were non-families. 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.97.

The city's population was spread out, with 23.0% under the age of 18, 13.1% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,729, and the median income for a family was $45,127. Males had a median income of $32,815 versus $23,378 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,202. About 10.9% of families and 14.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.5% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over.

Ethnic communities

Per the 2022 American Community Survey five-year estimates, the Burmese American population was 902 comprising 50% of the Asian population (estimated at 1,835).

Economy

According to the city's 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the largest employers in the city are:

Rock Island Arsenal, a National Historic Landmark, is a U.S. Army facility established in 1862 with a long history of military and industrial importance. It continues to play a crucial role in the nation's defense infrastructure.

Arts and culture

The Hauberg Civic Center is located within the Hauberg Estate and is a space for community events and civic engagement. Bally's Quad Cities Casino & Hotel is located along the Mississippi River and is among the largest casinos in Illinois.

The Black Hawk State Historic Site, situated along the Rock River, is a key location in the history of Native American tribes in the region. It preserves the site of a 19th-century settlement and offers educational programs related to the area's indigenous and colonial history. The Broadway Historic District is a designated neighborhood that features a collection of well-preserved late 19th- and early 20th-century buildings, showcasing the city's architectural heritage. Chippiannock Cemetery, established in 1854, is one of the oldest cemeteries in the area and serves as the final resting place for several prominent figures in Rock Island's history.

Longview Park Conservatory and Gardens is a botanical garden located within Longview Park that houses a wide variety of plant species, offering educational programs and a tranquil setting for visitors. Similarly, the Quad City Botanical Center is an indoor-outdoor facility dedicated to horticultural education and exhibits, promoting awareness of regional plant species and gardening techniques.

The Rock Island Public Library was established in 1872.

Rock Island is the site of the Quad City Hindu Temple, a Hindu shrine dedicated chiefly to the deity ''Venkateswara''. The temple opened in 2007. Prior to its construction, Hindu worshippers had to travel to St. Louis or Peoria to participate in Hindu festivals and worship.

Cultural organizations

* Ballet Quad Cities
* Genesius Guild
* The Quad City Symphony Orchestra plays part of its Masterworks Series' concerts at Centennial Hall on the Augustana College campus.
* Quad City Arts

Sports

The first football game in what was to become the National Football League was played at Rock Island's Douglas Field in September 1920. It was hosted by the Rock Island Independents (1907–1926), who were a charter NFL franchise in 1920.

The Rock Island Islanders were a minor league baseball team that played for 37 seasons between 1901 and 1948. The Islanders played at Douglas Park and were affiliates of the Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia A's.

Karters flock to Rock Island every year for the prestigious "Rock Island Grand Prix" on Labor Day weekend, which attracts competitors from across the United States and the world. With exception to 1997, when the annual race was canceled due to legal liability issues, the Rock Island Grand Prix has been held every year since 1994.

Education

The majority of the city is served by the Rock Island–Milan School District 41,
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Small portions of Rock Island are in the Rockridge Community Unit School District 300.

Augustana College is a private liberal arts institution, founded in 1860, that serves as a major educational center for the region. The city is also home to Bible Missionary Institute.

Media

Rock Island is the location of television station WHBF-TV. Until 1963, WHBF was one of only two television stations in the Quad Cities area. (The other is WOC-TV on the Iowa side of the river.) Rock Island was also the longtime former home of WHBF-TV's former sister radio stations, WHBF and WHBF-FM, although it does remain the licensed city of those stations.

National Public Radio member station WVIK is licensed to and located in Rock Island on the campus of Augustana College, and WGVV-LP, which is also licensed to the city of Rock Island.

Rock Island is the home base for NOAA Weather Radio WXJ-73, the Quad Cities' area NWR station, programmed by the National Weather Service in Davenport.

Transportation

Quad Cities MetroLINK provides bus service on numerous routes connecting Rock Island to destinations across the Quad Cities. District Station in downtown Rock Island serves as a hub of the system.

Bridges

The first railroad bridge across the Mississippi River was built between Arsenal Island and Davenport in 1856. Many steamboat pilots felt that the bridge had been intentionally positioned to make it hard for them to navigate, and this conflict reflected a larger rivalry: St. Louis and its steamboats against Chicago and its railroads. Tweet, Roald D. The Quad Cities: An American mosaic. East Hall Press. 1996. Two weeks after the bridge opened, the steamboat ''Effie Afton'' collided with the bridge, caught fire, and damaged the bridge. The owner of the ''Effie Afton'' sued the bridge company for damages, and the case, '' Hurd v. Rock Island Bridge Co.,'' featured Abraham Lincoln as one of the lawyers who defended the railroad at trial in September 1857. This test case was appealed to the United States Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of the railroad in 1862. Although the original bridge is long gone, having been replaced in 1866 with a heavier bridge, a monument exists on Arsenal Island marking the Illinois side. On the Iowa side, the bridge was located near where 4th and Federal streets intersect with River Drive.

The Lock and Dam No. 15 and the Government Bridge are located just southwest of the site of the first bridge. The Government Bridge, completed in 1896, is notable for having two sets of railroad tracks above the car lanes. There are only two bridges in the world with this feature. Three other bridges span the river between Rock Island and Davenport. The Crescent Rail Bridge is a railroad-only bridge, completed in 1899. The Centennial Bridge was completed in 1940 for autos only. The newest bridge is the Interstate 280 bridge, completed in 1973. Lock and Dam No. 15, completed in 1934 as a federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) project during the Great Depression, is the largest roller dam in the world. The dam is designed for navigation, not flood control. During flood season, the rollers are raised, unleashing the full flow of the water.

On the south side of the city, overlooked by the Black Hawk State Historic Site, are auto and railroad crossings of the Rock River to Milan, Illinois. This set of bridges also crosses the historic Hennepin Canal and Sears Dam (this was named after the entrepreneur David B. Sears, who previously built the Sears Dam between Arsenal Island and Moline.) In 2007 a new bridge was completed between 3rd Street Moline/southeast Rock Island and Milan. It expedites the trip to Milan, the airport, and points south on U.S. Route 67.

Notable people

* David Ackles, singer-songwriter, pianist, and child actor
* Eddie Albert, Oscar-nominated actor and activist
* Black Hawk, leader and warrior of the Sauk American Indian tribe
* Ken Bowman, Ken Duncan and Herm Schneidman, players for NFL's Green Bay Packers
* John Buford, Civil war general
* George Davenport, American frontiersman, U.S. Army soldier, and Indian agent
* Steve Decker, catcher with various teams
* Frederick Denkmann, lumber mogul and partner of Friedrich Weyerhäuser
* Pony Diehl, Wild West outlaw
* Booker Edgerson, Buffalo Bills
* Lane Evans, former United States Congressman (Illinois 17th District); born in Rock Island
* Russell Farnham, one of the first settlers of the area, and a partner of George Davenport
* Therese Fowler, author of "Z" and other books.
* Virginia Frederick, Illinois state representative
* Alan Garber, President of Harvard University
* Daniel G. Garnsey, former U.S. Congressman
* Aaron H. Grout, Vermont Secretary of State
* June Haver, screen and radio actress
* Chase Hilgenbrinck, former professional soccer player
* Roger Imhof, actor and performer
* Jesse Johnson, guitarist for group "The Time"
* Mark Johnson, Olympic wrestler
* Charles Keller, former U.S. Army Brigadier GeneralHistorical Vignette 079 – The Oldest U.S. Army Officer to Serve in World War II Was an Engineer
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* Madison Keys, professional tennis player
* Lou Kolls, MLB umpire
* Kari Lake, election denier, and political candidate in Arizona
* Helen Mack, screen and stage actress
* Jerry Mansfield, NFL player
* Elisabeth Maurus (aka Lissie), folk-rock singer and songwriter
* Sherman McMaster, Wild West outlaw and lawman
* Tim Moore, stage, screen and television actor
* Don Nelson, forward and head coach with several NBA teams
* Greg Norton, former bassist of the hardcore punk band Hüsker Dü
* Gary Payton, astronaut
* Chasson Randle, basketball player at Stanford
* Paul E. Rink, Illinois judge and politician
* Harry Sage, catcher with the Toledo Maumees
* Bobby Schilling, U.S. Congressman from Illinois's 17th congressional district
* Dred Scott, American slave who sued for his freedom
* J. Clinton Searle, Illinois state representative and lawyer
* Michael H. Sexton, Minor League Baseball executive
* Tom Sexton, shortstop with 19th century's Milwaukee Brewers
* Thomas P. Sinnett, Illinois politician and lawyer
* Charles A. Spring, Presbyterian leader and son of Samuel Spring
* Henry Strasak, FBI and CIA officer
* Lefty Taber, pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies
* Hiram Truesdale, lawyer and jurist
* Jonathan Tweet, game designer and author
* Samuel Rinnah Van Sant, Civil War soldier, Governor of Minnesota
* Henry Cantwell Wallace, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture 1921–24
* Friedrich Weyerhäuser, lumber mogul
* Bill Zies, catcher with the St. Louis Cardinals
* Lester Ziffren, journalist and Hollywood screenwriter

In popular culture

* '' Rock Island Trail'' (1950), starring Forrest Tucker, was a Republic Studios production related to the building of the Rock Island Railroad across the Mississippi River.
* Rock Island is mentioned several times in Jack Kerouac's book ''On the Road''. Sal (Jack Kerouac) says that it was in Rock Island "for the first time in my life that I saw my beloved Mississippi River dry in the summer haze."
* The Blues Brothers are from Rock Island.

See also

* Mayor of Rock Island, Illinois
* List of crossings of the Upper Mississippi River
* List of tallest buildings in the Quad Cities

References

Footnotes

General references

* Spencer, J. W. and Burrows, J. M. D., ''The Early Day of Rock Island and Davenport'' The Lakeside Press, 1942
* Tweet, Roald D., ''The Quad Cities: An America mosaic", East Hall Press, 1996
* Wickstrom, George W., ''The Town Crier'' J. W. Potter Company, 1948

External links

City website
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Cities in Illinois
Cities in Rock Island County, Illinois
Illinois populated places on the Mississippi River
County seats in Illinois
Cities in the Quad Cities
Populated places established in 1835
1835 establishments in Illinois