Editing Rock Island, Illinois

{{short description|City in Illinois, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Rock Island, Illinois
| settlement_type    = [[List of municipalities in Illinois|City]]
| image_skyline      = {{multiple image
| perrow         = 1/2/2
| border         = infobox
| total_width    = 280
| image1 = Second Avenue - Rock Island, Illinois.jpg
| caption1 = [[Downtown Rock Island Historic District|Downtown Rock Island]]
| image2 = Quarters 1 (Rock Island).jpg
| caption2 = [[Rock Island Arsenal]]
| image3 = Black hawk statue.jpg
| caption3 = [[Black Hawk State Historic Site|Black Hawk Site]]
| image4 = Mississippi River Lock 15 019 (969031250).jpg
| caption4 = [[Lock and Dam No. 15]]
| image5 = Rockiscentbridge.jpg
| caption5 = [[Rock Island Centennial Bridge|Centennial Bridge]]
}}
| image_flag         = Flag of Rock Island, Illinois.png
| image_seal         = Seal of Rock Island, Illinois.png
| image_blank_emblem = Logo of Rock Island, Illinois.png
| blank_emblem_type  = Logo
| motto              = Rock Solid, Rock Island
| image_map          = File:Island County Illinois Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Rock Island Highlighted.svg
| map_caption        = Location of Rock Island in Rock Island County, Illinois.
| pushpin_map        = Illinois#USA
| pushpin_label      = Rock Island
| pushpin_relief     = yes
| coordinates        = {{coord|41|29|21|N|90|34|23|W|region:US-IL_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = [[United States]]
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Illinois|County]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Illinois]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Rock Island County, Illinois|Rock Island]]
| established_title  = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
| established_date   = 1841
| leader_title       = [[List of mayors of Rock Island, Illinois|Mayor]]
| leader_name        = Mike Thoms
| area_magnitude     =
| area_total_sq_mi   = 17.07
| area_land_sq_mi    = 16.87
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.20
| elevation_m        =
| elevation_ft       =
| population_total   = 37108
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_density_km2 = 849.23
| population_density_sq_mi = 2199.51
| population_metro   = 384,324 ([[Table of United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas|US: 147th]])
| population_blank1_title = [[Combined statistical area|CSA]]
| population_blank1  = 474,019 ([[Table of United States Combined Statistical Areas|US: 90th]])
| website            = http://www.rigov.org/ http://www.rocksolidrockisland.com/
| timezone           = [[Central Time Zone|CST]]
| utc_offset         = −6
| timezone_DST       = [[Central Time Zone|CDT]]
| utc_offset_DST     = −5
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP Code]]s
| postal_code        = 61201, 61204, 61207, 61264, 61299
| blank3_name        = [[List of auxiliary Interstate Highways|Interstate Spur]]s
| blank3_info        = [[Interstate 280 (Iowa–Illinois)|I-280]]
| blank4_name        = Public transit
| blank4_info        =
| pop_est_as_of      =
| pop_est_footnotes  =
| population_est     =
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 17-65078
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_17.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=March 15, 2022}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 44.22
| area_land_km2      = 43.70
| area_water_km2     = 0.53
| area_code          = [[Area code 309|309]]
| population_footnotes =
}}

'''Rock Island''' is a city in [[Rock Island County, Illinois]], United States, and its [[county seat]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web |url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150503072804/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 3, 2015  }}</ref> The population was 37,108 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rock Island city, Illinois|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US1765078|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=February 23, 2021}}</ref> Located at the confluence of the [[Rock River (Mississippi River tributary)|Rock]] and [[Mississippi River|Mississippi]] rivers, it is one of the [[Quad Cities]] along with neighboring [[Moline, Illinois|Moline]] and [[East Moline, Illinois|East Moline]] in Illinois and the cities of [[Davenport, Iowa|Davenport]] and [[Bettendorf, Iowa|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 US, which employs 6,000 people.<ref name=Arsenal>{{cite web|url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/rock-island.htm|title=Rock Island Arsenal|access-date=October 13, 2008|publisher=GlobalSecurity.org|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014193020/http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/rock-island.htm|archive-date=October 14, 2008}}</ref> The original Rock Island, from which the city name is derived, is now called [[Rock Island Arsenal|Arsenal Island]].<ref>[http://www.mvr.usace.army.mil/rockislandhistory/intro.htm] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090114083221/http://www.mvr.usace.army.mil/rockislandhistory/intro.htm|date=January 14, 2009}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:New Harper, Rock Island, IL.jpg|thumb|The Harper House]]

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 in the United States|Native Americans]]. The original city plat was filed on July 10, 1835, and was named Stephenson. It was renamed Rock Island in March 1841.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rigov.org/99/Rock-Island-History|title=Rock Island History - Rock Island, IL - Official Website|website=www.rigov.org|access-date=May 2, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180502170719/http://www.rigov.org/99/Rock-Island-History|archive-date=May 2, 2018}}</ref>

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 (Mississippi River tributary)|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.<ref>{{cite book |last = Drury |first = George H. |title = The Historical Guide to North American Railroads: Histories, Figures, and Features of more than 160 Railroads Abandoned or Merged since 1930 |publisher = [[Kalmbach Publishing]] |year = 1994 |location = [[Waukesha, Wisconsin]] |pages = 87–93 |isbn = 0-89024-072-8}}</ref> As part of later nineteenth-century development, two first-class hotels: the [[Harper House (Rock Island, Illinois)|Harper House]] (built by [[Ben Harper (politician)|Ben Harper]] and opened in February 1871) and the Rock Island House were built in town.<ref>Diane Oestreich: [http://www.rockislandpreservation.org/postcards-from-home/harper-house-hotel/ "Harper House Hotel. 2nd Avenue & 19th Street"], ''Rock Island Presrvation Society'', February 2013.</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://wqad.com/2017/03/22/first-look-at-new-courthouse-in-rock-island-county-construction-expected-to-start-next-month/|title=Construction on new Rock Island County courthouse to begin in April|date=March 22, 2017|website=WQAD.com|access-date=March 23, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170323030943/http://wqad.com/2017/03/22/first-look-at-new-courthouse-in-rock-island-county-construction-expected-to-start-next-month/|archive-date=March 23, 2017}}</ref> 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==
Rock Island is located at {{Coord|41|29|21|N|90|34|23|W|type:city}} (41.489083, -90.573154).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

According to the 2010 census, Rock Island has a total area of {{convert|17.872|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|16.85|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 94.28%) is land and {{convert|1.022|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (5.72%) is water.<ref name="census-g001">{{cite web  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1765078  |title=G001 - Geographic Identifiers - 2010 Census Summary File 1  |access-date=December 27, 2015  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213065322/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1765078  |archive-date=February 13, 2020  |url-status=dead  }}</ref>

===Climate===
{|
|-
|{{climate chart
|  Rock Island
| 16| 27| 2
| 16| 30| 3.4
| 27| 46| 2
| 43| 61| 5.8
| 55| 73| 7.2
| 64| 81| 5.9
| 68| 86| 1.8
| 66| 84| 3.2
| 59| 75| 3.7
| 45| 64| 3.9
| 36| 52| 1.9
| 19| 28| 2
|float=left
|clear=left
|units=Imperial
|source = <ref name = "nasa">{{Cite web |url= http://neo.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/dataset_index.php|title= NASA Earth Observations Data Set Index|access-date = January 30, 2016 |publisher= NASA}}</ref>
}}
|}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1850= 1711
|1860= 5130
|1870= 7890
|1880= 11659
|1890= 13634
|1900= 19493
|1910= 24335
|1920= 35177
|1930= 37953
|1940= 42775
|1950= 48710
|1960= 51863
|1970= 50166
|1980= 46821
|1990= 40552
|2000= 39684
|2010= 39018
|2020= 37108
|estyear=2022
|estimate=36256
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2022">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html|date=May 1, 2023|title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=May 1, 2023}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades|publisher=[[US Census Bureau]]|access-date=}}</ref><br> 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2/> 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2/>
}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Rock Island, Illinois – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Rock Island, Illinois |url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=1600000US1765078&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Rock Island, Illinois|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=1600000US1765078&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|access-date=January 19, 2022|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Rock Island, Illinois|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=1600000US1765078&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=January 19, 2022|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|29,485
|26,464
|style='background: #ffffe6; |21,910
|74.30%
|67.83%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |59.04%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|6,741
|6,987
|style='background: #ffffe6; |7,135
|16.99%
|17.91%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |19.23%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|87
|84
|style='background: #ffffe6; |63
|0.22%
|0.22%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.17%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|290
|680
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,603
|0.73%
|1.74%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4.32%
|-
|[[Native Hawaiian]] or [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|17
|8
|style='background: #ffffe6; |12
|0.04%
|0.02%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.03%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|53
|66
|style='background: #ffffe6; |160
|0.13%
|0.17%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.43%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|670
|1,065
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,928
|1.69%
|2.73%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |5.20%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|2,341
|3,664
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4,297
|5.90%
|9.39%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |11.58%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''39,684'''
|'''39,018'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''37,108'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

===2010 Census===
In 2000 [[Census]], there were 39,684 people, 16,148 households, and 9,543 families residing in the city.<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website  }}</ref> The population density was {{convert|2,492.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 17,542 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1,101.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 77.13% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 17.17% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.28% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.75% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.07% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 2.41% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2.19% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|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).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT5Y2022.B02018?q=B02018&g=160XX00US1765078|title=B02018 Total Asian Alone or in Any Combination Population – Rock Island, Illinois – 2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates|date=July 1, 2022|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]] |access-date=November 17, 2024}}</ref>

==Economy==
According to the city's 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rigov.org/DocumentCenter/View/13510/2017-Annual-Financial-Reports-123117?bidId= |title=City of Rock Island, Illinois; Comprehensive Financial Report; Year Ended December 31, 2017 |publisher=rigov.org |access-date=March 10, 2019}}</ref> the largest employers in the city are:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! #
! Employer
! # of Employees
|-
|1
|[[Rock Island Arsenal]]
|6,301
|-
|2
|[[UnityPoint Health|Trinity Rock Island]]
|1,848
|-
|3
|[[Rock Island–Milan School District 41]]
|1,292
|-
|4
|[[Rock Island County, Illinois|Rock Island County]]
|733
|-
|5
|[[Jumer's Casino & Hotel]]
|550
|-
|6
|[[Augustana College (Illinois)|Augustana College]]
|550
|-
|7
|Pfg Tpc Roma Foods
|530
|-
|8
|City of Rock Island
|436
|-
|9
|[[Modern Woodmen of America]]
|435
|-
|10
|[[Honeywell#Safety and Productivity Solutions|Honeywell Safety Products]]
|400
|}

[[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.<ref name=Arsenal />

==Arts and culture==
{{See also|Quad Cities Landmarks}}
[[File:Centennial Bridge from Riverfront Park - panoramio.jpg|thumb|Schwiebert Riverfront Park]]
[[File:Ft Armstrong Theatre 1.jpg|thumb|[[Fort Armstrong Theatre]]]]

The [[Denkmann-Hauberg House|Hauberg Civic Center]] is located within the Hauberg Estate and is a space for community events and civic engagement.<ref name=ri>{{cite web|url=http://www.rigov.org/978/Denkmann-Hauberg-House-Susanne-Denkmann |title=Denkmann-Hauberg House (Susanne [Denkmann] & John Hauberg) |publisher=City of Rock Island |access-date=March 7, 2025}}</ref> [[Bally's Quad Cities]] Casino & Hotel is located along the Mississippi River and is among the largest casinos in Illinois.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.enjoyillinois.com/thingstodo/region.aspx?area=grc# |access-date=June 13, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120509122814/http://www.enjoyillinois.com/thingstodo/region.aspx?area=grc |title= Great Rivers Country |archive-date=May 9, 2012}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Black Hawk |url=https://dnrhistoric.illinois.gov/experience/sites/site.black-hawk.html |publisher=Illinois Historic Preservation Division |access-date=March 7, 2025}}</ref> The [[Broadway Historic District (Rock Island, Illinois)|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.<ref>{{NRISref|2009a}}</ref> [[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.<ref>{{cite news|author=Alma Gaul |title=Chippiannock also is 'registered'; Riverside is candidate |work=[[Quad-City Times]] |location=[[Davenport, Iowa]] |date=June 14, 2015 |url=https://qctimes.com/chippiannock-also-is-registered-riverside-is-candidate/article_6c2e3a89-4048-5d84-bfaa-67fd99900077.html |accessdate=March 7, 2025}}</ref>

[[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.<ref>Roland Tweet, Miss Gale's Books: The Beginnings of the Rock Island Public Library, (Rock Island, IL: Rock Island Public Library, 1997), 5.</ref>

Rock Island is the site of the Quad City Hindu Temple, a [[Hinduism|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, Illinois|Peoria]] to participate in Hindu festivals and worship.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.illinoistimes.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid:6464 |title=Keeping the faith |website=www.illinoistimes.com |access-date=February 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130126113745/http://www.illinoistimes.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid:6464 |archive-date=January 26, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>[https://archive.today/20120915062747/http://www.therockislandnews.com/articles/2007/10/13/news/doc470fe7049232f906139896.txt Joni Conrad,  "The Quad-City Hindu Temple provides a place to share religious, cultural and culinary experiences"], ''Rock Island News'', no byline, accessed December 24, 2008</ref>

===Cultural organizations===
* [[Ballet Quad Cities]]
* Genesius Guild<ref>[http://www.genesius.org/ Genesius Guild]</ref>
* The [[Quad City Symphony Orchestra]] plays part of its Masterworks Series' concerts at Centennial Hall on the Augustana College campus.
* Quad City Arts<ref>[http://www.quadcityarts.com Quad City Arts]</ref>

==Sports==
{{Main|Quad Cities sports teams}}
The first football game in what was to become the [[National Football League]] was played at Rock Island's [[Douglas Park (Rock Island)|Douglas Field]] in September 1920. It was hosted by the [[Rock Island Independents]] (1907–1926), who were a charter NFL franchise in 1920.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nfl.com/history/chronology/1911-1920 |title=NFL History by Decade |website=Nfl.com |date=July 21, 2015 |access-date=February 4, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080115043331/http://www.nfl.com/history/chronology/1911-1920 |archive-date=January 15, 2008 }}</ref>

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]].

[[Kart racing|Karters]] flock to Rock Island every year for the prestigious [http://rockislandgrandprix.com/ Rock Island Grand Prix] on [[Labor Day|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==
{{See also|Quad Cities Colleges and Universities}}
[[File:Old Main Augustana.jpg|thumb|[[Augustana College (Illinois)|Augustana College]]]]

The majority of the city is served by the [[Rock Island–Milan School District 41]], which operates 13 public schools, including [[Rock Island High School]]. Portions of the southwest area fall under the Rockridge School District, including [[Rockridge High School]]. Several private schools also serve Rock Island, including Jordan Catholic Elementary School and [[Alleman High School (Rock Island, Illinois)|Alleman Catholic High School]].

[[Augustana College (Illinois)|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==
{{Main|Media in the Quad Cities}}
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 [[KWQC-TV|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, [[WKBF (AM)|WHBF]] and [[WLKU|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 (Illinois)|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==
[[File:Rock Island System Map.png|thumb|The [[Rock Island Line]] shipped goods from west of the Mississippi to Chicago. This map shows the railroad's extent in 1965.]]

[[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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metroqc.com/164/Metro-Monday-Friday-Schedules|title=Metro Monday-Friday Schedules|access-date=January 28, 2024}}</ref>

===Bridges===
{{more citations needed section|date=November 2020}}
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.<ref name = "Tweet">[[Roald Tweet|Tweet, Roald D.]] The Quad Cities: An American mosaic. East Hall Press. 1996.</ref> Two weeks after the bridge opened, the steamboat ''Effie Afton'' collided with the bridge, caught fire, and damaged the bridge.<ref name = "Tweet"/> 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.<ref name = "Tweet"/><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Riney |first=Larry A. |date=2009 |title=Review: "Hell Gate of the Mississippi: The Effie Afton Trial and Abraham Lincoln's Role in It." |url=https://pubs.lib.uiowa.edu/annals-of-iowa/article/id/6050/ |journal=Annals of Iowa |volume=68 |issue=3 |pages=312–314 |doi=10.17077/0003-4827.1361}}</ref> This test case was appealed to the [[Supreme Court of the United States|United States Supreme Court]], which ruled in favor of the railroad in 1862.<ref name = "Tweet"/> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Griggs |first=Frank, Jr. |date=October 2022 |title=Rock Island Bridge 1856 |url=https://www.structuremag.org/?p=21676 |archive-date= |access-date=July 31, 2024 |website=Structure Magazine}}</ref> 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 [[Rock Island Centennial Bridge|Centennial Bridge]] was completed in 1940 for autos only. The newest bridge is the [[I-280 Bridge|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 (Illinois)|Rock River]] to [[Milan, Illinois]]. This set of bridges also crosses the historic [[Hennepin Canal]] and Sears Dam<ref>{{cite web|title=Rock Island hydroelectric plant keeps powering up|url=http://qctimes.com/news/local/rock-island-hydroelectric-plant-keeps-powering-up/article_62689730-a42e-11df-ad45-001cc4c03286.html|website=qctimes.com|publisher=Quad City Times|access-date=June 9, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180502170718/http://qctimes.com/news/local/rock-island-hydroelectric-plant-keeps-powering-up/article_62689730-a42e-11df-ad45-001cc4c03286.html|archive-date=May 2, 2018}}</ref> (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,{{which|date=November 2021}} and points south on [[U.S. Route 67]].

==Notable people==
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· Only people who already have a Wikipedia article may appear here. This establishes notability.
· The article must mention how they are associated with Rock Island, whether born, raised, or residing.
· The fact of their association should have a reliable source cited.
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· All others will be deleted.
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{{div col}}
* [[David Ackles]], singer-songwriter, pianist, and child actor
* [[Eddie Albert]], Oscar-nominated actor and activist, known for television series, ''[[Green Acres]]'' and ''[[Switch (American TV series)|Switch]]'', and films
* [[Black Hawk (Sauk leader)|Black Hawk]], leader and warrior of the [[Sauk people|Sauk American Indian]] tribe
* [[Ken Bowman]], [[Ken Duncan (American football)|Ken Duncan]] and [[Herm Schneidman]], players for NFL's [[Green Bay Packers]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sportsmedia101.com/greenbaypackers/2012/06/25/green-bay-packers-find-players-and-wins-in-rock-island-illinois/ |title=Green Bay Packers Find Players and Wins in Rock Island Illinois &#124; Packers 101 |publisher=Sports Media 101 |access-date=February 4, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160118161758/http://www.sportsmedia101.com/greenbaypackers/2012/06/25/green-bay-packers-find-players-and-wins-in-rock-island-illinois/ |archive-date=January 18, 2016 }}</ref>
* [[John Buford]], Civil war general
* [[George Davenport]], American frontiersman, trader, U.S. Army soldier, and Indian agent
* [[Steve Decker]], catcher with the [[San Francisco Giants]], [[Florida Marlins]], [[Colorado Rockies]] and [[Anaheim Angels]]
* [[Frederick Denkmann]], lumber mogul and partner of [[Friedrich Weyerhäuser]]
* [[Pony Diehl]], Wild West outlaw
* [[Booker Edgerson]], [[Buffalo Bills]]<ref>{{cite web |author=Chris Minor |url=http://wqad.com/2014/08/07/former-pro-football-player-walks-down-memory-lane/ |title=Former pro football player says Rock Island will always be home |publisher=WQAD.com |date=August 7, 2014 |access-date=February 3, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207192629/http://wqad.com/2014/08/07/former-pro-football-player-walks-down-memory-lane/ |archive-date=February 7, 2016 }}</ref>
* [[Lane Evans]], former United States Congressman (Illinois 17th District); born in Rock Island<ref>{{cite web|url= http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=E000250|title= EVANS, Lane Allen, (1951 - )|publisher= Biographical Directory of the United States Congress|access-date= October 19, 2012|url-status= live|archive-url= http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20121019104835/http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=E000250|archive-date= October 19, 2012}}</ref>
* [[Russell Farnham]], one of the first settlers of the area, and a partner of [[George Davenport]]
* [[Therese Fowler]], author of "Z" and other books. Born and graduated high school in Rock Island
* [[Virginia Frederick]], Illinois state representative<ref>'Illinois Blue Book 1993-1994,' Biographical Sketch of Virginia Feister Frederick, pg. 95</ref>
* [[Alan Garber]] - Provost and acting President of [[Harvard University]]
* [[Daniel G. Garnsey]], former U.S. Congressman
* [[Aaron H. Grout]], son of [[Governor of Vermont|Governor]] [[Josiah Grout]] and [[Vermont Secretary of State]]
* [[June Haver]], screen and radio actress; wife of actor [[Fred MacMurray]]
* [[Chase Hilgenbrinck]], former professional soccer player with the [[New England Revolution]]
* [[Roger Imhof]], actor and performer in motion pictures, vaudeville, burlesque and the circus
* [[Jesse Johnson (musician)|Jesse Johnson]], musician, guitarist for group "The Time", as well as solo artist
* [[Mark Johnson (wrestler)|Mark Johnson]], Olympic [[Greco-Roman wrestling|wrestler]] and winningest wrestling coach at the University of Illinois
* [[Charles Keller (military)|Charles Keller]], former U.S. Army Brigadier General and the oldest Army officer to serve on active duty during World War II. Served as district engineer for the area.<ref name="Kellerbio2">[https://www.usace.army.mil/About/History/Historical-Vignettes/Military-Construction-Combat/079-Oldest-Officer/ Historical Vignette 079 – The Oldest U.S. Army Officer to Serve in World War II Was an Engineer]</ref><ref name="Kellerbio4">[https://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/charles-keller.htm Charles Keller – Brigadier General, United States Army]</ref>
* [[Madison Keys]], professional tennis player who won the 2025 Australian Open
* [[Lou Kolls]], MLB umpire
* [[Kari Lake]], news reporter, election denier, and political candidate in [[Arizona]]
* [[Helen Mack]], screen and stage actress; born in Rock Island
* [[Jerry Mansfield]], NFL player
* [[Elisabeth Maurus]] (aka [[Lissie]]), folk-rock singer and songwriter; born in Rock Island
* [[Tim Moore (comedian)|Tim Moore]], stage, screen and television actor; first black TV star
* [[Don Nelson]], forward and head coach with several [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] teams, most all-time wins as a head coach
* [[Greg Norton]], former bassist of the hardcore punk band [[Hüsker Dü]]
* [[Gary Payton (astronaut)|Gary Payton]], astronaut
* [[Chasson Randle]], basketball player and all-time leading scorer at [[Stanford Cardinal men's basketball|Stanford]]
* [[Paul E. Rink]], Illinois judge, lawyer, and politician<ref>'Illinois Blue Book 167-168,' Biographical Sketch of Paul E. Rink, pg. 278-279</ref>
* [[Harry Sage]], catcher with the [[Toledo Maumees]]
* [[Bobby Schilling]], [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. Congressman]] from [[Illinois's 17th congressional district]]<ref>{{cite web|url= http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=S001182|title= SCHILLING, Bobby, (1964 - )|publisher= Biographical Directory of the United States Congress|access-date= October 19, 2012|url-status= live|archive-url= http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20121019115134/http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=S001182|archive-date= October 19, 2012}}</ref>
* [[Dred Scott]], American slave who sued for his freedom
* [[J. Clinton Searle]], Illinois state representative and lawyer<ref>'Illinois Blue Book 1951-1952,' Biographical Sketch of Clinton Searle, pg. 212-213</ref>
* [[Michael H. Sexton]], Minor League Baseball executive
* [[Tom Sexton (baseball)|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]], [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] (FBI) and [[Central Intelligence Agency]] (CIA) officer
* [[Lefty Taber]], pitcher for the [[Philadelphia Phillies]]; born in Rock Island
* [[Hiram Truesdale]], lawyer and jurist
* [[Jonathan Tweet]], [[game designer]], author, blogger
* [[Samuel Rinnah Van Sant]], Civil War soldier, Governor of [[Minnesota]] 1901–05
* [[Henry Cantwell Wallace]], U.S. Secretary of Agriculture 1921–24
* [[Friedrich Weyerhäuser]], lumber mogul
* [[Bill Zies]], catcher with the [[St. Louis Cardinals (NL)|St. Louis Cardinals]]
* [[Lester Ziffren]], journalist and Hollywood screenwriter
* [[Sherman McMaster]], Wild West outlaw and lawman
{{div col end}}

==In popular culture==
* ''[[Around the World in Eighty Days]]'' ([[Jules Verne]], 1873) has [[Phileas Fogg]] crossing the Mississippi River at Rock Island.
* The song "[[Rock Island Line (song)|Rock Island Line]]" was first recorded in 1934. Its many recorded versions include ones by [[John Lomax]], [[Lonnie Donegan]], [[Johnny Cash]] and [[Bobby Darin]]. A version is sung by [[Kevin Spacey]] in his film of Darin's life, ''[[Beyond the Sea (2004 film)|Beyond the Sea]]''.
* In the 1936 [[Margaret Mitchell]] novel ''[[Gone with the Wind (novel)|Gone with the Wind]]'', [[Ashley Wilkes]] was imprisoned on [[Arsenal Island]] during the [[American Civil War|Civil War]].
*  ''[[Rock Island Trail (film)|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.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041816/ Rock Island Trail] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160119141952/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041816/ |date=January 19, 2016 }} at [[IMDb]].</ref>
* The opening 'railroad train' number in [[Meredith Willson]]'s ''[[The Music Man]]'' (1957) is titled "Rock Island", although the words "Rock Island" never appear in the song. The song takes place on a train journey from [[Brighton, Illinois]] to the (fictional) River City, Iowa, and the title suggests the journey includes the train's crossing though Rock Island.
* Rock Island is one of the markers of the outer edge of the range of Project X in [[Ayn Rand]]'s novel ''[[Atlas Shrugged]]''.
* 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."<ref>Jack Kerouac, ''On the Road'', New York: Penguin 1999, 12.</ref>
* ''Rock Island Line'' is the title of a 1975 novel by [[David Rhodes (author)|David Rhodes]].
* In the 1977 episode "Breaker, Breaker" of ''[[Good Times]]'', where [[Nathan Bookman]] hides a CB radio in the Evans' apartment, during a scene where [[Willona Woods]] gets on the CB with a man who says he's coming back into Chicago from "that Rock Island town" and wanted to know if she and [[Good Times|Millicent "Penny" Gordon Woods]] could meet up.
* [[The Blues Brothers]] are from Rock Island.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bluesbrotherscentral.com/speeches/ |title=The Speeches |publisher=Blues Brothers Central |access-date=February 4, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160119062818/http://www.bluesbrotherscentral.com/speeches/ |archive-date=January 19, 2016}}</ref>
* In the 1996 film ''[[Hard Eight (film)|Hard Eight]]'', John, played by [[John C. Reilly]], says that they are staying in Rock Island, Illinois.
* In the 2001 film ''[[America's Sweethearts]]'', Larry King takes a call from a viewer in Rock Island, Illinois.
* Part of the film ''[[Road to Perdition]]'' (2002) takes place in Rock Island. The first track of the soundtrack is entitled ''Rock Island''.  The movie was based on the [[Road to Perdition (comics)|1998 graphic novel]], which was in turn based on the life of Rock Island gangster [[John Patrick Looney|John Looney]].
* In the 2006 film ''[[Death of a President (2006 film)|Death of a President]]'', Al Claybon, the character behind the assassination of [[George W. Bush]], resided in Rock Island.
* In the 2016 film ''[[War Dogs (2016 film)|War Dogs]]'', the US military interviews main characters [[David Packouz]] and [[Efraim Diveroli]] at the Rock Island Arsenal.

==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===
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

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

==External links==
{{Commons category|Rock Island, Illinois}}
{{wikivoyage|Rock Island}}
* [http://www.rigov.org/ City website]
* {{Cite NSRW|wstitle=Rock Island, Ill.|short=x}}

{{Rock Island County, Illinois}}
{{Quad Cities}}
{{Illinois county seats}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Rock Island, Illinois| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Illinois]]
[[Category:Cities in Rock Island County, Illinois]]
[[Category:Illinois populated places on the Mississippi River]]
[[Category:County seats in Illinois]]
[[Category:Cities in the Quad Cities]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1835]]
[[Category:1835 establishments in Illinois]]