PROFILE OF ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS

Distance to Regional Cities
Des Moines, IA	160 miles
Chicago, IL	160 miles
Indianapolis, IN	303 miles
Minneapolis, MN	328 miles
Kansas City, MO	365 miles
St. Louis, MO 232	232 miles
Milwaukee, WI	201 miles
Located in the heart of the Midwest along the Mississippi River, the Quad Cities is within a day's drive of several major metropolitan areas such as Chicago, St. Louis, Des Moines and Minneapolis. In addition, the area is a stop along I-80, one of the nation's major cross-country interstates. The area is also served by I-88, I-74, several major state highways and the Quad City International Airport in Moline, Illinois.
ROCK ISLAND SCHOOLS

Rock Island’s greatest asset is its residents. With a population of about 40,000, Rock Island has a rich, diverse population of many different ethnic backgrounds. Rock Island is truly a city for people of all races, backgrounds, and talents.

The citizens of Rock Island are doers. If there is a problem, a citizen or civic group is likely to be working to find solutions. Residents of Rock Island get involved in their community. More than 300 volunteers serve on city boards, commissions, task forces and committees that deal with everything from beautification to community pride.

Near the bustling downtown, some of the residential neighborhoods, which continue to undergo extensive renovations, include grand homes dating to the 1850’s. These elegant structures were mostly custom-built for and by the community’s wealthiest citizens; smaller houses were also built and sold to local citizens, almost in the same manner as modern-day tract or production housing developments. Even the simplest homes, though, were built of the era’s finest quality materials: virgin American lumber, stained glass, solid brass fixtures, and gas and electric lighting fixtures of etched glass. Most importantly, homes were constructed with expert craftsmanship and attention to detail from the foundation to the rooftop. Most of the neighborhoods that surround downtown are remarkably intact. Over the past ten years, much has been done to remove veneers of siding to reveal wonderful details and restore the quality of place that makes these neighborhoods the best historic neighborhoods in the Quad Cities.

WHAT TO DO: There’s plenty to see and do along the banks of the mighty Mississippi in Rock Island. The City has undergone a renaissance in recent years with extensive restoration and renovation of homes and businesses. In Rock Island the built and natural environment are undergoing continuous improvement to enhance the community’s quality of life.

The District has a comfortable, pedestrian-friendly plaza surrounded by historic architecture and a casual ambiance. Downtown, you can enjoy a Broadway musical, mystery, comedy, or children’s play at Circa 21 Dinner Theatre, now in its 24th year of professional production. Visit the Quad City ArtsCenter, home to the area’s visual arts. Stroll through the Quad City Botanical Center, one of the largest in the Midwest. Take part in the gaming excitement of Jumer’s Casino Rock Island. Enjoy live music at downtown establishments. Shop for gifts, clothing, music, books, furniture, and much more. Sit back with a good book and sip fresh-roasted java at one of the cozy coffeehouses. Dance the night away in jazz, rock and dance clubs. Attend a live comedy performance at one of two comedy clubs in The District. Dine at one of the dozen or so restaurants offering a world of tempting cuisine. Whatever your tastes, simple or eclectic, you’re bound to find an afternoon or evening of fun in downtown Rock Island. Make it a weekend and stay over at the charming Victorian Inn, Potter House, Top-o-the-Morning bed and breakfasts or at the Four Points Hotel by Sheraton in downtown.

Besides the numerous entertainment options in downtown, Rock Island has a number of venues for family enjoyment. The Quad City Symphony, founded in 1915 and one of the oldest symphony orchestras in the country, performs its Sunday Series at Centennial Hall on the campus of Augustana College. The Augustana Centennial Art Gallery features both permanent and visiting collections of fine art. The Genisius Guild presents classical drama each summer in an open-air theatre in Lincoln Park, sponsored by the Rock Island Parks and Recreation Department.

The Backwater Gamblers Water Ski Show performs free from May through September at its home site on the Rock River and Sunset Park. From May through August, the Rock Island Parks and Recreation Department sponsors musical performances in Lincoln and Longview Parks.

FESTIVALS & EVENTS: The Downtown Rock Island Arts & Entertainment District, better known as The District, hosts many festivals throughout the year. The summer kicks off in May with Hornucopia, a music festival featuring all kinds of music with horns, and the Quad Cities Criterium bicycle and in-line skating races on Memorial Day. June brings Gumbo Ya Ya-Mardi Gras in The District, featuring Cajun and zydeco music, New Orleans style food, street performers, Barkus dog parade, and crawfish eating contest. Also in June is Ride the River, a bicycle tour of the paths along the Mississippi. Summerfest in July provides carnival rides, food for all tastes and live regional bands. August features Ya Maka My Weekend, with reggae music, Caribbean wares and fares, Jamaican food, children’s village, pirate costume contest and sand volleyball tournament.

During Labor Day weekend, America’s largest go-kart street race, the Rock Island Grand Prix, provides fast-paced professional go-kart races, a charity race with local celebrities, food booths, and family activities. The event is culminated with an exciting Labor Day Parade.

In September, Rock Island’s historic Chippiannock cemetery at 2901 12 St, sponsors Epitaphs Brought to Life, a historic walking tour through the cemetery where actors portray interesting and well known people buried in the cemetery. Erin Feis, an Irish fold festival with food, games and music, is also in September.

Laser lights streak the sky during Halloween with Fright Nights. As you can see, there is always something going on in downtown Rock Island. For more information, call The District (309) 788-6311 or visit the web site at www.ridistrict.com.

The Star of Bethlehem program at Augustana College Planetarium, held each holiday season, describes what the fabled Wise Men may have seen in the heavens 2,000 years ago as they journeyed to the birthplace of Christ. The nation’s only bi-state St. Patrick’s Day parade begins in Rock Island and crosses the Mississippi into Davenport, Iowa and features dozens of bands, floats and costumed Irish families.

Tour more than 30 art galleries in downtown Rock Island with Gallery Hop, offered four times a year. Chat with artists and experience the creation of art first hand with this wonderful and unique event.

Many of our local businesses, such as the Quad City Botanical Center, the QC Expo Center and downtown businesses, host special events ranging from outdoor concerts on the Great River Plaza, Bald Eagle Days, Harvest Festival, and organized garden and home tours, just to name a few.

DINING: Dining opportunities are endless in Rock Island. A number of distinctive restaurants are located right in Rock Island, offering residents and visitors a variety of dining experiences, both formal and informal, within minutes of their homes.

At the heart of downtown is The District, with a two block walking plaza featuring many local and chain restaurants. Brew pubs that brew their own beer and cafes that roast their own fresh coffee and feature more than 150 specialty beers also offer unique and delicious daily specials. Luxuriate in gourmet French dining with some of the best food and service you’ll find in the area. Delight yourself with mouth-watering homemade pizza. Experience ethnic food at a number of downtown restaurants. These and many other dining experiences in The District will ensure that no matter what you’re hungry for, that craving will be satisfied.

Great dining is available all over Rock Island. Whether on the banks of the Rock River or scattered throughout Rock Island’s neighborhoods, good food and relaxed dining is only minutes away regardless of where you live. Thanks to its focus on neighborhoods, shopping is convenient in Rock Island. A variety of dry cleaners, banks, grocery stores, pharmacies, flower shops, and restaurants are located within five minutes of every resident in Rock Island. Rock Island also features specialized shopping. Unique gift shops, gourmet food stores, clothing and jewelry boutiques, art galleries, book and music stores, bike shops, and many others can be found in Rock Island.

HOUSING Rock Island offers urban, suburban and rural housing alternatives in a variety of price ranges to fit any family’s budget. Whether its downtown lofts or spacious wooded acres, Rock Island has housing to attract anyone. One of Rock Island’s biggest assets are its neighborhoods. More than any other city in the area, Rock Island neighborhoods have created a warm, welcoming place for people to call home.

Broadway: This grand Victorian neighborhood is the premier historic area in Rock Island, where old houses are regarded as treasures. Great architecture, constant restorations, and a first-rate neighborhood association has made this area the place to be in the Quad Cities for old home lovers. More than 550 homes make up the Broadway collection, which features Queen Anne, Italianate and Colonial Revival architecture. The earliest homes are from 1865, but most of the area was built between 1890 and 1915, including the 1904 Robert Wagner House, which is a must-see at 904 23rd Street, and the towered Parker-Connor House at 702 20th Street. The Broadway neighborhood is listed on the National Register, hosts an outstanding Mother’s Day Tour of Homes each year, features 21 Rock Island Landmarks, and is nationally famous for founding the "Great Unveiling" program, where artificial siding is removed from historic homes.
For more information, contact the Broadway Historic District Association, P.O. Box 5362, Rock Island, IL 61201.

Highland Park: Rock Island’s wealthiest citizens made their homes in Highland Park between 1895 and 1928, which was a rural area when the first houses were constructed. All of the architectural revivals, many of which were professionally designed, are present in this exclusive neighborhood in their highest form, including Colonial, Georgian, Dutch, Tudor, and Spanish. The brick streets add a special ambience to this locally designated historic district. Be sure to drive by gangster John Looney’s impressive stone mansion at 1635 20th Street.
Tour brochures for most neighborhoods are available from the Rock Island Preservation Commission, City of Rock Island, 1528 Third Avenue, Rock Island, IL 61201 or by calling (309) 732-2900.

Watch Hill/Hill Crest: Watch Hill addresses today are among the most prestigious in Rock Island. The older part of Watch Hill, historically known as Hill Crest, was extremely isolated and exclusive in 1918 when the area was platted. The rolling hillsides, curving streets, and copious shade trees make this quiet residential neighborhood a fitting complement to Black Hawk State Park, which borders the neighborhood. Expensive and elaborate homes were built in Watch Hill from the 1920s to the 1950s. Fourteenth Street contains some of the most outstanding residences in the City. This is an enjoyable car or bike ride for architecture and nature enthusiasts.

Wildwood/Foxwood: Wildwood is one of the premier upper-end neighborhoods in the Illinois Quad Cities. Hundreds of newer homes are nestled in rolling, wooded lots where deer can often be found wandering the neighborhood. New neighborhoods in southwest Rock Island, like Foxwood, offer suburban and rural lifestyles within a ten minute drive of downtown Rock Island.

A great inventory of starter homes in the Denkmann and Douglas Park neighborhoods highlight an affordable housing market – the Quad Cities is cited as one of the 25 most affordable housing markets of the 173 surveyed in the United States.

• Rock Island is located in the southwest "corner" of the Quad Cities area in western Illinois on the Mississippi River, 165 miles west of Chicago and midway between Minneapolis and St. Louis. The city provides easy access to other major Midwestern towns.
  
• Rock Island is home to 39,684 residents, according to the 2000 Census.
• Males represent 47.2% of the population and females are 52.8% of the population.
• Rock Island is known for its strong historic neighborhoods , and its exciting new neighborhoods.
• Median resident age in Rock Island is 36.4 years.
• Median household income in Rock Island is $34,729.
• Median Rock Island house value is $70,600.
• 74.3% of Rock Island residents are White Non-Hispanic.
• 17.2% of Rock Island residents are Black – African American.
• 5.9% of Rock Island Residents are Hispanic.
• Of the population 25 years and over in Rock Island:

• Rock Island is surrounded by two great rivers, the Mississippi and the Rock Rivers. These rivers support many leisure activities in the area and have beautiful scenic views.
• Rock Island’s Park and Recreation Department operates 26 sites having over 878 acres of green space. This provides a wide variety of activities and programs for people of all age groups, including league activities, fitness and aerobic programs, aquatic programs, senior activities, and recreational classes.
• Rock Island is home to Augustana College, the Quad City Graduate Center, and is within 40 miles of the following 4-year institutions of higher education: Knox College, Mount Saint Clare College and Saint Ambrose University.