Rock Island Arsenal
American military presence on this island dates to 1816, when Fort Armstrong was established, and continues to the present. During the Civil War a prisoner of war camp housed thousands of Confederates, many of whom are buried in a cemetery on the Island. During the war the decision was made to create a major arsenal here. Remaining today are the numerous signature buildings of that era, including a large storehouse started in 1863 which is now known as the Clock Tower and houses the Rock Island District of the U. S. Corps of Engineers. Soon thereafter a new bridge was built and construction started on ten magnificent stone manufacturing buildings that line Rodman Avenue, the central road the island.
General Thomas J. Rodman planned and supervised the construction of these facilities, along with Quarters One (the commanding officers residence which today is the second largest federally-owned residence). He died in 1871 before completion of most of the project. The arsenal employed more than 13,000 people during World War I and more than 18,000 during World War II.
 |
To the left is a view of some of the large stone arsenal buildings constructed between 1866 and 1893. The ten Greek Revival buildings are made from limestone and each is U-shaped with open courtyards that favor natural lighting. The footprint of each of these massive buildings is 210 by 300 feet, and the eight of them with three stories each have over three acres of floor space. All of these buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places. |
 |
This private club on Rock Island established one of the first golf courses in the area, dating back over 100 years. |
|
Return to the Map. |