Quad Cities
Encyclopedia
The Quad Cities is a group of five cities straddling the Mississippi River
on the Iowa–Illinois boundary. These cities, Davenport
and Bettendorf
(in Iowa
) and Rock Island
, Moline
, and East Moline
(in Illinois
), are the center of the Quad Cities Metropolitan Area
, which, as of 2010, had an estimated population of 379,690.
The name "Quad Cities" for a group of five is based on the history of the community.
of the Rock and Mississippi rivers, approximately 180 miles (289.7 km) west of Chicago, and is the largest metropolitan area
along the Mississippi River between Minneapolis–Saint Paul and the St. Louis metropolitan area. Interstate 80
crosses the Mississippi River
here. The Quad Cities area is distinctive because the Mississippi River flows from east to west as it passes through the heart of the area; the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf are located due north of Rock Island and Moline, respectively.
The Quad Cities Metropolitan Area
is also considered part of the Great Lakes Megalopolis
the region had an estimated population of 54 million for the 2000 Census and is projected to reach about 65 million by 2025.
The Quad Cities Metropolitan Area
consists of four counties: Scott County
in Iowa
and Henry
, Mercer
, and Rock Island
counties in Illinois
. The Quad City metro population is 379,690.
The Quad Cities area is one where the telephone companies cooperate with regional phone calls. Iowa and Illinois have different area codes (563
and 309
respectively), yet most calls originating and terminating within the core urban area are placed without long-distance charges by dialing just a 7-digit number. This helps the bi-state area promote itself as a single community, "joined by a river."
The Quad Cities are served by the Quad City International Airport
, Illinois' third-busiest airport, is located in Moline
. The airport is marketed as a regional alternative to the larger airports in Chicago, nearly 200 miles (321.9 km) away. The smaller Davenport Municipal Airport
is the home of the Quad City Air Show.
The Illinois Department of Transportation
is working with Amtrak
to restore passenger train service to the Quad Cities. The last passenger train in the area, the Quad Cities Rocket, was operated by the Rock Island Railroad and ran between Chicago and Rock Island until December 31, 1978.
, who used the waterways and riverbanks for their settlements for thousands of years. At the time of European encounter, it was a home and principal trading place of the Sauk and Fox tribes of Native Americans. Saukenuk was the principal village of the Sauk tribe and birthplace of its 19th-century war chief
, Black Hawk
. In 1832, Sauk chief Keokuk
and General Winfield Scott
signed a treaty in Davenport after the US defeated the Sauk and their allies in the Black Hawk War
. The treaty resulted in the Native Americans' ceding 6 million acres (24,000 km²) of land to the United States in exchange for a much smaller reservation elsewhere. Black Hawk State Historic Site
in Rock Island preserves part of historic Saukenuk and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
The history of urban settlements in the Quad-Cities was stimulated by riverboat
traffic. For fourteen miles (21 km) between LeClaire, Iowa, and Rock Island, the Mississippi River flowed across a series of finger-like rock projections protruding from either bank. These rapids were difficult for steamboats to traverse. As demand for river-based transportation increased along the upper Mississippi, the navigability of the river throughout the “Rock Island Rapids” became a greater concern. Over time, a minor industry grew up in the area to meet the steamboats’ needs. Boats needed rest areas to stop before encountering the rapids, places to hire expert pilots
to guide the boat through the rocky waters, or, when the water was low, places where goods could be removed and transported by wagon on land past the Rapids. (Today, the troublesome rocks are submerged six feet underwater by a lake formed by two locks and dams.)
As the Industrial Revolution
developed in the United States, many enterprising industrialists looked to the Mississippi River as a promising source of water power. The combination of energy and easy access to river transportation attracted entrepreneurs and industrialists to the Quad Cities for development. In 1848, John Deere moved his plough business to Moline. His business was incorporated as Deere & Company
in 1868. Deere & Company is the largest employer today in the Quad Cities.
The first railroad bridge built across the Mississippi River
connected Davenport and Rock Island in 1856. It was built by the Rock Island Railroad Company
, and replaced the slow seasonal ferry service and winter ice bridges as the primary modes of transportation across the river. Steamboaters saw the nationwide railroads as a threat to their business. On May 6, 1856, just weeks after completion of the bridge, an angry steamboater crashed the Effie Afton into it. John Hurd, the owner of the Effie Afton, filed a lawsuit against The Rock Island Railroad Company. The Rock Island Railroad Company selected Abraham Lincoln
as their trial lawyer and won after he took the case to the US Supreme Court. It was a pivotal trial in Lincoln's career.
where it flows east and west. But with the growth of Rock Island County, during the 1930s the term Quad Cities came into vogue, as East Moline was given "equal status". Then, with the opening of an Alcoa
plant east of Davenport in 1948, the town of Bettendorf underwent so much growth that many people in the community discussed the adoption of the name Quint Cities. And indeed, eventually Bettendorf passed East Moline in size. But by this time, the name "Quad Cities" had become known well beyond the area, and "Quint Cities" never caught on, despite the efforts of WOC-TV (as KWQC-TV was then called) and others.
in Rock Island and Case IH
in Bettendorf. Moline-based John Deere
cut its labor headcount by one half. Later in the 1980s, Caterpillar Inc.
closed its factories at Mount Joy and Bettendorf.
Since the 1990s, the Quad Cities governments, businesses, non-profits and residents have worked hard to redevelop the region. They have achieved national attention for their accomplishments.
Examples of revitalization and rebirth:
, which presents a year-round schedule of concerts at the Adler Theatre in Davenport and Centennial Hall in Rock Island. The Handel Oratorio Society, dating to 1880, is the second-oldest organization of its kind in the nation and presents annual performances of "Messiah" along with another major work for choir and orchestra. The Augustana Choir, founded at Rock Island's Augustana College in 1934, is one of the nation's leading collegiate choruses. Nova Singers, a professional 20-voice chorus, celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2011. Major outdoor summer music festivals include the Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival and IH Mississippi Valley Blues Festival.
The Quad-Cities' three traditional community theaters – Playcrafters (founded in 1920, comedies and dramas) and Quad City Music Guild (1948, musicals) in Moline, and Genesius guild (1957, outdoor Shakespeare and Greek comedies and tragedies) in Rock Island – were joined in 1976 by Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse, a professional dinner theater in downtown Rock Island's historic Fort Theatre. In recent years the theater scene has burgeoned, adding three small professional companies in Davenport – New Ground, Harrison Hilltop and the Curtainbox – plus a resident professional ballet company, Ballet Quad Cities
. Other area community theaters included the itinerant Prenzie Players, who specialize in nontraditional productions of Shakespeare and other verse theater, the Richmond Hill Players in Geneseo, Ill., and Countryside Community Theatre in Eldridge, Iowa. St. Ambrose University in Davenport hosts the leading theater company on the collegiate scene, which also includes active programs at Augustana College, Black Hawk College in Moline and Scott Community College in Bettendorf. The city of Davenport's Junior Theatre program has been in operation since the 1950s. ComedySportz
Quad Cities recently celebrated their 21st anniversary of bringing family-friendly improv comedy to the area at their new landmark home, The Establishment Theatre (formally The Rocket Theater) in The District of Rock Island.
Bluebox Limited
is a Bettendorf-based film production company, and many outside productions companies have filmed movies in the Quad Cities in recent years. Historic buildings and sites listed on state and the National Register of Historic Places
interpret the history of people's settlement and lives in the area.
in the United States and the 99th largest TV market in the United States.
The area is served by over 13 commercial radio stations, 8 non-commercial radio stations, 3 low power FM radio stations, 8 TV
stations and 3 daily newspapers.
connection between Chicago and Iowa City
that will establish a passenger rail link in the Quad-Cities for the first time since the 1970s. The Amtrak station will be based in Moline, Illinois
, and is expected to be complete by 2015.
, which serves a variety of domestic destinations.
. Football legend Jim Thorpe
was once a member of the team.
The Tri-Cities Blackhawks, named in honor of the Sauk war chief
Black Hawk
, was the next top-level professional sports franchise. The club played in the National Basketball League
(NBL) from 1946 until its merger in 1949 with the Basketball Association of America
to became the National Basketball Association
(NBA). Hall of famer Red Auerbach
coached the Blackhawks during their first NBA season.
After the 1950–51 basketball season, the team moved to Milwaukee, where they were named the Hawks. After a second move to St. Louis
, the team is now the Atlanta Hawks
.
Professional basketball returned to the Quad Cities during the 1980s and 1990s with the Quad City Thunder of the Continental Basketball Association
. The CBA served as the NBA's premiere developmental league and produced many highly regarded NBA stars. From 1987 through the 1992–93 season, the Thunder played at Wharton Field House in Moline. Starting with the 1993–94 season, the team played at The MARK of the Quad Cities (now the i wireless Center.) After the CBA folded in 2001, the Thunder franchise ceased operations permanently.
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
on the Iowa–Illinois boundary. These cities, Davenport
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
and Bettendorf
Bettendorf, Iowa
Bettendorf is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Bettendorf is the fifteenth largest city in the U.S. state of Iowa and the fourth largest city in the "Quad Cities". As of the 2010 United States Census the population grew to 33,217. Bettendorf is one of the Quad Cities, along with...
(in Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
) and Rock Island
Rock Island, Illinois
Rock Island is the county seat of Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 40,884 at the 2010 census. Located on the Mississippi River, it is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring Moline, East Moline, and the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf. The Quad Cities...
, Moline
Moline, Illinois
Moline is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States, with a population of 45,792 in 2010. Moline is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring East Moline and Rock Island in Illinois and the cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa. The Quad Cities has a population of...
, and East Moline
East Moline, Illinois
East Moline is a city in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 20,333 at the 2000 census. East Moline is one of the five Quad Cities,, along with the cities of Rock Island, Moline, and the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf. The Quad Cities has a population of 379,690...
(in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
), are the center of the Quad Cities Metropolitan Area
Quad Cities Metropolitan Area
The Quad Cities Metropolitan Area, more formally known as the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island Metropolitan Statistical Area is the metropolitan area associated with the Quad Cities and its suburbs...
, which, as of 2010, had an estimated population of 379,690.
The name "Quad Cities" for a group of five is based on the history of the community.
Geography
The Quad Cities are located at the confluenceConfluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
of the Rock and Mississippi rivers, approximately 180 miles (289.7 km) west of Chicago, and is the largest metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
along the Mississippi River between Minneapolis–Saint Paul and the St. Louis metropolitan area. Interstate 80
Interstate 80
Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, following Interstate 90. It is a transcontinental artery running from downtown San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey in the New York City Metropolitan Area...
crosses the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
here. The Quad Cities area is distinctive because the Mississippi River flows from east to west as it passes through the heart of the area; the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf are located due north of Rock Island and Moline, respectively.
The Quad Cities Metropolitan Area
Quad Cities Metropolitan Area
The Quad Cities Metropolitan Area, more formally known as the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island Metropolitan Statistical Area is the metropolitan area associated with the Quad Cities and its suburbs...
is also considered part of the Great Lakes Megalopolis
Great Lakes Megalopolis
The Great Lakes Megalopolis consists of the group of North American metropolitan areas which surround the Great Lakes region mainly within the Midwestern United States, the Southern Ontario area of Canada, along with large parts of Pennsylvania, New York, and Quebec...
the region had an estimated population of 54 million for the 2000 Census and is projected to reach about 65 million by 2025.
The Quad Cities Metropolitan Area
Quad Cities Metropolitan Area
The Quad Cities Metropolitan Area, more formally known as the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island Metropolitan Statistical Area is the metropolitan area associated with the Quad Cities and its suburbs...
consists of four counties: Scott County
Scott County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 165,224 in the county, with a population density of . There were 71,835 housing units, of which 66,765 were occupied.-2000 census:...
in Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
and Henry
Henry County, Illinois
Henry County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 50,486, which is a decrease of 1.0% from 51,020 in 2000. Its county seat is Cambridge...
, Mercer
Mercer County, Illinois
Mercer County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 16,434, which is a decrease of 3.1% from 16,957 in 2000. Its county seat is Aledo...
, and Rock Island
Rock Island County, Illinois
Rock Island County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 147,546, which is a decrease of 1.2% from 149,374 in 2000. Its county seat is Rock Island...
counties in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. The Quad City metro population is 379,690.
The Quad Cities area is one where the telephone companies cooperate with regional phone calls. Iowa and Illinois have different area codes (563
Area code 563
Image:Area code 563.svg|300px|right|The area colored red indicates the geographical region in the state of Iowa, served by area code 563poly 441 309 416 289 398 289 400 269 416 261 416 253 409 246 391 249 392 243 409 234 416 220 384 218 384 211 379 207 385 179 381 171 371 172 363 154 347 147 342...
and 309
Area code 309
Area code 309 is a telephone area code serving the state of Illinois. This area code has been in service since 1966. It covers 21 counties, 501 ZIP codes, and 189 cities, including Bloomington, Canton, East Moline, Galesburg, Macomb, Moline, Morton, Normal, Pekin, Peoria and Rock Island, in...
respectively), yet most calls originating and terminating within the core urban area are placed without long-distance charges by dialing just a 7-digit number. This helps the bi-state area promote itself as a single community, "joined by a river."
The Quad Cities are served by the Quad City International Airport
Quad City International Airport
Quad City International Airport is a public airport located three miles south of the central business district of Moline, a city in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. It is owned by the Metropolitan Airport Authority...
, Illinois' third-busiest airport, is located in Moline
Moline, Illinois
Moline is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States, with a population of 45,792 in 2010. Moline is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring East Moline and Rock Island in Illinois and the cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa. The Quad Cities has a population of...
. The airport is marketed as a regional alternative to the larger airports in Chicago, nearly 200 miles (321.9 km) away. The smaller Davenport Municipal Airport
Davenport Municipal Airport (Iowa)
Davenport Municipal Airport is a general aviation airport located about north of downtown Davenport, a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States. The airport, which dates back from 1948, has also been home to the Quad City Air Show since 1987. The air show occurs the last weekend of June every...
is the home of the Quad City Air Show.
The Illinois Department of Transportation
Illinois Department of Transportation
The Illinois Department of Transportation is a state agency in charge of state-maintained public roadways of the U.S. state of Illinois. In addition, IDOT provides funding for rail, public transit and airport projects and administers fuel tax and federal funding to local juridictions in the...
is working with Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
to restore passenger train service to the Quad Cities. The last passenger train in the area, the Quad Cities Rocket, was operated by the Rock Island Railroad and ran between Chicago and Rock Island until December 31, 1978.
Early history
Before European settlers came to inhabit the Quad Cities, the confluence of rivers had attracted many varying cultures of indigenous peoplesIndigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
, who used the waterways and riverbanks for their settlements for thousands of years. At the time of European encounter, it was a home and principal trading place of the Sauk and Fox tribes of Native Americans. Saukenuk was the principal village of the Sauk tribe and birthplace of its 19th-century war chief
War chief
War chief can refer to* Warlord* Tribal chief during wartime, particularly among Native Americans...
, Black Hawk
Black Hawk (chief)
Black Hawk was a leader and warrior of the Sauk American Indian tribe in what is now the United States. Although he had inherited an important historic medicine bundle, he was not one of the Sauk's hereditary civil chiefs...
. In 1832, Sauk chief Keokuk
Keokuk (Sauk chief)
Keokuk was a chief of the Sauk or Sac tribe in central North America noted for his policy of cooperation with the U.S. government which led to conflict with Black Hawk, who led part of their band into the Black Hawk War...
and General Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott was a United States Army general, and unsuccessful presidential candidate of the Whig Party in 1852....
signed a treaty in Davenport after the US defeated the Sauk and their allies in the Black Hawk War
Black Hawk War
The Black Hawk War was a brief conflict fought in 1832 between the United States and Native Americans headed by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted soon after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis, and Kickapoos known as the "British Band" crossed the Mississippi River into the U.S....
. The treaty resulted in the Native Americans' ceding 6 million acres (24,000 km²) of land to the United States in exchange for a much smaller reservation elsewhere. Black Hawk State Historic Site
Black Hawk State Historic Site
The Black Hawk State Historic Site, in Rock Island, Illinois, occupies much of the historic site of the village of Saukenuk, the home of a band of Native Americans of the Sauk nation. It includes the John Hauberg Museum of Native American Life. The state park is located on a 150-foot bluff...
in Rock Island preserves part of historic Saukenuk and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
The history of urban settlements in the Quad-Cities was stimulated by riverboat
Riverboat
A riverboat is a ship built boat designed for inland navigation on lakes, rivers, and artificial waterways. They are generally equipped and outfitted as work boats in one of the carrying trades, for freight or people transport, including luxury units constructed for entertainment enterprises, such...
traffic. For fourteen miles (21 km) between LeClaire, Iowa, and Rock Island, the Mississippi River flowed across a series of finger-like rock projections protruding from either bank. These rapids were difficult for steamboats to traverse. As demand for river-based transportation increased along the upper Mississippi, the navigability of the river throughout the “Rock Island Rapids” became a greater concern. Over time, a minor industry grew up in the area to meet the steamboats’ needs. Boats needed rest areas to stop before encountering the rapids, places to hire expert pilots
Maritime pilot
A pilot is a mariner who guides ships through dangerous or congested waters, such as harbours or river mouths. With the exception of the Panama Canal, the pilot is only an advisor, as the captain remains in legal, overriding command of the vessel....
to guide the boat through the rocky waters, or, when the water was low, places where goods could be removed and transported by wagon on land past the Rapids. (Today, the troublesome rocks are submerged six feet underwater by a lake formed by two locks and dams.)
As the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
developed in the United States, many enterprising industrialists looked to the Mississippi River as a promising source of water power. The combination of energy and easy access to river transportation attracted entrepreneurs and industrialists to the Quad Cities for development. In 1848, John Deere moved his plough business to Moline. His business was incorporated as Deere & Company
Deere & Company
Deere & Company, usually known by its brand name John Deere , is an American corporation based in Moline, Illinois, and the leading manufacturer of agricultural machinery in the world. In 2010, it was listed as 107th in the Fortune 500 ranking...
in 1868. Deere & Company is the largest employer today in the Quad Cities.
The first railroad bridge built across the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
connected Davenport and Rock Island in 1856. It was built by the Rock Island Railroad Company
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad
The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was also known as the Rock Island Line, or, in its final years, The Rock.-Incorporation:...
, and replaced the slow seasonal ferry service and winter ice bridges as the primary modes of transportation across the river. Steamboaters saw the nationwide railroads as a threat to their business. On May 6, 1856, just weeks after completion of the bridge, an angry steamboater crashed the Effie Afton into it. John Hurd, the owner of the Effie Afton, filed a lawsuit against The Rock Island Railroad Company. The Rock Island Railroad Company selected Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
as their trial lawyer and won after he took the case to the US Supreme Court. It was a pivotal trial in Lincoln's career.
Evolution of an identity
After the Civil War the region began to gain a common identity. The river towns that were thoughtfully planned and competently led flourished while other settlements, usually get-rich-quick schemes for speculators, failed to pan out. By the time of World War I, the towns of Davenport, Rock Island, and Moline had begun to style themselves as the Tri-Cities, a cluster of three more-or-less equally sized river communities growing around the small bend of the Mississippi RiverMississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
where it flows east and west. But with the growth of Rock Island County, during the 1930s the term Quad Cities came into vogue, as East Moline was given "equal status". Then, with the opening of an Alcoa
Alcoa
Alcoa Inc. is the world's third largest producer of aluminum, behind Rio Tinto Alcan and Rusal. From its operational headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Alcoa conducts operations in 31 countries...
plant east of Davenport in 1948, the town of Bettendorf underwent so much growth that many people in the community discussed the adoption of the name Quint Cities. And indeed, eventually Bettendorf passed East Moline in size. But by this time, the name "Quad Cities" had become known well beyond the area, and "Quint Cities" never caught on, despite the efforts of WOC-TV (as KWQC-TV was then called) and others.
1980s–current
Beginning in the late 1970s, economic conditions caused major industrial restructuring, which disrupted the basis of the region's economy. The major companies, agricultural manufacturers, ceased or scaled back operations in the Quad Cities. Factories which closed included International HarvesterInternational Harvester
International Harvester Company was a United States agricultural machinery, construction equipment, vehicle, commercial truck, and household and commercial products manufacturer. In 1902, J.P...
in Rock Island and Case IH
Case IH
Case IH is an American mechanical company, one of the world’s largest brands of agricultural equipment. With headquarters in Racine, Wisconsin, it has a network of more than 4,000 dealers and distributors that operates in more than 160 countries...
in Bettendorf. Moline-based John Deere
Deere & Company
Deere & Company, usually known by its brand name John Deere , is an American corporation based in Moline, Illinois, and the leading manufacturer of agricultural machinery in the world. In 2010, it was listed as 107th in the Fortune 500 ranking...
cut its labor headcount by one half. Later in the 1980s, Caterpillar Inc.
Caterpillar Inc.
Caterpillar Inc. , also known as "CAT", designs, manufactures, markets and sells machinery and engines and sells financial products and insurance to customers via a worldwide dealer network. Caterpillar is the world's largest manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas...
closed its factories at Mount Joy and Bettendorf.
Since the 1990s, the Quad Cities governments, businesses, non-profits and residents have worked hard to redevelop the region. They have achieved national attention for their accomplishments.
Examples of revitalization and rebirth:
- Davenport's River Renaissance (a downtown revitalization project that includes a River Music History Center), an ag-tech venture capital campus, and the Figge Art MuseumFigge Art MuseumThe Figge Art Museum is an art museum in Davenport, Iowa. The Figge, as it is commonly known, has an encyclopedic collection and serves as the major art museum for the eastern Iowa and western Illinois region...
opened or were completed during the first decade of the 21st century. - Moline has invested in what was once a robust downtown. The "John Deere Commons" and i wireless Center (formerly "The MARK of the Quad Cities") both opened during the 1990s.
- In 2007, Davenport and Rock Island competed for and won the title of "most livable small city" from the National Council of Mayors, based upon an unfunded proposal called RiverVision.
- In 2008 Bettendorf was ranked by CNNCNNCable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
as one of the ten best places to buy a house in the United States.
Landmarks
- Antique Archeology from the show American PickersAmerican PickersAmerican Pickers is an American reality television series that premiered on January 18, 2010 on History Channel. The series began running concurrently on sister channel Lifetime in December 2010.-Summary and reception:...
is located in LeClaire. - Brady Street Stadium, a major high-school sports venue along Davenport's Brady Street (U.S. 61).
- Davenport SkybridgeDavenport SkybridgeThe Davenport Skybridge is a pedestrian cable-stayed bridge that spans River Drive in downtown Davenport, Iowa. It connects LeClaire Park and Rhythm City Casino to a courtyard and parking ramp on 2nd Street, located right next to the River Music Experience. The bridge is 50 feet tall and 575 feet...
- Figge Art MuseumFigge Art MuseumThe Figge Art Museum is an art museum in Davenport, Iowa. The Figge, as it is commonly known, has an encyclopedic collection and serves as the major art museum for the eastern Iowa and western Illinois region...
, DavenportDavenport-Places:In Australia*Electoral district of Davenport, in South AustraliaIn Canada*Davenport, Toronto, a neighbourhood and former village in Toronto*Davenport , a federal electoral district*Davenport...
, formerly the Davenport Museum of Art, designed by British architect David Chipperfield and opened in 2005. Its holdings include extensive collections of Haitian, Colonial Mexican and Midwestern art, particularly pieces by Thomas Hart Benton, Marvin Cone and Grant Wood, and personal effects from Wood's estate. - Fred Schwengel Memorial BridgeFred Schwengel Memorial BridgeThe Fred Schwengel Memorial Bridge is a 4-lane steel girder bridge that carries Interstate 80 across the Mississippi River between LeClaire, Iowa and Rapids City, Illinois. The bridge is named for Fred Schwengel, a former U.S. Representative from Davenport, Iowa and one of the driving forces behind...
, a four-lane steel-girder bridge on Interstate 80Interstate 80Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, following Interstate 90. It is a transcontinental artery running from downtown San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey in the New York City Metropolitan Area...
, crossing the Mississippi River to connect LeClaire and Rapids CityRapids City, IllinoisRapids City is a village in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 953 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Rapids City is located at ....
. Opened in 1966. - Government Bridge, a double-decked bridge adjacent to Locks and Dam 15, carrying motor and rail traffic between Arsenal Island and Davenport. The 1896 truss bridge, about 1,950 feet long, includes a 360-degree swing span over the twin locks. It connects to the Illinois side of the river via the Rock Island Viaduct.
- Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds, a fair and exposition venue in Davenport.
- Iowa 80Iowa 80Iowa 80 is the world's largest truck stop, located along Interstate 80 off exit 284 in Walcott, Iowa. Set on a plot of land -- of which are currently developed—the site receives 5,000 visitors daily, and features a main building, parking for 800 trucks, and 15 fuel pumps...
Truck Stop – The world's largest truck stop is along Interstate 80 near Walcott, IowaWalcott, IowaWalcott is a city in Muscatine and Scott counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 1,528 at the 2000 census. Walcott's interchange on Interstate 80 is home to an enormous complex of restaurants, motels and truck stops, including the Iowa 80 truck stop which is the world's largest.Most...
, west of Davenport. - i wireless Center – 11,000-seat arena in MolineMoline, IllinoisMoline is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States, with a population of 45,792 in 2010. Moline is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring East Moline and Rock Island in Illinois and the cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa. The Quad Cities has a population of...
(formerly The MARK of the Quad Cities). - Interstate 74 Bridge, formerly known as the Iowa-Illinois Memorial Bridge, connecting Bettendorf and MolineMoline, IllinoisMoline is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States, with a population of 45,792 in 2010. Moline is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring East Moline and Rock Island in Illinois and the cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa. The Quad Cities has a population of...
. The twin suspension spans across the Mississippi River were built in 1935 and 1959 and adapted to carry Interstate 74 in the early 1970s. The twinned towers are a symbol of the two-state Quad-Cities community. - John Deere Pavilion, a small museum and showcase for John DeereDeere & CompanyDeere & Company, usually known by its brand name John Deere , is an American corporation based in Moline, Illinois, and the leading manufacturer of agricultural machinery in the world. In 2010, it was listed as 107th in the Fortune 500 ranking...
equipment, built adjacent to the John Deere Commons in the 1990s in downtown Moline. - John Deere World HeadquartersJohn Deere World HeadquartersThe John Deere World Headquarters is a complex of four buildings located on 1,400 acres of land in Moline, Illinois, United States. The complex serves as corporate headquarters for John Deere.- History :...
, designed by Eero Saarinen and completed in 1963 in MolineMoline, IllinoisMoline is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States, with a population of 45,792 in 2010. Moline is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring East Moline and Rock Island in Illinois and the cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa. The Quad Cities has a population of...
. - Jumer's Casino & HotelJumer's Casino & HotelJumer's Casino & Hotel is a "Las Vegas style" casino-hotel located in Rock Island, Illinois located on the western edge of the state just of Interstate 280 , 160 miles southwest of Chicago, bordering the state of Iowa by the Mississippi River...
located in Rock IslandRock Island, IllinoisRock Island is the county seat of Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 40,884 at the 2010 census. Located on the Mississippi River, it is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring Moline, East Moline, and the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf. The Quad Cities...
. - Lock and Dam No. 15Lock and Dam No. 15Lock and Dam No. 15 is a lock and dam located on the Upper Mississippi River. It spans the river between Rock Island, Illinois and Davenport, Iowa. Lock and Dam 15 is the largest roller dam in the world, its dam is long and consists of nine non-submersible, non-overflow roller gates and two ...
, a 1,200-foot roller dam with twin locks across the Mississippi River between Arsenal Island and Davenport. The roller dam, billed as the longest of its type, maintains a pool upstream that allows river traffic to pass through the once notorious Rock Island Rapids. - Modern Woodmen Park, formerly John O'Donnell Stadium, home of the St. Louis Cardinal Class A affiliate Quad Cities River Bandits, on the Davenport riverfront. With the lights of Rock Island across the Mississippi and the Centennial Bridge looming just beyond the right-field fence, the park was named by USA Today as one of 10 great places for a baseball pilgrimage.
- Old MainOld Main, Augustana CollegeOld Main, Augustana College is an historic building located in Rock Island, Illinois, United States. It was built between 1884 and 1893 on the campus of Augustana College, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.-History:...
, completed in 1888, oldest building on the campus of Augustana CollegeAugustana CollegeAugustana College may refer to:*Augustana College *Augustana College *Augustana University College, Alberta...
. Located on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River, its iconic and newly renovated dome will be lighted as of October 2011. - Putnam Museum and IMAX TheaterPutnam Museum and IMAX TheaterThe Putnam Museum and IMAX Theatre is a museum of history and natural science in Davenport, Iowa, United States. The museum was founded in 1867, and was one of the first museums west of the Mississippi River. It houses 160,000 historical artifacts and specimens...
in Davenport - Quad City Botanical CenterQuad City Botanical CenterThe Quad City Botanical Center is a set of botanical gardens located next to the Mississippi River at 2525 4th Avenue, Rock Island, Illinois. It is open daily except major holidays; an admission fee is charged.The center opened on June 20, 1998...
in Rock Island. - Quad Cities Nuclear Generating StationQuad Cities Nuclear Generating StationQuad Cities Generating Station is a two-unit nuclear power plant located near Cordova, Illinois, USA on the Mississippi River. The two General Electric boiling water reactors give the plant a total electric capacity of approximately 1,824 MW...
near Cordova, Ill., about 25 miles north of the Quad-Cities. - Quad Cities Waterfront Convention CenterQuad Cities Waterfront Convention CenterThe Quad Cities Waterfront Convention Center is a convention center located in Bettendorf, Iowa, United States.The name for the facility in the development stages was the Bettendorf Events Center. A ground breaking ceremony for the center was held on October 6, 2006...
, located in Bettendorf. - RiverCenter/Adler TheatreRiverCenter/Adler TheatreRiverCenter/Adler Theatre is a convention center located in Downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. It is made up of three interconnected buildings sited on the north and south sides of East Third Street. The Adler Theatre is connected to the original section of the convention center on the north...
, a convention and performing-arts complex in Davenport. The 2,400-seat Adler is the former RKO Orpheum Theater, which opened in 1931, designed by A.S. Graven of Chicago, whose projects included the Drake Hotel in Chicago and the Paramount Theater in New York City. The theater was extensively renovated and expanded in 1984–86 and 2005. - River Music ExperienceRiver Music ExperienceThe River Music Experience is a multi-use music facility and 5013 non-profit organization located on the first two floors of the historic Redstone Building in downtown Davenport, Iowa....
, a performance, education and music-history venue in the Redstone Building, the former Petersen Harned Von Maur department store. - Rock Island ArsenalRock Island ArsenalThe Rock Island Arsenal comprises , located on Arsenal Island, originally known as Rock Island, on the Mississippi River between the cities of Davenport, Iowa, and Rock Island, Illinois. It lies within the state of Illinois. The island was originally established as a government site in 1816, with...
, manufacturer of military equipment and ordnance since the 1880s, now the largest government-owned weapons manufacturing arsenal in the United States. The arsenal is located on Arsenal Island (formerly known as Rock Island) in the Mississippi River between Davenport, Iowa, and Rock Island, Illinois. Fort Armstrong was built there in 1816. During the Civil War, the island held a Union prison camp for Confederate soldiers. TThe Federal-style home of Colonel George Davenport, built in 1833–34, the oldest extant building in the Quad-Cities, is on the north bank of the island. - Rock Island Centennial BridgeRock Island Centennial BridgeThe Centennial Bridge, or Rock Island Centennial Bridge, connects Rock Island, Illinois and Davenport, Iowa. The bridge is long and stands above water level. On September 4, 1988, lights were installed on the arches, which make the bridge a very scenic sight at night.Construction of the bridge...
over the Mississippi River between downtown DavenportDavenport-Places:In Australia*Electoral district of Davenport, in South AustraliaIn Canada*Davenport, Toronto, a neighbourhood and former village in Toronto*Davenport , a federal electoral district*Davenport...
and Rock IslandRock Island, IllinoisRock Island is the county seat of Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 40,884 at the 2010 census. Located on the Mississippi River, it is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring Moline, East Moline, and the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf. The Quad Cities...
, completed in 1940 to commemorate Rock Island's 100th anniversary. The five arches of the 3,853-foot through-arch bridge often are used as a symbol of the Quad-Cities. - Rock Island County Fairgrounds in East Moline, also the site of the Quad City Speedway.
- Rock Island Auction Company from the Discovery ChannelDiscovery ChannelDiscovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
Show "Ready, Aim, Shoot" - Vander Veer Botanical ParkVander Veer Botanical ParkThe Vander Veer Botanical Park is a botanical garden in the Vander Veer Park Historic District of Davenport, Iowa. It is believed to be one of the first botanical parks west of the Mississippi River. The park was listed on the Davenport Register of Historic Properties on August 4, 1993.Vander Veer...
- The Col BallroomThe Col BallroomThe Col Ballroom is located in the West End of Davenport, Iowa, United States. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and on the Davenport Register of Historic Properties as the Saengerfest Halle.-History:...
, a small arena for music concerts, in Davenport. - The Quarter – a 90 acres (364,217.4 m²) site in East MolineEast Moline, IllinoisEast Moline is a city in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 20,333 at the 2000 census. East Moline is one of the five Quad Cities,, along with the cities of Rock Island, Moline, and the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf. The Quad Cities has a population of 379,690...
, alongside the Mississippi RiverMississippi RiverThe Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, featuring shops, restaurants, condominiumCondominiumA condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...
s, boat docksDock (maritime)A dock is a human-made structure or group of structures involved in the handling of boats or ships, usually on or close to a shore.However, the exact meaning varies among different variants of the English language...
, sports and interpretive centersInterpretation centreAn interpretation centre, or interpretive centre, is an institution for dissemination of knowledge of natural or cultural heritage. Interpretation centres are a kind of new-style museum, often associated with visitor centres or ecomuseums, and located in connection to cultural, historic or natural...
, and a working lighthouseLighthouseA lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
, currently under development. (Geographical coordinates: 41°31′47"N 90°26′16"W) - Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Freight HouseChicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Freight HouseThe Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Freight House was built by the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad in 1917 in Davenport, Iowa. The building is rectangular in shape and built of brick. The eastern end is two stories and held the offices...
, referred to locally as The Freight House, is an entertainment venue
Noteworthy companies
- AlcoaAlcoaAlcoa Inc. is the world's third largest producer of aluminum, behind Rio Tinto Alcan and Rusal. From its operational headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Alcoa conducts operations in 31 countries...
- Cobham plcCobham plcCobham plc is a British manufacturing company based in Wimborne Minster, Dorset, England. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index...
- Deere and Company
- Genesis Health SystemGenesis Health SystemGenesis Health System is a health system based in Davenport, Iowa that provides health services to a 10-county region of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois. Genesis Health System operates a hospital with two campuses in the city of Davenport, hospitals in the cities of Silvis, Illinois and DeWitt,...
- Group OGroup OGroup O , Headquartered in Milan, Illinois, is one of the largest Hispanic-owned companies in the U.S. and a provider of managed products and services, specializing in Marketing Services, Print Management, Decision Sciences, Business Process Outsourcing, Managed Services, Packaging, Supply Chain...
- Happy Joe'sHappy Joe'sHappy Joe's Pizza & Ice Cream Parlor is an American pizza parlor chain based in Bettendorf, Iowa. The restaurant chain was founded in 1972 by "Happy Joe" Whitty, a former Shakey's Pizza manager...
- Hungry HoboHungry HoboHungry Hobo is a sandwich style restaurant chain in the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa, United States, with eleven locations in the area as well as a location in Galesburg . Pryce T...
- KONE, Inc (formerly Montgomery Elevator)
- Lee EnterprisesLee EnterprisesLee Enterprises is a publicly traded American media company. It publishes 54 daily newspapers in 23 states, and more than 300 weekly, classified, and specialty publications. Lee Enterprises was founded in 1890 by A.W. Lee and is based in Davenport, Iowa....
- Lewis Machine and Tool CompanyLewis Machine and Tool CompanyLewis Machine & Tool Company was founded by Karl Lewis in 1980. LMT started its business by providing law enforcement and government agencies with military type weapons and accessories. Today, LMT still provides law enforcement and government agencies with weapons, but they have now also...
- Modern Woodmen of AmericaModern Woodmen of AmericaModern Woodmen of America is the third-largest fraternal benefit society, with more than 750,000 members. Total assets passed US $9 billion in 2009.-Financial Standing/Rating:...
- NortraxNortraxNORTRAX, Inc. is an American corporation headquartered in Tampa, Florida. Nortrax is a subsidiary of machinery manufacturer John Deere.-About:...
- QCR HoldingsQCR HoldingsQCR Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides commercial and consumer banking, and trust and asset management services for the Quad City, Cedar Rapids, and Rockford communities. QCR Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Moline, Illinois.-About:QCR Holdings, Inc...
- Rock Island ArsenalRock Island ArsenalThe Rock Island Arsenal comprises , located on Arsenal Island, originally known as Rock Island, on the Mississippi River between the cities of Davenport, Iowa, and Rock Island, Illinois. It lies within the state of Illinois. The island was originally established as a government site in 1816, with...
- Sears SeatingSears SeatingSears Seating, also known as Sears Manufacturing, is a designer and manufacturer of suspension and non-suspension seating systems for the agricultural, construction, and material handling equipment, and over the road truck markets...
(also known as Sears Manufacturing) - Von MaurVon MaurVon Maur is an mid-range specialty department store chain with stores located in the Midwestern United States and newly expansion stores in the Southern United States. The chain, based in Davenport, Iowa, sells mid-priced brand-name apparel, accessories, cosmetics, gifts, jewelry and shoes. As of...
- Whitey's Ice CreamWhitey's Ice CreamWhitey's Ice Cream is an ice-cream parlor chain based in Moline, Illinois. This ice cream has been an icon of the Illinois and Iowa Quad Cities since it was founded in 1933.-History:...
- XPACXPAC (company)XPAC, formerly Export Packaging Company, is a provider of packaging services. XPAC offers five core services: sub-assembly, painting, kitting, packaging, and order fulfillment. XPAC also offers custom software development, expediting, and other value-added supply chain services...
- YASH TechnologiesYASH TechnologiesYASH Technologies Inc.is an American corporation headquartered in East Moline, Illinois. YASH Technologies offers end-to-end business and technology solutions...
Colleges and universities
- Augustana CollegeAugustana College (Illinois)Augustana College is a private liberal arts college located in Rock Island, Illinois, United States. The college enrolls approximately 2,500 students. Covering of hilly, wooded land, Augustana is adjacent to the Mississippi River...
– Rock Island - Black Hawk CollegeBlack Hawk CollegeBlack Hawk College is a community college with campuses located in the city of Moline and near Kewanee, Illinois.-History:Black Hawk College is a community college with campuses located in Moline and in Galva, Illinois...
– community college in Moline, with a satellite campus in Kewanee, IllinoisKewanee, IllinoisKewanee is a city in Henry County, Illinois, United States. "Kewanee" is the Winnebago word for prairie chicken, which lekked there. The population was 12,916 at the 2010 census, down from 12,944 at the 2000 census.-Geography:... - Eastern Iowa Community College DistrictEastern Iowa Community College DistrictThe Eastern Iowa Community College District includes three community colleges stretched along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Iowa. They are:* Clinton Community College at 1000 Lincoln Boulevard in Clinton...
, consisting of campuses in Bettendorf, Clinton, and Muscatine. Bettendorf's campus is known as Scott Community CollegeScott Community CollegeScott Community College is a community college in Bettendorf, Scott County and is part of the Eastern Iowa Community College District which also includes Clinton Community College and Muscatine Community College....
. - Hamilton Technical CollegeHamilton Technical CollegeHamilton Technical College is a technical college located in Davenport, IA offering programs in Electronics Engineering Technology, Medical Assisting and Medical Insurance Billing and Coding Specialist. The Electronics Engineering Technology program offers Associates and Bachelor Degrees...
– Davenport - Kaplan UniversityKaplan UniversityKaplan University is the "doing business as" name of the Iowa College Acquisition Corporation, a company that owns and operates for-profit colleges...
– satellite campus in Davenport. - Palmer Chiropractic College – Davenport, first chiropractic school in the world.
- Saint Ambrose UniversitySaint Ambrose UniversitySt. Ambrose University is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university affiliated with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport. It is located in a residential area of Davenport, Iowa.-History:...
- Davenport - Western Illinois UniversityWestern Illinois UniversityWestern Illinois University is a public university founded in 1899 as Western Illinois State Normal School. Like many similar institutions of the time, Western Illinois State Normal School focused on teacher training for its relatively small body of students. As the normal school grew, it became...
– a satellite campus in Moline was constructed along the riverfront at the former site of the 60000 square feet (5,574.2 m²) John Deere Technical Site.
Culture
Since 1916, the region has supported the Quad City Symphony OrchestraQuad City Symphony Orchestra
The Quad City Symphony Orchestra is a United States symphony orchestra based in Davenport, Iowa and representing the Quad Cities area. The current music director and conductor is Mark Russell Smith. Established in 1916, the orchestra has a full season, performing six masterwork series concerts,...
, which presents a year-round schedule of concerts at the Adler Theatre in Davenport and Centennial Hall in Rock Island. The Handel Oratorio Society, dating to 1880, is the second-oldest organization of its kind in the nation and presents annual performances of "Messiah" along with another major work for choir and orchestra. The Augustana Choir, founded at Rock Island's Augustana College in 1934, is one of the nation's leading collegiate choruses. Nova Singers, a professional 20-voice chorus, celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2011. Major outdoor summer music festivals include the Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival and IH Mississippi Valley Blues Festival.
The Quad-Cities' three traditional community theaters – Playcrafters (founded in 1920, comedies and dramas) and Quad City Music Guild (1948, musicals) in Moline, and Genesius guild (1957, outdoor Shakespeare and Greek comedies and tragedies) in Rock Island – were joined in 1976 by Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse, a professional dinner theater in downtown Rock Island's historic Fort Theatre. In recent years the theater scene has burgeoned, adding three small professional companies in Davenport – New Ground, Harrison Hilltop and the Curtainbox – plus a resident professional ballet company, Ballet Quad Cities
Ballet Quad Cities
Ballet Quad Cities is a ballet company located in Rock Island, Illinois. It was begun in 1996 by Joedy Cook. Its primary performance venues has been the Capitol Theater and the Adler Theater, both in Davenport, Iowa...
. Other area community theaters included the itinerant Prenzie Players, who specialize in nontraditional productions of Shakespeare and other verse theater, the Richmond Hill Players in Geneseo, Ill., and Countryside Community Theatre in Eldridge, Iowa. St. Ambrose University in Davenport hosts the leading theater company on the collegiate scene, which also includes active programs at Augustana College, Black Hawk College in Moline and Scott Community College in Bettendorf. The city of Davenport's Junior Theatre program has been in operation since the 1950s. ComedySportz
ComedySportz
ComedySportz is an improvisational comedy organization started in 1984 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, by a group of local comedians including Dick Chudnow, Bob Orvis, Brian Green and many others.-Format:...
Quad Cities recently celebrated their 21st anniversary of bringing family-friendly improv comedy to the area at their new landmark home, The Establishment Theatre (formally The Rocket Theater) in The District of Rock Island.
Bluebox Limited
Bluebox Limited
Bluebox Limited Films is a film production company based in Bettendorf, Iowa and Los Angeles, California. The company, headed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, produces feature films, shorts, commercials, and television content. The company's film-maker founders were among the top 50 in the Director's...
is a Bettendorf-based film production company, and many outside productions companies have filmed movies in the Quad Cities in recent years. Historic buildings and sites listed on state and the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
interpret the history of people's settlement and lives in the area.
Media
The Quad Cities is the 151st largest radio marketMedia market
A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area , Television Market Area , or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same television and radio station offerings, and may also include other types of media including newspapers and Internet content...
in the United States and the 99th largest TV market in the United States.
The area is served by over 13 commercial radio stations, 8 non-commercial radio stations, 3 low power FM radio stations, 8 TV
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
stations and 3 daily newspapers.
Roads
- Interstate 74
Interstate 74Interstate 74 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western end is at an intersection with Interstate 80 in Davenport, Iowa; the eastern end of its Midwest segment is at an intersection with Interstate 75 in Cincinnati, Ohio... - Interstate 80
Interstate 80Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, following Interstate 90. It is a transcontinental artery running from downtown San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey in the New York City Metropolitan Area... - Interstate 88
Interstate 88 (west)Interstate 88 is an intrastate Interstate Highway in the state of Illinois. It runs from an interchange with Interstate 80 near Silvis and Moline to an interchange with Interstates 290 and 294 in Hillside, near Chicago...
(Ronald Reagan Tollway) - Interstate 280
Interstate 280 (Illinois-Iowa)Interstate 280 is a highway that makes up the western and southern portions of the beltway around the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa. The freeway starts at I-80 near Davenport, Iowa and ends at I-80 near Colona, Illinois; its eastern part runs concurrent with I-74 to return to I-80... - U.S. Route 6
U.S. Route 6U.S. Route 6 , also called the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, a name that honors an American Civil War veterans association, is a main route of the U.S. Highway system, running east-northeast from Bishop, California to Provincetown, Massachusetts. Until 1964, it continued south from Bishop to... - U.S. Route 61
U.S. Route 61U.S. Route 61 is the official designation for a United States highway that runs from New Orleans, Louisiana, to the city of Wyoming, Minnesota. The highway generally follows the course of the Mississippi River, and is designated the Great River Road for much of its route. As of 2004, the highway's... - U.S. Route 67
U.S. Route 67U.S. Route 67 is a 1,560 mile long north–south U.S. highway in the Central United States. The southern terminus of the route is at the United States-Mexico border in Presidio, Texas, where it continues south as Mexican Federal Highway 16 upon crossing the Rio Grande. The northern... - U.S. Route 150
U.S. Route 150U.S. Route 150 is a 571 mile long northwest-southeast United States highway, signed as east–west. It runs from U.S. Route 6 outside of Moline, Illinois to U.S. Route 25 in Mount Vernon, Kentucky .-Illinois:In the state of Illinois, U.S. 150 runs from the Quad City International Airport at U.S... - Illinois Route 5
Illinois Route 5Illinois Route 5 is a four-lane road that runs from U.S. Route 67 in Rock Island to the interchange of Interstate 80 and the toll-free portion of Interstate 88, a distance of...
(John Deere Expressway) - Illinois Route 84
Illinois Route 84Illinois Route 84 is a long state highway that runs along the Mississippi River in northwestern Illinois. Illinois 84 runs from south of Green Rock at U.S. Route 6 to the Wisconsin state line at Highway 80 by Hazel Green, Wisconsin. Illinois 84 is long.- Route description :Illinois Route 84... - Illinois Route 92
Illinois Route 92Illinois Route 92 is an east–west state highway in northwest Illinois. It runs from Iowa Highway 92 at the Norbert F. Beckey Bridge across the Mississippi River to Muscatine, Iowa east to U.S. Route 34 in La Moille. This is a distance of .... - Illinois Route 192
Illinois Route 192Illinois Route 192 is a east–west state highway in northwest Illinois. It runs from its western terminus at Illinois Route 92 northwest of Edgington to its eastern terminus at Illinois Route 94 in Taylor Ridge. The route is located entirely within Rock Island County... - Illinois Route 110 (Chicago-Kansas City Expressway)
- Iowa Highway 22
- Iowa Highway 130
Local transit
There are three transit operators in the Quad Cities with limited interconnection between them.- Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass Transit District (Quad Cities MetroLINKQuad Cities MetroLINKThe Quad Cities MetroLINK, officially the Rock Island Metropolitan Mass Transit District, provides mass transportation for the Illinois half of the Quad Cities metro area...
) serves the Illinois cities of Rock Island, Moline, East Moline, Milan, Silvis, Carbon Cliff, Hampton and Colona. It has 12 routes and a fleet of about 52 buses. It operates a river craft during summer months. - Davenport Citibus has 13 fixed routes and operates 20 buses, six days a week.
- Bettendorf Transit operates five routes, Monday–Saturday, and has eight buses.
Rail
The federal government has awarded $230 million in funding for an AmtrakAmtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
connection between Chicago and Iowa City
Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, State of Iowa. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of about 67,862, making it the sixth-largest city in the state. Iowa City is the county seat of Johnson County and home to the University of Iowa...
that will establish a passenger rail link in the Quad-Cities for the first time since the 1970s. The Amtrak station will be based in Moline, Illinois
Moline, Illinois
Moline is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States, with a population of 45,792 in 2010. Moline is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring East Moline and Rock Island in Illinois and the cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa. The Quad Cities has a population of...
, and is expected to be complete by 2015.
Air
The Quad Cities are served by Quad City International AirportQuad City International Airport
Quad City International Airport is a public airport located three miles south of the central business district of Moline, a city in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. It is owned by the Metropolitan Airport Authority...
, which serves a variety of domestic destinations.
Airlines and destinations
Sports teams
From 1920 to 1926, Rock Island was home to the NFL's Rock Island IndependentsRock Island Independents
The Rock Island Independents were a professional American football team based in Rock Island, Illinois. One of the first professional football teams, they were founded in 1907 as an independent club. They later played in what is now the National Football League from 1920 to 1925. They joined the...
. Football legend Jim Thorpe
Jim Thorpe
Jacobus Franciscus "Jim" Thorpe * Gerasimo and Whiteley. pg. 28 * americaslibrary.gov, accessed April 23, 2007. was an American athlete of mixed ancestry...
was once a member of the team.
The Tri-Cities Blackhawks, named in honor of the Sauk war chief
War chief
War chief can refer to* Warlord* Tribal chief during wartime, particularly among Native Americans...
Black Hawk
Black Hawk (chief)
Black Hawk was a leader and warrior of the Sauk American Indian tribe in what is now the United States. Although he had inherited an important historic medicine bundle, he was not one of the Sauk's hereditary civil chiefs...
, was the next top-level professional sports franchise. The club played in the National Basketball League
National Basketball League (United States)
Founded in 1937, the National Basketball League, often abbreviated to NBL, was a professional men's basketball league in the United States. The league would later merge with the Basketball Association of America to form the National Basketball Association in 1949.- League history :The...
(NBL) from 1946 until its merger in 1949 with the Basketball Association of America
Basketball Association of America
The Basketball Association of America was a professional basketball league in North America, founded in 1946. The league merged with the National Basketball League in 1949, forming the National Basketball Association ...
to became the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA). Hall of famer Red Auerbach
Red Auerbach
Arnold Jacob "Red" Auerbach was an American basketball coach of the Washington Capitols, the Tri-Cities Blackhawks and the Boston Celtics. After he retired from coaching, he served as president and front office executive of the Celtics until his death...
coached the Blackhawks during their first NBA season.
After the 1950–51 basketball season, the team moved to Milwaukee, where they were named the Hawks. After a second move to St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, the team is now the Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
.
Professional basketball returned to the Quad Cities during the 1980s and 1990s with the Quad City Thunder of the Continental Basketball Association
Continental Basketball Association
The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :...
. The CBA served as the NBA's premiere developmental league and produced many highly regarded NBA stars. From 1987 through the 1992–93 season, the Thunder played at Wharton Field House in Moline. Starting with the 1993–94 season, the team played at The MARK of the Quad Cities (now the i wireless Center.) After the CBA folded in 2001, the Thunder franchise ceased operations permanently.
Sports
| Club | League | Venue | Established | Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quad Cities River Bandits | MWL Midwest League The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort... , Baseball |
Modern Woodmen Park | 1960 | 4 |
| Quad City Mallards Quad City Mallards The Quad City Mallards were a professional ice hockey team competing in the AA level United Hockey League. The Mallards played their home games at The MARK of the Quad Cities in Moline, Illinois. Their team colors were forest green and burgundy. They won the Colonial Cup in 1997, 1998 and 2001,... |
CHL, Ice hockey | i wireless Center | 2009 | 0 |
| Quad Cities Riverhawks | PBL Premier Basketball League The Premier Basketball League, often abbreviated to the PBL, is a men's professional basketball minor league in the United States that began play in January 2008. The league had ten teams for the 2008 season and thirteen teams for the 2009 season. Nine teams from Canada and the United States... , Basketball |
Wharton Field House Wharton Field House Wharton Field House is an arena in Moline, Illinois. It hosted the NBA's Tri-Cities Blackhawks from 1946 until they left for Milwaukee in 1951, and the CBA's Quad City Thunder from 1987 until the team moved its home games to the MARK of the Quad Cities in 1993. The arena holds 6,000 people and... |
2006 | 0 |
- Quad City River Bandits is a Class A Midwest LeagueMidwest LeagueThe Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
minor league baseballMinor league baseballMinor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
team in Davenport. Their home games are played at Modern Woodmen Park, formerly John O'Donnell Stadium. The team has existed under a variety of names and Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
team affiliations since 1960. The River Bandits are currently affiliated with the St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. - Quad City MallardsQuad City MallardsThe Quad City Mallards were a professional ice hockey team competing in the AA level United Hockey League. The Mallards played their home games at The MARK of the Quad Cities in Moline, Illinois. Their team colors were forest green and burgundy. They won the Colonial Cup in 1997, 1998 and 2001,...
are an CHL team that began play in the 2009–10 season, with home games held at the i wireless Center in Moline. The new Mallards replace the former Quad City FlamesQuad City FlamesThe Quad City Flames were an ice hockey team that played between 2007 and 2009. They were owned by QC Sports Ventures Inc., an ownership group based out of the Quad Cities. The Flames played at the I wireless Center in Moline, Illinois. They were the American Hockey League farm team of the...
AHLAmerican Hockey LeagueThe American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
team which played from 2007–2009 (that team moved to Abbotsford, British ColumbiaAbbotsford, British ColumbiaAbbotsford is a Canadian city located in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, adjacent to Greater Vancouver. It is the fifth largest municipality in British Columbia, home to 123,864 people . Its Census Metropolitan Area, which includes the District of Mission, is the 23rd largest in Canada,...
and plays as the Abbotsford HeatAbbotsford HeatThe Abbotsford Heat are a professional ice hockey team based in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada. The Heat began play during 2009-10 season, and are the affiliate of the National Hockey League's Calgary Flames...
.) The original Mallards played in the United Hockey LeagueUnited Hockey LeagueThe United Hockey League was a low-level professional ice hockey league , with teams in the United States...
from 1995–2007. - The Quad City SteamwheelersQuad City SteamwheelersThe Quad City Steamwheelers were a professional arena football team. They were a charter member of the af2. They play their home games at i wireless Center in Moline, Illinois....
were an AF2AF2AF2 was the name of the Arena Football League's developmental league; it was founded in 1999 and played its first season in 2000. Like parent AFL, the AF2 played using the same arena football rules and style of play. League seasons ran from April through July with the postseason and ArenaCup...
arena footballArena footballArena football is a variety of gridiron football played by the Arena Football League . It is a proprietary game, the rights to which are owned by Gridiron Enterprises, and is played indoors on a smaller field than American or Canadian outdoor football, resulting in a faster and higher-scoring game....
franchise that also played at the i wireless Center. The Steamwheelers won the league's title game, the ArenaCupArenaCupThe ArenaCup is the af2's championship game. For the league's first five years, it was held at the arena of the higher seeded team. However, the 2005 ArenaCup was the first to be played at a neutral site in Bossier City, Louisiana. The 2006 ArenaCup was played in Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San...
, in 2000 and 2001. After the AF2 league folded following its 2009 season, the Steamwheelers also ceased operations. - Quad City SilverbacksQuad City SilverbacksThe Quad Cities Silverbacks are an International Fight League team based in the Quad Cities region of the USA. Coached by former UFC Middleweight and Lightweight Champion and founder of the very successful Miletich Fighting Systems camp, Pat Miletich, the Silverbacks were one of four teams...
were a professional mixed martial artsMixed martial artsMixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
team competing in the now-defunct International Fight LeagueInternational Fight LeagueThe International Fight League was an American mixed martial arts promotion billed as the world's first MMA league. It was founded on January 7, 2006 and closed on July 31, 2008...
. Home matches take place at the i wireless Center. - The Quad City Riverhawks was a PBL (Premier Basketball LeaguePremier Basketball LeagueThe Premier Basketball League, often abbreviated to the PBL, is a men's professional basketball minor league in the United States that began play in January 2008. The league had ten teams for the 2008 season and thirteen teams for the 2009 season. Nine teams from Canada and the United States...
) team. They played home games at Wharton Field HouseWharton Field HouseWharton Field House is an arena in Moline, Illinois. It hosted the NBA's Tri-Cities Blackhawks from 1946 until they left for Milwaukee in 1951, and the CBA's Quad City Thunder from 1987 until the team moved its home games to the MARK of the Quad Cities in 1993. The arena holds 6,000 people and...
in Moline during the 2008 season. They ended with that season. - The i wireless Center occasionally hosts NCAA Division I college basketballCollege basketballCollege basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
conference tournaments as well as NBA and NHL exhibitions. - The PGA TourPGA TourThe PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
makes an annual stop in the Quad Cities. The golf tournament is currently known as the John Deere ClassicJohn Deere ClassicThe John Deere Classic is an American professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour. It is played annually in July, the week before the British Open, at the TPC at Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois....
. It has drawn dozens of top PGA players over the years, including Tiger WoodsTiger WoodsEldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
, Vijay SinghVijay SinghVijay Singh, CF , nicknamed "The Big Fijian", is a Fijian professional golfer who was Number 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005. He has won three major championships and was the leading PGA Tour money winner in 2003, 2004 and 2008...
, and Payne StewartPayne StewartWilliam Payne Stewart was an American professional golfer who won three majors in his career, the last of which occurred only months before he died in an airplane accident at the age of 42....
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See also
- Mississippi Athletic ConferenceMississippi Athletic ConferenceThe Mississippi Athletic Conference is a high school athletic conference whose members are located in the Iowa Quad-Cities, plus three other schools in eastern and southeastern Iowa.-Member schools:...
for IowaIowaIowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
high school sports, and Western Big 6 ConferenceWestern Big 6 ConferenceThe Western Big 6 Conference is a high school conference in western central Illinois. The conference participates in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association...
for high school sports in IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
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External links
- Your Quad Cities – Local entertainment and events directory/calendar
- Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Quad City Times newspaper – Local News and Information
- Quad-Cities Online – Local Information
- Quad City Development Group
- WeAreQC. Quad City Resource. Built by the Quad Cities
- QCANews.com – Local News