Before European settlers arrived in the 1830's, Rock Island – at the junction of the Rock and the Mississippi Rivers – was the site of numerous Sauk and Fox Indian Villages. The great Sauk warrior Black Hawk lived here when the U.S. Army secured the upper Mississippi for white settlers. Ft. Armstrong, built on what is now Rock Island, served as both a trading post and military installation, attracting more white settlers and eventually leading to the fall of Black Hawk and migration west by the Sauk and Fox Indian nations.

The City of Rock Island’s Preservation Commission has made remarkable strides in preserving these rich historical accounts. The Hauberg Indian Museum at Black Hawk State Historic Site houses archives and artifacts collected by turn-of-the century Rock Island resident John Hauberg. They are displayed in life-like displays depicting the Sauk and Fox Indians' daily life throughout each of the four seasons.

The pages attached to this site offer additional historical details, accounts of local legends, information on local landmarks and historic neighborhoods, and resources for additional research.