Rock Island offers urban, suburban and rural housing alternatives in a variety of price ranges to fit any family's budget. Whether it's downtown lofts or spacious wooded acres, Rock Island has housing to attract anyone.
Many Rock Island neighborhoods are populated with dynamic, inventive folks active in neighborhood associations. If such an association exists, a contact is listed. Some Rock Island neighborhoods are areas that gain identity through architecture, physical features or an interesting history. Research from the Rock Island Preservation Commission has helped reveal these unique places.
Tour brochures for some of these neighborhoods are available from the Rock Island Preservation Commission. To see which are available, please go to the city’s Tours / Publications page. Also on that page is a listing for “Rock Island’s Historic Residential Neighborhoods, 1835-1955 – A Summary Report.” Fifteen historic neighborhoods receive substantial treatment in that 276-page study.
"Virtual Tours" for several of our featured historic neighborhoods can be viewed at the Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau web site. To take these tours, please click here.
The Rock Island Arts & Entertainment District
Once it was the site of Mesquakie Indian chief Wapello’s village. Now this collection
of buildings dating from the 1870s to mid 20th century in downtown Rock Island is known as “The District”. With new and historic art and architecture, The District has become a Mecca for public art, live theater, artist studios, galleries, and more. The District is the Quad Cities’ center for live music fests and other entertainment as well. Nearly every weekend, there’s an event - from demonstrations of Arts on the aptly named “Gallery Hop” to heritage or music-themed festivals, such as Erin Feis or YaMakaMyWeekend, which attract folks from the entire region.
Restoration of the historic District buildings is ongoing. The latest projects are creating loft dwellings in several buildings that have outstanding views of the riverfront or the bluffs of the city. Proximity to miles of riverfront trails is another benefit of District living.
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Broadway Historic District
This grand Victorian neighborhood is the premier historic area in R
ock Island, where old houses are regarded as treasures. Great architecture, constant restorations, and a first-rate neighborhood association have 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 Connor-Parker House at 702 20th Street. The Broadway neighborhood is listed on the National Register, hosts an outstanding Tour of Homes each May, features the greatest concentration of 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 61204-5362 or visit their website at www.broadwaydistrict.org. You can also learn more about this neighborhood by reviewing the Broadway Neighborhood Conservation Plan.
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Burgart’s Additions
Joseph Burgart farmed this part of Rock Island for 45 years before 
he finished subdividing the land, pieces at a time, for housing development. Joseph’s own house is the prominent Foursquare located at 2700 21st Avenue. The subdivisions started near 30th Street in the 1920s, and gradually worked their way west, ending with the 1940s and 50s construction of Hill Crest Court. The 29th and 30th Street areas are a veritable walking tour of Tudor Revival architecture of the period. The later, western houses on Hill Crest Court and 28th Street feature Colonial Revival variations, Minimal Traditional house types and one notable International style house.
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Douglas Park
Development in this neighborhood spanned 120 years, from the 1830
s to the 1950s. The oldest part of the neighborhood has lots that parallel the Mississippi River, developed mainly in the 19th century. However, the majority of Douglas Park neighborhood was built between 1900 and 1919, featuring many small bungalows. Although the recently renovated Century Woods Apartments complex is located in Douglas Park, single-family residences overwhelmingly dominate the neighborhood.
The Douglas Park neighborhood is named after the very large baseball park located at the south end of the neighborhood. The colorful and significant past of this baseball park, constructed in 1904, has included minor league professional baseball, amateur baseball, professional football and even the International Softball Congress World Tournament.
The 11th Street and 18th Avenue commercial corridors border the neighborhood. The neighborhood is well organized with approximately 20 block clubs and neighborhood watch organizations. You can also learn more by reading the Douglas Park Neighborhood Plan.
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Eastlawn Addition
Eastlawn was started in 1945 by noted local developers Scheuerm
an & Kempe. The plat is located in southeastern Rock Island, and at the time of its development it lay well beyond the outer edge of the expanding residential boundary. A decade later, the addition was still by itself out in the country. These postwar houses are more elaborate in ornamentation than others constructed during the war, and most are partly brick veneered. Colonial Revival, Cape Cod and Minimal Tradition house forms make up the collection.
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Edgewood Park & Brooks’ Groves Additions in the KeyStone Neighborhood
In the 1890s, lawyer and developer E.H. Guyer envisioned a new tow
n – a “Keystone” between Rock Island and Moline. It would be marketed as a healthy, well-drained and elevated location that working families could afford. Guyer’s town site had been previously platted in 1888 as Edgewood Park, and included the area between 7th and 10th Avenues and 42nd and 44th Streets. Because of a national recession in 1892-93, Guyer’s utopian vision was not realized, but others, particularly William E. Brooks, saw the potential of the land, and began subdividing and building in earnest by the 1900s and 1910s. Brooks platted several additions directly east of 44th Street. The Edgewood Park and Brooks’ Groves area features an amazingly wide range of architectural styles, but is characterized by the heaviest concentration of that purely Midwestern house form, the Foursquare, in all of Rock Island.
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Greenbush
Irish immigrants historically settled this neighborhood and 
some of that influence is still seen today, particularly in the very beautiful Sacred Heart Catholic Church located at the north end of the neighborhood. Most of the housing in Greenbush is from the early part of the 20th century, with typical “Victorian” features. Seventh Avenue is lined with impressively sized Queen Anne style homes and duplexes.
Housing values in Greenbush are remarkably stable. There is also a generous mix of housing types, from small homes to near-mansions. Apartments are sprinkled throughout the neighborhood. The following institutions are either in the neighborhood or on the borders: Rock Island Township Hall, Quad City Botanical Center, St. Anthony’s Continuing Care Center, and St. Mary of the Angels Convent.
In 2003, the Greenbush neighborhood reorganized with new leadership and new priorities. Activities in the neighborhood center around committees: Youth, Clean-Up, Newsletter / Website, Activites, Elderly Service and Neighborhood Watch. To learn more about current events in Greenbush, go to their on-line magazine at http://greenbush.info/.
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Highland Park Historic District
Rock Island's wealthiest citizens made their homes in Highland Park bet
ween 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 1920’s gangster John Looney's impressive stone mansion at 1635 20th Street. Click on the neighborhood name to learn more.
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KeyStone
A great neighborhood in northeast Rock Island, Keystone ex
tends from Augustana College to the Moline border, and from the Mississippi River to 14th Avenue. KeyStone neighborhood offers a rich variety of late nineteenth and twentieth century architectural styles - from American Foursquare to Victorian Tudor and Colonial Revival, as well as Cape Cod and Bungalows. Historically, KeyStone has been the home of some of Rock Island's most famous residents, including businessman Levi McCabe, newspaper editor Julian Ramsey, and the Swedish-American painter Olof Grafstrom.
There are six sub-areas within KeyStone: Brooks' Grove, College Heights, Columbia Park, Edgewood Park, Fairview, and Park View, each offering the best in urban living coupled with the feel and warmth of a "down-home" community. Located within the neighborhood is beautifully landscaped Lincoln Park offering year-round recreational opportunities including playgrounds, picnic areas, tennis, basketball and sand volleyball courts, as well as sledding hills for winter fun. Cultural activities can be found in Lincoln Park through summer concerts and ballet programs, as well as classical open-air theater provided by the Genesius Guild. Bordering KeyStone, and within walking distance, Augustana College offers plays and concerts, a museum, planetarium, and a library. KeyStone is also the home of two schools. Longfellow Elementary and Alleman High School, the only Roman Catholic high school in the Illinois Quad Cities, offer challenging educational programs. KeyStone is filled with lovely gardens and landscaping, truly earning its reputation as "the urban garden".
KeyStone residents pride themselves on active community involvement and have a vibrant neighborhood association. Whether you're interested in being a KeyStone neighbor or just want more information, call (309) 786-9025 or visit the neighborhood association's website. To download a neighborhood brochure, please click here. You can also find out more through the KeyStone Neighborhood Plan.
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Longview
Though this neighborhood is adjacent to the 1860s and 1870s portion
s of Old Town Chicago, Douglas Park and Broadway, its development didn’t begin until decades later. Major portions of the Longview neighborhood were held by Bailey Davenport, mayor of Rock Island during the Civil War and son of George Davenport, known as the first white settler in the area. He stubbornly held title to the land during his lifetime, causing many in his day to accuse him of impeding growth in the city. In the 20 years that followed Bailey Davenport’s death, his estate was sold and transformed into the residential neighborhood we now know as Longview. The homes that were constructed range in style from Queen Anne to front gambrel Colonial Revivals. Many of the homes are modest in scale, but not without ornamentation.
A portion of Bailey’s property, known as Bailey’s Pasture, was put up for auction and purchased by four local businessmen. These men, in turn, donated the land to the city for use as a public park, which later became Longview Park. O.C. Simonds, a nationally known landscape architect from Chicago, was hired to prepare the site plan. The result was a breathtaking landscape of rolling hills and winding walks on the Mississippi River bluff. Remnants of that landscape are visible still today in this large community park that is home to the new Whitewater Junction Family Aquatic Center.
Community groups abound in this neighborhood. The Longview Pastors Association meets monthly. The Community Caring Conference, which has celebrated more than 25 years of grassroots organizing, is located at Church of Peace in the center of the neighborhood. Greater Antioch Baptist Church, CCC and the Longview Neighborhood Coalition have partnered to open The Hope House (a literacy center for Longview) in the Antioch parsonage. And with Rock Island Primary Academy located across the street, students will benefit from Hope House services as well. For three years, the Doris & Victor Day Foundation funded an asset-based community development initiative with a special focus in Longview. For more information about the Longview Neighborhood, please contact the Community Caring Conference by telephone at (309) 786-0345 or e-mail contact@neighborhoodccc.org. You may also call Rev. Gregory Mayer, contact person for the Longview Neighborhood Coalition, at (309)788-9661. And don't forget to check out the Longview Neighborhood Plan.
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Old Town Chicago
The original Old Town plat and the Chicago or Lower Addition 
make up most of the Old Town Chicago neighborhood, which traces its origins to 1835. Like the days when the proprietor lived next door to his shop, residents in Old Town Chicago find themselves neighbors to commercial and even the occasional industrial uses. However, the most prominent neighbor to this area is the mighty Mississippi River, which is just two blocks away.
Community facilities are an important part of the fabric of Old Town Chicago. The Rock Island County Courthouse and Justice Center, Central Fire Station and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center, along with three churches, are prominent neighborhood fixtures. Houses date from the 1850s to the 1970s, but there are ample lots for new construction in a neighborhood with close proximity to the downtown.
A neighborhood association showcases properties with a bi-monthly beautification award. To hear all about “the neighborhood where it all began,” call (309) 788-7372, or click here for an Old Town Chicago brochure. Learn more from the Chicago Addition Neighborhood Plan.
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Park View Addition in the KeyStone Neighborhood
An architecturally distinctive part of the larger KeyStone Neighborho
od, Park View was the concept of Bert C. Frahm, a developer from Davenport. Secluded and surrounded in part by deep ravines, Park View developed much later than the surrounding area and is as distinctive for its diminutive Tudor Revival and contemporary 1920s and 1930s architecture as it is for the preponderance of brick exteriors. The original settlers of Park View engaged in a wide range of professions, from laborer to professor. They worked for Augustana College, Deere & Mansur Plowworks, the railroads, International Harvester and insurance agencies. Many were of Swedish descent. The homes these people built were modest in scale, but lavish in materials and details. This neighborhood even includes Rock Island’s first Ranch style house, built in 1938!
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Stadium Drive
This is an excellent example of a “World War II Veterans” neig
hborhood in Rock Island. According to city directories, about half of this neighborhood was built up during the war, supposedly to house war defense workers. However, the big push to complete the plat came when the veterans came home by 1946. It was developed by landowner Benjamin Harris, who sold many lots to a St. Louis company, which then constructed the small distinctive brick homes.
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U.S. Housing Corporation Houses
Between 1918 and 1919, over 600 houses were built in the Quad Cities by the United States Housing Corporation to provide emergency housing for war production workers. These homes were built as part of the first-ever, nation-wide initiative by
the federal government to design and build civilian housing. The Rock Island District project, which included Rock Island, Moline, East Moline and Davenport, was the only project in Illinois and Iowa, the only one to span two states and the third largest completed project in the nation. Two hundred of these small, distinctive homes were built in Rock Island in just half a year during a severe labor and materials shortage due to the war. Seventeen basic designs were repeated, including pointy-gabled double houses and many gambrel roof variations. They were split between four sub-neighborhoods and built to blend in with existing housing. Rock Island architects Cervin & Stuhr designed the houses, which were masterfully built by Henry Horst & Company. To this day, not one of these homes in Rock Island has been demolished – a testament to their craftsmanship and adaptability to modern families. A neighborhood preservation plan was prepared in 2000 for this distinctive area. To learn more, please click here.
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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.
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Weisman’s Subdivision
Sam Weisman arrived in Rock Island before WWI as a poor Russian immigrant. At his
death in 1948, he was one of our most acclaimed citizens, renowned for the quality of his construction as well as his personal integrity. His buildings ranged from large apartments to small homes such as these seven. Built around 1930, they are "Chicago-style" bungalows which show Tudor Revival and Arts and Crafts features. Interiors are surprisingly spacious and designed for gracious living. Note the leaded glass windows; some in this small distinct area feature metallic gold accents.
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Westlawn Addition
“WestLawn Homes: Planned – Built – Sold and Guaranteed by Rock I
sland Men” read the 1942 promotional advertisement in The Argus. It went on to say: “40 Scheuerman & Kempe homes in various states of construction in Westlawn Addition. Drive out to our Westlawn Field Office on 23rd Avenue and 11th Street – pick out one of Scheuerman & Kempe quality built homes with a total monthly payment that is less than the rent you are now paying. It’s all so simple and easy – let us give you the whole story and at the same time give you an ‘on the job’ demonstration. Also see our Westlawn Air Raid Shelter that will accommodate 300 people.”
Housing construction began in Westlawn in 1941 and the vast majority was finished in 1942. These 88 homes were intended for war defense workers. They were built in the Minimal Traditional style, but are somewhat larger than homes built about the same time at Stadium Drive. Westlawn is historically unusual because it was built up so completely in such a short time and its closely packed houses comprise a very different visual pattern from earlier developments. The Westlawn subdivision, through its new combination of curvilinear and grid street patterns, may have influenced early planned suburbs of the 1950's.
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Wheelan’s Addition
Appearing deceptively small, these brick homes are some of the m
ost elaborate built in 1930 in Rock Island. Their common features include open or exposed front porch terraces, which are unusual in this region, and prominent windows, many with arches. This small collection of Spanish Colonial Revival houses is attributed to prolific local builder Sam Weisman. The home at 2401 21st Avenue was owned for 38 years by Isador Pesses. He was the co-founder of Eagle Kash & Karry which grew to 115 stores as the Eagle Food Centers chain by the mid-1980s and at the turn of the 21st century employed nearly 5,000 people.
