Driving Around Downtown Rock Island, Illinois in 4k Video

Filmed on Sunday, November 19 2023, I drive around Rock Island, IL to see what's going on.
Due to its geography, Rock Island has a rich history of bridge building, including the first railroad bridge across the Mississippi (now gone), an unusual two-track railroad bridge, and the largest roller dam in the world.
The first railroad bridge across the Mississippi River was built between Arsenal Island and Davenport in 1856. Many steamboat pilots felt that the bridge had been intentionally positioned to make it hard for them to navigate, and this conflict reflected a larger rivalry: St. Louis and its steamboats against Chicago and its railroads.
Two weeks after the bridge opened, the steamboat Effie Afton collided with the bridge, caught fire, and damaged the bridge. The owner of the Effie Afton sued the bridge company for damages, and Abraham Lincoln was one of the lawyers who defended the railroad. This test case was appealed to the United States Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of the railroad in 1872.
The city is home to Rock Island Arsenal, the largest government-owned weapons manufacturing arsenal in the US, which employs 6,000 people.
#driving #drivingtour #travel

[@user-zx8de8op9l]

Thanks for sharing

[@exploreusacities]

Thanks for watching, without which my sharing would be irrelevant

[@mattmorgan5064]

I was born in Rock Island, never been since I was maybe 2 years old.

[@picupyourcross216]

Y'all making miss my home 309🤌🙌 the carport next to the Holiday inn ain't even there no more and it breaks my heart

[@charlesheller4667]

Doesn't look is hellish as did back the 70s but I do wonder - why are the roads in such bad shape?

[@jameshoopes6467]

When I was a kid, long, long ago, once in a while, my parents would take us to a place in Rock Island called The Dutch Inn. I remember it for the chicken noodle soup that I loved. Big pieces of chicken and huge egg noodles. About 1:14, that looks like the building. I recognize the radio tower position in the background. But it looks like the restaurant is long gone. 🤷‍♂️ Also the bridge looks rather worse for the wear. Thank you for posting this.

[@chubbyjaydraws]

The Dutch Inn is long gone,had breakfast there when I was a kid. There was a Thai restaurant there for years. Sadly the sign on the door says the city has claimed it unfit for occupancy.

[@martyaz]

Sad to see those big old downtrodden two story houses.

[@SK_2019]

Born 1973,... " Tri-Cities" [Davenport Iowa -- Rock Island, IL -- Moline IL Metro pop. 350,000+] Quad Cities -- Iowa: Davenport, Bettendorf, Eldridge, Pleasant Valley, Le Claire and Illinois: Rock Island, Milan, Moline, East Moline, Coal Valley, Hampton, Rapids City, Port Byron, Silvis, Carbon Cliff and Colona. Rock Island IL-- RI. Arsenal (Army), old I-H Farmall, CASE plants, old Rock Island Railroad, old eagle food markets, Moline IL -- John Deere's World HQ company, East Moline IL -- JD Combine plant,old CASE/I-H plant, Silvis IL -- JD's Electric Foundry 1960's--2000's, Silvis IL - old Rock Island Railroad (and R .I. IL-- Rock Island Railroad..!). . Davenport Iowa -- JD Construction plant, Kraft plant, Bettendorf Iowa -- Arconic Aluminum plant....Joslin IL --(East Moline IL) Tyson beef plant....STEEL plants!😊

[@chubbyjaydraws]

Quad Cities: Davenport,Rock Island,Moline and East Moline 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@glennso47]

WHBF, WOC, WQAD TV STATIONS. Palmer Chiropractic School, KSTT radio past East😢Moline Correctional Center.

[@thiagofigueiredo22]

👍👍

[@DoubleHCartoonFan57]

Who else discovered this town because of the ghost and molly McGee?