Rock Island

Rock Island is a city in and the county seat of Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. 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 city is home to Rock Island Arsenal, the largest government-owned weapons manufacturing arsenal in the US, which employs 6,000 people. 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 Rock Island-Milan School District, Rockridge School District (southwest portion of city) along with private schools, serve the city. The District (Downtown Rock Island) has art galleries and theaters, nightclubs and coffee shops, and restaurants of all flavors. Golf courses, parks, a casino, botanical center, marina, historic tours, bike paths, and festivals offer entertainment opportunities. The oldest part of the city is called Arsenal Island, after the original two homes built by Colonel George Daven Port and Russell Farnham in 1826. The original city plat was filed on July 10, 1835, and was named Stephenson. It was renamed Rock Island in March 1841. The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad (RI) was founded here in 1851, known informally as the Rock Island Line; over the next century, the railroad grew to serve fourteen states but ended in bankruptcy in 1980.

History

The first railroad bridge across the Mississippi River was built between Arsenal Island and Davenport in 1856. The Government Bridge, completed in 1896, is notable for having two sets of railroad tracks above the car lanes. Lock and Dam No. 15 is the largest roller dam in the world. The Rock Island Arsenal has manufactured military equipment and ordnance for the U.S. Army since the 1880s. In 2007 a new bridge was completed between 3rd Street Moline/southeast Rock Island and Milan, Illinois. It expedites the trip to Milan, the airport, and points on U.S. Route 67. The original city plat was filed on July 10, 1835, and was named Stephenson. It was renamed Rock Island in March 1841. The city is located on the banks of the Rock River, which runs through the center of the city. It is also the site of the Black Hawk State Historic Site, overlooked by the historic Hennepin Canal and Sears Dam. It has a rich history of bridge building, including an unusual two-track railroad bridge, and the largest Roller Dam in the World, built during the Great Depression. It also has a history of railroads, including the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad (RI) and the Rock Island Southern Railway (CRI&P), which ended in 1980. The town is also home to the National Museum of American History, which was founded in 1851. It's also the location of the National Civil Rights Museum, which opened in 1964.

Geography

Rock Island is located at 41°2921N 90°3423W (41.489083, -90.573154).According to the 2010 census, Rock Island has a total area of 17.872 square miles (46.29 km²) Of this, 16.85 square miles of land (43.64 km²), or 94.28% is land, and 1.022 sq miles (2.65km²) (5.72%) is water. Rock Island is home to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which has one of the largest bases in the United States. The island is also home to a number of military installations, including the Army Air Force Base, the Air Force Reserve Base, and the Air National Guard Base. The U.N. has a base on the island, which is also known as "Rock Island" or "Rocky Island" for its rocky, rugged topography. It has a population of 1,816.5 (or 1.7 million people) according to the 2011 census. It is located in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of New England, at a latitude of 41.2921 N and a longitude of 90.3423 W. It was named after the island's first inhabitants, the Rock Islanders, who first arrived in the 17th century. It also has a name for a Native American tribe, the "Rock Islanders", who first came to the island in the 18th century, and are now known as the Rock Islanders.

Demographics

In the 2000 Census, there were 39,684 people, 16,148 households, and 9,543 families residing in the city. The city's population was spread out, with 23.0% under the age of 18, 13.1% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The racial makeup of the city was 77.13% White, 17.17% African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.75% Asian,0.07% Pacific Islander, 2.41% from other races, and 2.19% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.90% of the population. The median income for a household in theCity was $34,729, and the median income. for a family was $45,127. Males had a median income of $32,815 versus $23,378 for females. The per capita income for the City was $19,202. About 10.9%. of families and 14.5% of. the population were below the poverty line, including 22.5%. of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. The U.S. Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category.

Economy

According to the city's 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the largest employers in the city are: The city's largest employers are: City Hall, City Hall and City Hall-owned businesses. The city also has a number of non-profit organizations that provide social services to the community. The largest employer is the City Council, which is made up of the mayor, city council members, and the mayor's wife. The second largest employers is the Chamber of Commerce, which has the largest number of employees. The third and fourth biggest employers are the hospital system and the fire department. The fifth and sixth largest are the police department, fire department and ambulance service. The seventh and eighth largest employers include the city parks department and the city recreation department, which have the largest square footage. The ninth and ninth largest employers were the hospital and fire department, according to the 2017 Comprehensive annual financial report. The sixth largest employer was the city park department, with the largest employment was the fire and police department. It is the city council's largest employer, with a total of 7,000 employees. It also has the highest number of nonprofit organizations, with more than 1,000 workers. It has the lowest unemployment rate and the lowest rate of any city in the state. The highest unemployment rate is at 0.7 percent. The lowest rate is 0.4 percent. It's the highest rate of unemployment in the county, and it's the lowest in all of the state's cities and towns.

Development

Construction will begin in April 2017 for a new Rock Island County courthouse. The 46,000 square foot building will have three stories that house four courtrooms, judges offices, a law library, and both the Circuit Clerk and States Attorneys offices. The $28 million project is expected to be completed in the fall of 2018. The old courthouse isexpected to be torn down upon completion of the new building and will be replaced with a new building. The new courthouse will be located on the former location of the old courthouse. It will be a three-story building with three stories. The building will cost $28million to build. It is set to be complete in the Fall of 2018, with the new courthouse opening in the spring of 2019.

Education

The majority of the city is served by the Rock Island/Milan School District with portions of the southwest area falling under the Rockridge School District. The district is home to 13 public schools, with one high school, two junior high schools, nine elementary schools, and one alternative education center. Several private schools also serve Rock Island, including Jordan Catholic Elementary School and Alleman Catholic High School. Schools that were closed and demolished include Franklin Junior High School, Central Junior High school, Lincoln Elementary School, and Audubon Elementary School. Rock Island is located on the Illinois Turnpike, which runs from Chicago to Illinois State University in Carbondale. It is also on the Chicago River, which flows into the Illinois River from the Chicago suburb of Taylor Ridge. The city is located in the Chicago Metropolitan Statistical Area, which covers parts of Illinois, Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa. It has been in existence since the mid-19th century and was once part of the Illinois Territory. It was the site of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, which began in the late 19th century. In the early 20th century, Rock Island was the location of the Chicago School of the Arts, which was founded in 1903. The Rock Island School District was formed in the 1930s, and has since grown to include 13 public and private schools. It also includes a number of private schools and colleges, including Augustana College and the Bible Missionary Institute. The school district also has an alternative education program called Rock Island-Milan Alternative Education.

Points of interest

Rock Island, Illinois is the site of the Quad City Hindu Temple, a Hindu shrine dedicated chiefly to the deity Venkateswara. The temple opened in 2007. Prior to its construction, Hindu worshippers had to travel to St. Louis or Peoria to participate in Hindu festivals and worship. Rock Island Arsenal is a National Historic Landmark. The district is also home to Boetje's Mustard Factory, a World War II-era mustard factory. The city is home to Augustana College (Illinois) and Bally's Quad Cities Casino & Hotel. It is also the home of the Rock Island Public Library and the Black Hawk State Historic Site. The town is located on the banks of the Illinois River, which runs through the center of the city. It has a population of about 2,000 people, with the majority of its residents living in and around the city of Rock Island. The area is also known for its golf course, which is one of the country's most popular courses. It also has a number of other historic sites, including the historic Broadway Historic District and the historic Rock Island Courthouse, which was built in the 19th century. The community also has its own public library and a state park, which are part of the National Register of Historic Places, as well as a public cemetery. The village has a history of being home to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Illinois Army National Guard, which has been active since the late 1800s.

Cultural organizations

The Quad City Symphony Orchestra plays part of its Masterworks Series' concerts at Centennial Hall on the Augustana College campus. The Quad Cities Symphony Orchestra is part of the Quad City Arts Council. The arts council is made up of the following organizations: Ballet Quad Cities, Quad Cities Opera, Quad City Music Festival and Quad City Art League. The Arts Council also includes the Quad Cities Chamber Orchestra and Quad Cities Philharmonic Orchestra, among others.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Rock Island, Rock Island County, Illinois = 81.2. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 45. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 80. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Rock Island = 3.7 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 37,108 individuals with a median age of 30.7 age the population dropped by -4.06% in Rock Island, Rock Island County, Illinois population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 2,199.51 residents per square mile of area (849.23/km²). There are average 2.46 people per household in the 6,226 households with an average household income of $33,535 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 11.30% of the available work force and has dropped -3.14% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 22.82%. The number of physicians in Rock Island per 100,000 population = 166.4.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Rock Island = 33.9 inches and the annual snowfall = 27.8 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 103. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 201. 85 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 12.7 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 40, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Rock Island, Rock Island County, Illinois which are owned by the occupant = 42.51%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 16.6 years with median home cost = $67,910 and home appreciation of 0.94%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $18.15 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $4,644 per student. There are 18.5 students for each teacher in the school, 873 students for each Librarian and 909 students for each Counselor. 6.72% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 8.56% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 4.19% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).