Helpful Links for genealogy research. Michael Dousman signed a contract on April 2, 1836, agreeing to complete a tower and dwelling on the northern end of Rock Island within six months. the history of Rock Island County, Illinois. History of the Rock Island Arsenal. The book uses Wisconsin maritime history, a poem Johnson wrote (“Rock Island”), and 17 original watercolor illustrations to tell the true Wisconsin story about the place that became Rock Island State Park, from pre-history to today. It has been restored as a live-in museum to what it was in its 1910 era. This lighthouse protects the passage between Rock or Pottawatomie Island to the South and St. Martins Island to the North. The branch was built in the 1870s and extended north in the 1880s. Spark curiosity about the people, places and stories of our past. This pyramid is linked to the people that were This pyramid is linked to the people that were mining the copper in upper Michigan - thus linked to the King Solomon Mines and/or Temple. The Rock Island National Cemetery is located on Rodman Ave. at the southeastern tip of Arsenal Island, in Rock Island, IL. We are CLOSED until further notice, in an effort to keep library users and staff safe amid rising numbers of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations. The RTA bought it in 1982. The most comprehensive exploration of Island history can be found at the Madeline Island Historical Museum. The studio that H.H. It first opened to the public on July 4, 1905. COVID-19 Updates: In order to help reduce the increased spread of COVID-19, our headquarters building will be closed to the public until at least January 3, 2021. When you reach the end of Highway 42, at the tip of Wisconsin’s Door County peninsula, you’ll find Northport Pier and the Washington Island Ferry Line. Wisconsin Public Radio features in-depth news from WPR’s seven bureaus and NPR, entertainment programs, classical music and discussions on the Ideas Network. Congress appropriated $5,000 for the lighthouse on June 30, 1834, and to this another $3,000 was added the following year. ... Wisconsin History. Rock Island History. The Washington Island Ferry Line was started in 1940 with two existing wooden ferries. No history of Wisconsin Dells would be complete if it did not include H.H. Each piece was elaborately decorated with scenes from Norse mythology. Learn more about RCHS. Requests that require more time or access to resources we do not offer may be referred to the Rock Island County Historical Society. ... Wisconsin History. Although getting to Rock Island can be an adventure, it is well worth it. Helen Jeffris Wood Museum Center 426 N. Jackson St. Janesville, WI 53548 Armscor-Rock Island Armory is a best-fit manufacturer for the pistols, rifles, shotguns and ammunition you need for your concealed-carry, home-defense, self-defense and competition shooting lifestyle. National Archives: Beginning Your Genealogical Research Rock Island Discovered by Robert LaSalle in 1679, this 906-acre island is located one-mile northeast of Jackson Harbor on Washington Island. Rock Island Library, Attn: Reference, 401 19th Street, Rock Island, IL 61201; Requests are handled in order as received. Bennett’s stop-action photo of his son Ashley leaping to Stand Rock in 1886. When built in 1836, Rock Island's Pottawatomie Light became the first federal light in Wisconsin on Lake Michigan. The upper and lower most layers (Chequamegon and Orienta formations) are in the Precambrian Bayfield Group and were deposited by northeastward-flowing braided streams. This is the concept behind the Rock Island Arsenal, one of the largest repositories of weapons in America, and is the only wholly government owned arsenal that still exists to this day. For anyone who makes the effort to get to Rock Island, it's a treat to see. http://doorcounty.net — Rock Island is a wooded island off the tip of Wisconsin’s Door Peninsula, next to Washington Island. See a full list of COVID-19 Closures and Events HERE. Events. Old maps of Rock Island County on Old Maps Online. The 1999 book, Valhalla in America: Norse Myths in Wood at Rock Island State Park, Wisconsin, by Douglas and Sharon Rossman, pictures each of the items with its runic title and tells the story the mythic scene depicts. The way we see it, everyone should have the right and the means to shoot. any time of year you can get there on your own boat. The Wisconsin Beach That’s Unlike Any Other In The World. Rock Island State Park. Pottawatomie Lighthouse, Rock Island (Built 1836; Automated 1956 – The Oldest Door County Lighthouse) The Pottawatomie Light on Rock Island is the oldest of Door County’s Lighthouses. in winter it is accessible by driving a snowmobile across the ice. The Rock Island Arsenal Museum is the Army's second oldest museum. Mainland caves The Apostle Island archipelago's sandstones were deposited during the late Precambrian era, about one billion years ago, and form the basement rock for all the islands. Each firearm is built using 4140 Ordnance steel and engineered using the latest CNC machines. Although the book was published last summer, it is based on a poem Johnson wrote in 1989 about the state park. The total fall in the river bed level from the Illinois/Wisconsin border to the confluence with the Mississippi River is about 187 feet. This passage acted as the early gateway to … continue reading Discover the past of Rock Island County on historical maps. Take the Karfi ferry (Memorial Day weekend through Columbus Day) to this primitive Lake Michigan Island. 906 acre island located one mile northeast of Jackson Harbor on Washington Island. Physical Location: Rock Island County Courthouse - 1317 3 rd Ave, Suite 101, Rock Island IL 61201: Mailing Address:1317 3 rd Ave, Suite 101, Rock Island, IL 61201: Phone: See Directory Fax: (309) 786-3029 Hours: 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM - Monday thru Friday Rock Island State Park Drive to Jackson Harbor, buy a ferry ticket, get on the Karfi, take a 20-minute ferry ride, explore an even smaller island (900 acres), Wisconsin’s only state park that’s an island! On the north side of the island there’s a bit of an inlet. The primary mission is to collect, preserve, and interpret the history of Rock Island Arsenal and Arsenal Island. The federal government set aside 133.7 acres on Rock Island for this purpose. Ten miles of hiking trails, Wisconsin’s oldest lighthouse, site of Thordarson greathall and boathouse. Donate. Rock Island State Park. Rock River, nonnavigable stream in the north-central United States that originates north of Horicon Marsh, near Brandon in Fond du Lac county, eastern Wisconsin, and flows in a generally southwesterly direction to join the Mississippi River at Rock Island, Illinois.The roughly 300-mile (480-km) river, which from source to mouth drops about 500 feet (150 metres), has small hydropower developments. The Lightstation on the north end of Rock Island is the oldest lighthouse in Wisconsin. Visit Wisconsin. Accessible by ferry, Rock Island is a Wisconsin State Park featuring ten miles of hiking trails, rustic camping, and 2,000 feet of picturesque beach front perfect for swimming and fishing. Travel Green Certified. First discovered by LaSalle in 1679. during summer it is a family-friendly destination. 401 19th Street, Rock Island (309) 732-7323 Dial-A-Story: 309-732-7002 Library open for quick browsing, borrowing: Monday-Friday: 9 am to 6 pm Saturday: 9am to Noon Bennett founded in 1865 has been continuously owned and operated by successive generations of his family. In the mid-1950s, the love he felt for the island manifested itself in the Madeline Island Museum. This little breakaway from the tip of the peninsula is home to one of the most unique beaches in the world. You can access about half the year with the Karfi. Visit Us. Built to true Series 70 design, Rock Island Armory has the most well-built and versatile 1911s available today at a price point that is not achieved by any other manufacturer. Visit Wisconsin. Way up at the tip of Door County sits Washington Island. Rock Island State Park. COVID-19 Updates: The Wisconsin Historical Society hours have changed. Ferry History. S earch the magnificent Archives Search News. Spark curiosity about the people, places and stories of our past. Pack something that brings true heat. The Historical Society. Train service to Joliet was begun by the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad in 1852. Getting there: From Northport, at the tip of the Door Peninsula, you can catch a ferry that takes passengers and cars across Death’s Door to Washington Island. Listen: Author Describes History Behind Rock Island Landmark | Wisconsin Public Radio In the early 1800s, an island that stands along the banks of the Mississippi River was seized for the use of the government. territoryfollowing the American Revolution and soon after began attracting settlers looking for work inits mining, lumber and dairy The cemetery is open for visitation daily from dawn to dusk; the administrative office is open Monday-Friday from 7:30am to 4:00pm, and is closed on all Federal holidays except for Memorial Day and Veterans Day. 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