156-522: The John Deere Pavilion is an attraction and museum located in Moline, Illinois . The Pavilion opened in 1997 as part of an urban renewal project on the site of the former John Deere Plow Works (first built in 1848). Today the area includes Vibrant Arena at the Mark, a Wyndham Hotel, and several restaurants. The Pavilion serves as the official visitor center for John Deere , whose world headquarters are located
312-630: A Sauk leader. The war erupted after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis (Fox), and Kickapoos , known as the " British Band ", crossed the Mississippi River , to the U.S. state of Illinois , from Iowa Indian Territory in April 1832. Black Hawk's motives were ambiguous, but he was apparently hoping to reclaim land that was taken over by the United States in the disputed 1804 Treaty of St. Louis . U.S. officials, convinced that
468-570: A treaty in St. Louis in which a group of Sauk and Meskwaki leaders supposedly sold their lands east of the Mississippi for more than $ 2,200, in goods and annual payments of $ 1,000 in goods. The treaty became controversial because the Native leaders had not been authorized by their tribal councils to cede lands. Historian Robert Owens argued that the chiefs probably did not intend to give up ownership of
624-425: A British Band raiding party of about thirty warriors. Three Illinois militiamen and six Native warriors died in the fighting. Two days later, on June 18, militia under James W. Stephenson encountered what was probably the same war party near Yellow Creek . The Battle of Waddams Grove became a hard-fought, hand-to-hand melee. Three militiamen and five or six Indians were killed in the action. Back on June 6, when
780-584: A civic center on the space. The Mark of the Quad-Cities, now known as the Vibrant Arena at The MARK , was completed in 1993 and is now the home to large conventions, concerts, high school sports tournaments, and a host of other events. The Quad City Steamwheelers , an arena football team, played their af2 home games at the arena from 2000 to 2009 when the league ceased operations. It has also been home to several minor league hockey teams including both
936-599: A civilian miner was killed by raiders near the village of Blue Mounds in the Michigan Territory, residents began to fear that the Rock River Ho-Chunks were joining the war. On June 20, a Ho-Chunk raiding party estimated by one eyewitness to be as large as 100 warriors attacked the settler fort at Blue Mounds. Two militiamen were killed in the attack, one of whom was badly mutilated. On June 24, 1832, Black Hawk and about 200 warriors attacked at
1092-478: A comprehensive plan of Moline later stated, "the topography has had a decided influence upon the growth and development of the city . . . the city is literally interlaced with fingers of wooded ravines draining surface water to the north into the Mississippi and to the south into the creeks and drainage ditches tributary to the Rock River. This condition has greatly influenced the building of underground utilities,
1248-628: A continued population increase after World War II with the completion of "Molette", a subdivision of mass-produced starter homes selling for $ 5,000 each. Molette was the first Moline neighborhood produced on a mass scale and one of the largest single-unit housing projects in the Midwest at the time. Near Molette on 41st Street, the Defense Department funded an $ 800,000 housing project known as Springbrook Courts, which served as housing for Rock Island Arsenal employees before being converted into
1404-417: A diplomatic solution; they wanted a resounding victory over Black Hawk to serve as an example to other Native Americans who might consider similar uprisings. With hostilities now underway, and few allies to depend upon, Black Hawk sought a place of refuge for the women, children, and elderly in his band. Accepting an offer from the Rock River Ho-Chunks, the band traveled further upriver to Lake Koshkonong in
1560-601: A few miles away (but is not open for public tours). Next door is the John Deere Store, the largest retail store for John Deere merchandise. Opened in 1997, the Pavilion has drawn over 150,000 visitors annually. It is one of the top attractions in the region and contributed directly to the development of other corporate visitor centers such as Coca-Cola and Caterpillar Inc. The pavilion is free to enter and full of activities for all ages. Antique equipment includes
1716-610: A group of farmers, killing and scalping four . Responding to this attack, militia Colonel Henry Dodge gathered a force of twenty-nine mounted volunteers and set out in pursuit of the attackers. On June 16, Dodge and his men cornered about eleven of the raiders at a bend in the Pecatonica River . In a brief battle, the Americans killed and scalped all of the Natives. The Battle of Horseshoe Bend (or Battle of Pecatonica)
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#17327799157421872-481: A major overhaul of Moline's urban grid was undertaken. Several roads were removed or re-routed in the interest of creating an aesthetically pleasing downtown and a more orderly method of horse and streetcar transit. The model of Lowell was abandoned in favor of that of Pittsburgh , a great river town with a strong urban center. Retail and commerce was encouraged in downtown Moline, and higher density housing began to appear there. The historic street names were replaced by
2028-402: A man named William Durley. Durley's scalped and mutilated body was found by Indian agent Felix St. Vrain . The Indian agent was himself killed and mutilated , along with three other men, several days later at Kellogg's Grove . The Ho-Chunks and Potawatomis who took part in the war were sometimes motivated by grievances not directly related to Black Hawk's objectives. One such incident was
2184-590: A model LA tractor, a 4010 cutaway tractor from 1960, a model D tractor, the All-Wheel Drive tractor from 1918, and a model 55 combine from 1949. There is new equipment inside and out front. There is also an interactive exhibit inside called "For Generations" that features how John Deere customers use equipment and technology around the world. Exhibits include interactives and both new and historical equipment to climb in and explore. Moline, Illinois Moline ( / m oʊ ˈ l iː n / moh- LEEN )
2340-505: A native before returning to Whiteside's camp with the news. However, Black Hawk and others were nearby, and near dusk on May 14 attacked Stillman's party in what became known as the Battle of Stillman's Run . Accounts of the battle vary. Black Hawk later stated that he sent three men under a white flag to parley, but the Americans imprisoned them and opened fire on a second group of emissaries who followed. Some militiamen claimed they never saw
2496-694: A non-gaming excursion riverboat built in the 19th century style, both dock along the Parkway. In addition, the Moline Activity Center offers programs and activities for retired and semi-retired adults. Moline is served by Moline School District No. 40 , which serves the student-age populations of Moline and Coal Valley . The district educates approximately 7,500 students in twelve elementary schools, two middle schools (John Deere Middle School and Woodrow Wilson Middle School) and one high school ( Moline High School ). Seton Catholic School serves
2652-481: A non-military-affiliated public housing project managed by the Moline Housing Authority. It was in this time that one of the major factors shaping the modern layout of Moline first came into play—the rough topography of the inland bluffs. As Moline grew, the traditional rectilinear grid of the downtown area gave way to smaller subdivisions containing cul-de-sacs, curvilinear roadways, and courts. As
2808-509: A numerical system in which north–south roads were dubbed "streets" and east–west ones were re-christened "avenues". Though some complained "the corner of Ann Street and Bass Street… is now merely 17th Street at 6th Avenue", the new system, inspired by an alderman's visit to Philadelphia in 1876 for the Centennial, was generally regarded as a great urban innovation. Moline was a successful, if somewhat boring, turn-of-the-20th-century city. It
2964-487: A part of the city's "Moline Centre" downtown plan. The city of Moline is nestled beside and on a broad bluff situated between the banks of the Mississippi River and Rock River in Rock Island County, Illinois. The city's highland areas are cut across by many deep ravines that break up the city into natural neighborhoods. The city is bounded to the east by East Moline and to the west by Rock Island. Moline
3120-657: A people who had often allied with the Sauks. Black Hawk and his followers became known as the " British Band " because they sometimes flew a British flag to defy claims of U.S. sovereignty, and because they hoped to gain the support of the British at Fort Malden in Canada. When the British Band once again returned to Saukenuk in 1831, Black Hawk's following had grown to about 1,500 people, and now included some Potawatomis ,
3276-565: A people with close ties to the Sauks and Meskwakis. American officials determined to force the British Band out of the state. General Edmund P. Gaines , commander of the Western Department of the United States Army , assembled troops with the hope of intimidating Black Hawk into leaving. The army had no cavalry to pursue the Sauks should they flee further into Illinois on horseback, and so on June 5 Gaines requested that
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#17327799157423432-784: A primary instigator of the Black Hawk War, the Winnebago Prophet, according to historian John Hall, "actually discouraged his followers from resorting to armed conflict with the whites". On April 5, 1832, the British Band entered Illinois once again. Numbering about 500 warriors and 600 non-combatants, they crossed near the mouth of the Iowa River over to Yellow Banks (present-day Oquawka, Illinois ), and then headed north. Black Hawk's intentions upon reentering Illinois are not entirely clear, since reports from both colonists and Indian sources are conflicting. Some said that
3588-497: A scout or spy battalion commanded by James D. Henry , with judge William Thomas as their quartermaster. Atkinson had allowed Reynolds, Whiteside, and the militiamen to leave up the Rock River on April 27, while he brought up the rear with the regular soldiers, directing his least trained and disciplined men—to "move upon the Indians should they be within striking distance without waiting for my arrival". Governor Reynolds accompanied
3744-568: A shift in urban growth strategies in Moline. The first buildings were equipped with heat in September 1897, and electricity first arrived in Moline in 1881 when John Deere & Co. installed sixteen electric streetlights on the roadway outside its factories. Work on an electric streetcar system soon followed, and within the same decade, an intercity streetcar system linked Moline with Rock Island and Davenport. The diminishing reliance on well water or
3900-508: A stern work ethic and controlled civic life; Moline, in contrast to its neighbors, was not a "shoot 'em up river-town." An article in the Moline Workman in 1854 noted that a "much duller town could not be scared up this side of Sleepy Hollow." Moline attracted large waves of immigrants from Sweden, who were believed to be family-minded, God-fearing, community-oriented workers who rarely went on strike. Following incorporation, Moline
4056-591: A strong national identity. The Moline Association of Commerce marketed the Quad-Cities under the motto of "Joined together, as the boroughs of New York City" throughout the 1940s and 1950s, with Moline as the "nucleus", but few corporations bought into the analogy. Despite the Quad-Cities' status as "the largest metropolitan area between Chicago, Omaha, Minneapolis, St. Louis, and Kansas City", the area remained relatively unheard of. Existing companies, including John Deere, Alcoa , Caterpillar , Case , and International Harvester all continued to grow and expand operations in
4212-464: A tourist center showcasing the history of agriculture in the Midwest . The Commons attracts 400,000 visitors a year, injecting a tremendous boost to the downtown economy. Renovations have been completed on many old brownstone buildings, and plans for shoreline mixed-use condominium and retail developments are in the works on the site of vacant industrial land. Moline still reflects the rich culture of
4368-419: A turning point. Before the battle, Black Hawk had not committed to war. Now he determined to avenge what he saw as the treacherous killing of his warriors under a flag of truce. Whiteside too was incensed when he returned to the battle site with a burial party and viewed the mutilated corpses. After Stillman's defeat, American leaders like President Jackson and Secretary of War Lewis Cass refused to consider
4524-633: A union with Moline would drive down its property values; and the citizens of the two towns, representing different regions, classes, occupations and ethnicities, widely disagreed on major political issues of the day. Many leaders of Rock Island, a community founded largely by Southerners , remained sympathetic to the Confederate cause throughout the Civil War . Meanwhile, Moline was ardently Republican . The talks of consolidation ceased, although they would later return but were never resolved in favor of
4680-510: A victory for the militia; no regular soldiers of the U.S. Army had been present. Atkinson and the regulars joined up with the volunteers several days after the battle. With a force of about 400 regulars and 900 militiamen, the Americans crossed the Wisconsin River on July 27 and resumed the pursuit of the British Band. The British Band was moving slow, encumbered with wounded warriors and people dying of starvation. The Americans followed
4836-426: A white flag; others believed that the flag was a ruse the Indians used to set an ambush. All accounts agree that Black Hawk's warriors attacked the militia camp at dusk, that the much more numerous militia were routed, and the survivors straggled into Whiteside's camp. To Black Hawk's surprise, his forty warriors killed twelve Illinois militiamen, and suffered only three fatalities. The Battle of Stillman's Run proved
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4992-567: Is October 10 thru April 24, allowing a growing season of 168 days. Snowfall averages 31.6 inches (80 cm) per season, but has ranged as low as 11.1 in (28 cm) in 1901–02 to 69.7 in (177 cm) in 1974–75; on average, measurable (≥0.1 in or 0.25 cm) snow occurs from November 21 to March 26, and rarely in October and April. Unlike much of the Midwest, measurable snow has never officially occurred in May and September. As of
5148-721: Is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois , United States. With a population of 41,654 in 2024, it is the largest city in Rock Island County. Moline is one of the Quad Cities at the confluence of the Rock and Mississippi rivers , along with neighboring East Moline and Rock Island in Illinois and the cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa . The Quad Cities had a population of about 380,000 in 2023. The city
5304-1186: Is currently home to the Quad City Steamwheelers , an indoor football team in the Indoor Football League . The Vibrant Arena is also home to the Quad City Storm of the SPHL The Quad Cities are also home to the Quad City River Bandits , the Single A Midwest League affiliates of the Kansas City Royals . The River Bandits play their home games at Modern Woodmen Park (formerly John O'Donnell Stadium) in Davenport, Iowa . The Moline Parks & Recreation Department maintains 18 parks (taking up 728 acres) in addition to various other recreational facilities and cemeteries. Moline's noteworthy parks include Riverside Park, home to
5460-405: Is designed to lessen congestion in streets and to avoid future congestion; to secure safety from fire and other hazards; to provide light and air about buildings in which people live; to prevent overcrowding of land and avoid excessive concentration of population; to assist in adequately providing transportation, water supply, sewage disposal, schools, parks, and other public requirements. Although
5616-401: Is difficult for outsiders to appreciate the opportunities available here; growth and development are more difficult because of the differences in regulations; the distribution of grant money from state and federal governments has not always been efficient or effective; governmental services are more costly when administered by many entities separately." As a result of the gradual dissolution of
5772-618: Is distributed throughout the year but is greater in the warmer months. The normal monthly mean temperature ranges from 22.6 °F (−5.2 °C) in January to 75.4 °F (24.1 °C) in July; on average, there are 23 days of 90 °F (32 °C)+ highs, 43 days with a high at or below freezing, and 11 days of sub-0 °F (−18 °C) lows annually. Extremes in temperature have ranged from 111 °F (44 °C), set on July 14, 1936, down to −33 °F (−36 °C), set on January 30, 2019;
5928-602: Is located approximately 165 miles (266 km) west of Chicago and approximately 164 miles (264 km) northwest of Springfield, Illinois . Moline and its neighboring communities within the Quad Cities form the largest urban area along the Mississippi River between the Twin Cities (Minneapolis-St. Paul) to the north and St. Louis to the south, and are located approximately halfway between them. The area
6084-686: Is now the third largest in the state of Illinois. Other projects include new lofts that opened up in 2011, and the I-74 Corridor Project is planned to build 3 auxiliary lanes from Avenue of the Cities passed 53rd Street in Davenport, with a new I-74 Bridge spanning 4 lanes in each direction, also an observation deck overlooking the Mississippi River . The new I-74 bridge was completed with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on December 1, 2021. In 2012, Western Illinois University-Quad Cities opened
6240-550: Is served by four interstate highways: Interstate 74 (which runs directly through Moline, bisecting it in roughly equal halves), Interstate 280 (which serves as a ring road around the Quad Cities), Interstate 80 (which crosses the Mississippi River a few miles to the northeast of Moline), and Interstate 88 (which begins on the eastern border of the Quad Cities and ends in Hillside, Illinois, near Chicago). According to
6396-579: Is the ninth-most populous in Illinois outside the Chicago metropolitan area . Moline was established in 1843. The name derives from the French moulin meaning "mill [town]". The corporate headquarters of Deere & Company is located in Moline, as was Montgomery Elevator ; its acquirer Kone has its U.S. division headquartered in Moline. Quad City International Airport , Black Hawk College , and
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6552-714: The Battle of Wisconsin Heights . Black Hawk's band was weakened by hunger, death, and desertion, and many native survivors retreated towards the Mississippi. On August 2, U.S. soldiers attacked the remnants of the British Band at the Battle of Bad Axe , killing many and capturing most who remained alive. Black Hawk and other leaders escaped, but later surrendered and were imprisoned for a year. The Black Hawk War gave Abraham Lincoln his brief military service , although he saw no combat. Other participants who would later become famous included Winfield Scott , Zachary Taylor , Jefferson Davis , and James Clyman . The war gave impetus to
6708-697: The Fort Dearborn massacre of 1812, distrusted the Potawatomis and assumed that they would join Black Hawk's uprising. Potawatomi leaders worried that the tribe as a whole would be punished if any Potawatomis supported Black Hawk. At a council outside Chicago on May 1, 1832, Potawatomi leaders including Billy Caldwell "passed a resolution declaring any Potawatomi who supported Black Hawk a traitor to his tribe". In mid May, Potawatomi chiefs Shabonna and Waubonsie told Black Hawk that neither they nor
6864-577: The Indian Creek massacre . In the spring of 1832, Potawatomis living along Indian Creek were upset that a settler named William Davis had dammed the creek, preventing fish from reaching their village. Davis ignored the protests, and assaulted a Potawatomi man who tried to dismantle the dam. The Black Hawk War provided the Indian Creek Potawatomis with an opportunity for revenge. On May 21, about fifty Potawatomis and three Sauks from
7020-672: The Michigan Territory and camped in an isolated place known as the "Island". With the non-combatants secure, members of the British Band, with a number of Ho-Chunk and Potawatomi allies, began raiding settlers. Not all Native Americans in the region supported this turn of events; most notably, Potawatomi chief Shabonna rode throughout the settlements, warning settlers of the impending attacks. The initial raiding parties consisted primarily of Ho-Chunk and Potawatomi warriors. The first attack came on May 19, 1832, when Ho-Chunks ambushed six men near Buffalo Grove, Illinois , killing
7176-671: The Moline Plowboys played minor league baseball at Browning Field . The Plowboys played primarily in the Three-I League . Such notable future Major Leaguers as Rube Ehrhardt , Peanuts Lowrey , Claude Passeau and Eddie Waitkus played for the Plowboys, whose team president for three years was Warren Giles , later inducted in the National Baseball Hall of Fame . Moline's Vibrant Arena at The MARK
7332-543: The War of 1812 . Keokuk was not a chief, but as a skilled orator, he often spoke on behalf of the Sauk civil chiefs in negotiations with the Americans. Keokuk regarded the 1804 treaty as a fraud, but after having seen the size of American cities on the east coast in 1824, he did not think the Sauks could successfully oppose the United States. The Americans knew Keokuk was for peace and would not wage war against them. For this reason,
7488-542: The original Quad City Mallards and a newer Quad City Mallards , the Quad City Flames , and the Quad City Storm . In the late 1990s, John Deere Commons was built, a multimillion-dollar entertainment and tourism complex containing a hotel, restaurants, offices, a John Deere Collector's Center (located in a re-created 1950s John Deere dealership), the John Deere Store, and the John Deere Pavilion ,
7644-410: The 1831 agreement made with General Gaines prohibited a return to Saukenuk, but did not forbid the Sauks from moving to Prophetstown. Now, instead of telling Black Hawk to turn back, Wabokieshiek told him that, as long as the British Band remained peaceful, the Americans would have no choice but to let them settle at Prophetstown, especially if the British and the area tribes supported the band. Although
7800-592: The 19th century, historian Lyman Draper argued that the Black Hawk War could have been avoided had Forsyth remained as the agent to the Sauks . In 1830, violence threatened to undo American attempts at preventing intertribal warfare. In May, Dakotas ( Santee Sioux ) and Menominees killed fifteen Meskwakis attending a treaty conference at Prairie du Chien. In retaliation, a party of Meskwakis and Sauks killed twenty-six Menominees, including women and children, at Prairie du Chien in July 1831. American officials discouraged
7956-604: The 2010 census, the city has a total area of 16.66 square miles (43.1 km ), of which 16.43 square miles (42.6 km ) (or 98.62%) is land and 0.23 square miles (0.60 km ) (or 1.38%) is water. Through the Neighborhood Partnership Program, the City of Moline has established nine city-sponsored neighborhood associations and is working to form more. These associations assist their residents by organizing neighborhood clean-up days, participating in
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#17327799157428112-579: The 260 eager militiamen not yet federalized to continue further as scouts, the cautious Whiteside insisted on waiting for Atkinson at the settlement. Dixon's Ferry had actually been established in 1826 by Ogee, of half-native ancestry, where the wagon trail connecting Peoria to the lead mines in Galena crossed the Rock River; settlers had established cabins along the Peoria/Galena trace and at the crossing, so that by 1829 its post office served settlers up
8268-462: The Americans gave him many gifts, hoping to bribe Keokuk into moving across the Mississippi into Iowa. The American plan succeeded when Keokuk and a majority of the tribe decided to leave. However, about 800 Sauks—roughly one-sixth of the tribe—chose instead to resist American expansion. Black Hawk , a war captain who had fought against the United States in the War of 1812 and was now in his 60s, emerged as
8424-561: The Americans. Ho-Chunks in Wisconsin were more divided. Some bands, remembering their loss to the Americans in the 1827 Winnebago War , decided to stay clear of the conflict. Other Ho-Chunks with ties to the Dakotas and Menominees, most notably Waukon Decorah and his brothers, were eager to fight against the British Band. Most Potawatomis wanted to remain neutral in the conflict, but found it difficult to do so. Many settlers, recalling
8580-514: The Army of the Frontier's three brigades. Abraham Lincoln, for example, reenlisted as a private in an independent company that was taken into federal service. Henry Dodge , a Michigan territorial militia colonel who would prove to be one of the best commanders in the war, fielded a battalion of mounted volunteers that numbered 250 men at its strongest. The overall number of militiamen who took part in
8736-453: The Black Hawk War provided an opportunity for some Natives to resume a war that had nothing to do with Black Hawk. After having displaced the British as the dominant outside power following the War of 1812, the United States had assumed the role of mediator in intertribal disputes. Before the Black Hawk War, U.S. policy discouraged intertribal warfare. This was not strictly for humanitarian reasons: intertribal warfare made it more difficult for
8892-432: The British Band attacked Davis's settlement, killing, scalping, and mutilating fifteen men, women, and children. Two teenage girls from the settlement were kidnapped and taken to Black Hawk's camp. A Ho-Chunk chief named White Crow negotiated their release two weeks later. Like other Rock River Ho-Chunks, White Crow was trying to placate the Americans while clandestinely aiding the British Band. News of Stillman's defeat,
9048-524: The British Band by force. Some historians have agreed, arguing that Atkinson could have prevented the outbreak of war with more decisive action or astute diplomacy. Cecil Eby charged that "Atkinson was a paper general, unwilling to proceed until all risk had been eliminated". Kerry Trask, however, argued that Atkinson was correct in believing that he did not yet have enough troops to stop the British Band. According to Patrick Jung, leaders on both sides had little chance of avoiding bloodshed at this point, because
9204-449: The British Band intended to reoccupy Saukenuk, while others said that the destination was Prophetstown. According to historian Kerry Trask, "even Black Hawk may not have been sure where they were going and what they intended to do". As the British Band moved into Illinois, American officials urged Wabokieshiek to advise Black Hawk to turn back. Previously, the Winnebago Prophet had encouraged Black Hawk to come to Prophetstown, arguing that
9360-420: The British Band posed. Reynolds, who was eager for a war to drive the Indians out of the state, responded as Atkinson had hoped: he called for militia volunteers to assemble at Beardstown by April 22 to begin a thirty-day enlistment. The 2,100 men who volunteered were organized into a brigade of five regiments under Brigadier General Samuel Whiteside . Among the militiamen was 23-year-old Abraham Lincoln , who
9516-475: The British Band traveled with armed guards as a security precaution, Black Hawk was probably hoping to avoid a war when he reentered Illinois. The presence of women, children, and the elderly indicated that the band was not a war party. Although the return of Black Hawk's band worried U.S. officials, they were at the time more concerned about the possibility of a war among the Native American tribes in
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#17327799157429672-424: The British Band was camped near the Rock River rapids, at present Hustisford, Wisconsin . Dodge and James D. Henry set out in pursuit from Fort Winnebago on July 15. The British Band, reduced to fewer than 600 people due to death and desertion, headed for the Mississippi River as the militia approached. The Americans pursued them, killing and scalping several Native stragglers along the way. On July 21, 1832,
9828-503: The British Band was hostile, mobilized a frontier militia and opened fire on a delegation from the Native Americans on May 14, 1832. Black Hawk responded by successfully attacking the militia at the Battle of Stillman's Run . He led his band to a secure location in what is now southern Wisconsin and was pursued by U.S. forces. Meanwhile, other Native Americans conducted raids against forts and colonies largely unprotected with
9984-480: The British Band was in Illinois , and that most of the Meskwakis he wanted to arrest were now with the band. Like other American officials, Atkinson was convinced that the British Band intended to start a war. Because he had few troops at his disposal, Atkinson hoped to get support from the Illinois state militia. He wrote to Governor Reynolds on April 13, describing—and perhaps purposely exaggerating—the threat that
10140-603: The British would come to his aid. Without British supplies, adequate provisions, or Native allies, Black Hawk realized that his band was in serious trouble. By some accounts, he was ready to negotiate with Atkinson to end the crisis, but an ill-fated encounter with Illinois militiamen would end all possibility of a peaceful resolution. General Samuel Whiteside 's militia brigade had been mustered into federal service at Rock Island under General Atkinson in late April, and divided into four regiments (commanded by Colonels John DeWitt, Jacob Fry, John Thomas, and Samuel M. Thompson), and
10296-496: The Cure , the Quad City Marathon, and the Lighting of the Commons. Since the late 2000s to the early 2010s, Moline has seen growth in its downtown area. The current projects include a new nine-story building for Kone Elevator's American Headquarters (formerly Montgomery Elevator) and its nearly 250 Quad Cities ' area employees. The building opened in August 2012, and also has a combination of active and passive energy strategies includes an array of 1365 distributed solar panels, which
10452-444: The Frontier". The army consisted of 629 regular army infantrymen and 3,196 mounted militia volunteers. The militia was divided into three brigades commanded by Brigadier Generals Alexander Posey , Milton Alexander , and James D. Henry . Since many men were assigned to local patrols and guard duties, Atkinson had only 450 regulars and 2,100 militiamen available for campaigning. Many more militiamen served in units that were not part of
10608-399: The Great Lakes towards Chicago, his men started getting sick from cholera, with many of them dying. At each place the vessels landed, the sick were deposited and soldiers deserted. By the time the last steamboat landed in Chicago, Scott had only about 350 effective soldiers left. On July 29, Scott began a hurried journey west, ahead of his troops, eager to take command of what was certain to be
10764-423: The Indian Creek massacre, and other smaller attacks triggered panic among the settlers. Many fled to Chicago , then a small town, which became overcrowded with hungry refugees. Many Potawatomis also fled towards Chicago, not wanting to get caught in the conflict nor be mistaken for hostiles. Throughout the region, settlers hurriedly organized militia units and built small forts. After Stillman's defeat on May 14,
10920-469: The Indian warriors followed their own leaders, Atkinson placed the force under the nominal command of William S. Hamilton , a militia colonel and a son of Alexander Hamilton . Hamilton would prove to be an unfortunate choice to lead the force; historian John Hall characterized him as "pretentious and unqualified". Before long, the Indians became frustrated with marching around under Hamilton and not seeing any action. Some Menominee scouts remained, but most of
11076-412: The Menominees from seeking revenge, but the western bands of the tribe formed a coalition with the Dakotas to strike at the Sauks and Meskwakis. Hoping to prevent the outbreak of a wider war, American officials ordered the U.S. Army to arrest the Meskwakis who massacred the Menominees. General Gaines was ill, and so his subordinate, Brigadier General Henry Atkinson , received the assignment. Atkinson
11232-698: The Moline Airport, opened in 1926 and later provided commercial air service to Chicago and St. Louis . With federal funds from the Works Progress Administration , the Iowa-Illinois Memorial Bridge , a single-span, two-lane highway bridge built for automotive traffic, was concluded between Moline and Davenport in 1935 and quickly became the preferred method for interstate transit. A bustling retail sector emerged in downtown Moline, anchored by merchants like
11388-426: The Natives eventually left Hamilton and fought the war on their own terms. In June 1832, after hearing that Atkinson was forming a new army, Black Hawk began sending out raiding parties. Perhaps hoping to lead the Americans away from his camp at Lake Koshkonong, he targeted areas to the west. The first major attack occurred on June 14 near present-day South Wayne, Wisconsin , when a band of about 30 warriors attacked
11544-647: The New York Store, Sears & Roebuck, and JC Penney. The economic reliance on the farm implement industry continued as Deere & Company emerged to become the largest agricultural machinery company in the world. Colonel Charles Deere Wiman, the President of Deere & Company, re-affirmed Deere's commitment to the Quad-Cities region by building several new factories in Moline, East Moline, Silvis , and Milan in Illinois and Davenport in Iowa. Moline witnessed
11700-615: The Old Country to join them in America. The 1910 census showed the Tri-Cities metro area to have the second highest per-capita income in the United States. By the 1920s and 1930s, the appearance of East Moline in Illinois and Bettendorf in Iowa reflected the further growth and diversification of the region. Moline emerged as a retail, transportation, and cultural hub on the Illinois side of the river. The first metropolitan airfield,
11856-540: The Quad Cities campus of Western Illinois University-Quad Cities are located in Moline. It is a retail hub for the Illinois Quad Cities, as South Park Mall and numerous big-box shopping plazas are located in the city. Moline's downtown serves as one of the civic and recreational hubs of the region as many events take place at the 12,000-seat Vibrant Arena at The MARK and at John Deere Commons. Indigenous peoples of varying cultures inhabited areas along
12012-806: The Riverside Family Aquatic Center and to a busy baseball and tennis complex; Prospect Park, home to the Quad City Music Guild; and the Green Valley Sports Complex. The Department also maintains the Ben Butterworth Parkway, a four-mile (6 km)-long scenic trail along the Mississippi River running between downtown Moline to the west and East Moline to the east. The Channel Cat Water Taxi and the Celebration Belle,
12168-584: The Rock and Mississippi rivers as ideal for farming and fishing. By the early 19th century, this once peaceful area became a site of violent confrontations between European-American settlers, arriving in greater numbers and encroaching on Native American land, and the Sauk and Fox tribes. In 1832 Chief Black Hawk declared war on the United States, initiating the Black Hawk War . When the war ended later that year, Black Hawk and his people were forced to leave
12324-478: The Sauks promised to remain west of the Mississippi and to break off further contact with the British in Canada. In late 1831, Neapope , a Sauk civil chief, returned from Fort Malden and told Black Hawk that the British and the other Illinois tribes were prepared to support the Sauks against the United States. Why Neapope made these claims, which would prove to be unfounded, is unclear. Historians have described Neapope's report to Black Hawk as "wishful thinking" and
12480-415: The Sauks that they should vacate Saukenuk and their other settlements east of the Mississippi. The Sauks were divided about whether to resist implementation of the disputed 1804 treaty. Most Sauks decided to relocate west of the Mississippi rather than become involved in a confrontation with the United States. The leader of this group was Keokuk , who had helped defend Saukenuk against the Americans during
12636-519: The U.S. policy of Indian removal , in which Native American tribes were pressured to sell their lands and move west of the Mississippi River to reside. In the 18th century, the Sauk and Meskwaki (or Fox) Native American tribes lived along the Mississippi River in what are now the U.S. states of Illinois and Iowa . The land they lived on was considered sacred because of the fertile soil, prime hunting, accessibility to lead, and access to water, which
12792-457: The United States to acquire Indian land and move the tribes to the West, a policy known as Indian removal , which had become the primary goal by the late 1820s. U.S. efforts at mediation included multi-tribal treaty councils at Prairie du Chien in 1825 and 1830 , in which tribal boundaries were drawn. Native Americans sometimes resented American mediation, especially young men, for whom warfare
12948-447: The absence of the militia. Some Ho-Chunk and Potawatomi warriors took part in these raids, although most tribe members tried to avoid the conflict. The Menominee and Dakota tribes, already at odds with the Sauks and Meskwakis, supported the United States. Commanded by General Henry Atkinson , the U.S. forces tracked the British Band. Militia under Colonel Henry Dodge caught up with the British Band on July 21 and defeated them at
13104-483: The area and go north, paving the way for more European-American settlers to enter the Mississippi Valley. In 1837, David B. Sears and a group of associates built a 600-foot (180 m) stone-and-brush dam across Sylvan Slough, thereby connecting the southern bank of the Mississippi River to what is today called Arsenal Island . The dam not only served as an access road between the island's settlements and
13260-463: The area, but no real diversification of local industry occurred; Moline remained steadfastly dependent on the farm implement industry for its economic solvency, a dependency that later proved disastrous. In 1989, a region-wide comprehensive plan called "Quad-City Visions for the Future" summed up the area's problems well. "Growth has been so that the Quad-Cities population is split almost equally between
13416-403: The average family size was 2.97. In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 24.0% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.9 males. The median income for a household in
13572-521: The bulk of Moline's workforce. Soon other Moline-based companies became known around the country for their products. These include Dimock, Gould, and Co., Moline Pipe Organ Co., and Moline Furniture Works, to name a few. In addition, several pioneering automobile companies operated in the city, among them Moline Automobile Company , Moline Wagon Company, Stephens (a marque of the Moline Plow Company ) and Velie Motors Corporation . During
13728-607: The call of "John Deere Town" by the conductor. The railroad connected the region to the national economy, ending its previous isolation, and ensured the future success of the area. Manufactured goods were increasingly transported over rail instead of by water. Moline's founding fathers were primarily ambitious industrialists from New England . David B. Sears came to Moline from the Northeast by way of Cairo, Illinois , and Atkinson, John W. Spencer, and Spencer H. White, other prominent founding men, were also New Englanders. They brought
13884-495: The census of 2010, there were 43,977 people, 19,032 households, and 11,594 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,805.7 inhabitants per square mile (1,083.3/km ). There were 19,487 housing units at an average density of 1,249.2 per square mile (482.3/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 86.2% White , 4.6% African American , 0.2% Native American , 3.5% Asian , 3% from other races , and 2.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.4% of
14040-401: The city did not suffer during the 1950s and 1960s, those decades marked a departure from the city's earlier trajectory of unceasing upward growth. The zoning ordinance drawn up in 1929 predicted a population of 70,000–80,000 for Moline in 1980, but Moline actually only attained 45,000 by that year. The primary problem for Moline, and the Quad-Cities at large, in this period was the area's lack of
14196-596: The city did, and by 1915 there were over 45 miles (72 km) of paved city streets and 75 miles (121 km) of sidewalks. Recognizing a need for more recreational space, Riverside Park was established in 1902 near present-day 34th Street on the waterfront, and the Tri-City Railway Company opened Prospect Park in the southern part of the city in 1911 as an amusement park. The widespread prosperity attracted wave upon wave of immigrants, and Moline's immigrant workers often sent for their extended families in
14352-402: The city was $ 47,970, and the median income for a family was $ 59,292. Males had a median income of $ 36,586 versus $ 24,711 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 26,710. About 3.1% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.1% of those under age 18 and 2.1% of those age 65 or over. According to the City's 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,
14508-543: The crime watch program, planning social activities, and other activities. Notable neighborhoods include Moline's downtown, now known as Moline Centre, which is a historic area bounded approximately by 12th and 34th Streets and the Mississippi River and 6th Avenue. The area is home to Moline's City Hall, its original, and now vacant, Carnegie-sponsored public library, and other civic institutions. Other neighborhoods include Floreciente, Olde Towne, Uptown, Overlook, Karsten's Park, Wharton (home to Wharton Field House which gives
14664-428: The expedition as a major general of militia. On May 10, the militia marching up the Rock River in pursuit of the British Band reached Prophetstown (about 35 miles from their starting point at the confluence). Rather than wait per Atkinson's plan, they burned White Cloud's empty village, and proceeded about 40 miles upriver to Dixon's Ferry, where they waited for Atkinson and his troops. Although Reynolds wanted to allow
14820-508: The extension of Interstate 74 through the city and across the river on the Iowa-Illinois Memorial Bridge in 1974, an infrastructure improvement that made Moline's downtown more accessible and brought thousands of commuters and travelers through Moline each day. Though most civic leaders and journalists had been optimistic-–one reporter claimed "almost every indicator of economic, population, and civic growth points to
14976-416: The fact that Moline's potential for growth is greater than ever . . . especially in its now readily accessible downtown . . ." – there was no stopping the dawn of the age of strip retailing. Perhaps the greatest problem befalling Moline in the second half of the 20th century was the farm crisis of the 1980s. Moline's economic vitality was sapped as the agricultural crisis crippled the farm implement industry,
15132-432: The force which had shaped the development of Moline since the city's earliest days. Plant after plant laid off workers by the thousands, and unemployment in the area soared to twice the national average. Even Deere & Company moved most of its factory operations out of Moline, though it maintained its world headquarters in Moline in a specially commissioned building that was designed by Eero Saarinen . The LeClaire Hotel,
15288-403: The habit of saying one thing to the Indians and putting another thing down on paper." Black Hawk was determined to hold onto Saukenuk, a village at the confluence of the Rock River with the Mississippi, where he lived and had been born. When the Sauks returned to the village in 1829 after their annual winter hunt in the west, they found that it had been occupied by squatters who were anticipating
15444-440: The hastily constructed Apple River Fort , near present-day Elizabeth, Illinois . Local settlers, warned of Black Hawk's approach, took refuge in the fort, which was defended by about 20 to 35 militiamen. The Battle of Apple River Fort lasted about forty-five minutes. The women and girls inside the fort, under the direction of Elizabeth Armstrong , loaded muskets and molded bullets. After losing several men, Black Hawk broke off
15600-510: The inventor of the self-scouring steel plow, relocated his steel plow company from Grand Detour, Illinois , to Moline. At the time, Moline had a population of only a few hundred, mostly involved in work at the mill. Despite Moline's small size, Deere saw several promising elements there: Moline's dam and coal deposits would provide a good source of power; Moline was near the other well-established towns of Stephenson (later renamed Rock Island) in Illinois and Davenport in Iowa; and Moline's access to
15756-525: The joint city becoming the largest in the state. As local leaders sat down to discuss consolidation, however, disputes arose, with the most important being which city would subsume the other. As the county seat and earliest settlement on the Illinois side, Rock Island argued that it should annex Moline; Moline, being more prosperous and better known nationally, wanted to keep its name. Other points of conflict included that Moline did not want to have to assume any of Rock Island's public debt; Rock Island feared that
15912-429: The land, and that they would not have sold so much valuable territory for such a modest price. Historian Patrick Jung concluded that the Sauk and Meskwaki chiefs intended to cede a little land, but that the Americans included more territory in the treaty's language than the Natives realized. According to Jung, the Sauks and Maskwacis did not learn the true extent of the cession until years later. The 1804 treaty allowed
16068-582: The large Catholic population of Moline. It has the highest enrollment of any elementary and middle school in the Quad Cities as well as in the Catholic Diocese of Peoria. The school is supported by the Moline parishes of Sacred Heart, Christ the King, and St. Mary's. Black Hawk War The Black Hawk War was a conflict between the United States and Native Americans led by Black Hawk ,
16224-553: The largest employers in the city are: The John Deere Pavilion at John Deere Commons contains exhibits celebrating the history of the agricultural implements industry in the Midwest and showcases a variety of past and present John Deere plows, tractors , combines, and other machinery. The LeClaire Hotel is the tallest building in Moline. Official Historical Landmarks are determined by the Moline Historic Preservation Commission and updated on
16380-595: The last few decades of the 19th century, Moline had continued prosperity, expansion of the city to the southwest, west, and east along the Mississippi river, and a stronger relationship with neighboring communities. Consolidation talks began again with Rock Island, but failed as the two cities quarreled over which would acquire the other. By 1880, Moline had 7,800 residents, and by 1890 there were 12,000. Rock Island kept pace with 8,500 and 13,000 people respectively. New jobs were created primarily in Moline in this era. Several improvements in construction and urban planning led to
16536-409: The leader of this faction in 1829. Like Keokuk, Black Hawk was not a civil chief, but he became Keokuk's primary rival for influence within the tribe. Black Hawk had actually signed a treaty in May 1816 that affirmed the disputed 1804 land cession, but he insisted that what had been written down was different from what had been spoken at the treaty conference. According to Black Hawk, the "whites were in
16692-400: The location of thoroughfares, the selection of sites for schools and parks, the design and development of residential areas, and the location of business and industrial areas. The customary 'grid' type subdivision planning so common to most Midwestern cities is impractical of adaptation when looking at a map of the present city. Some streets . . . have been dedicated but never improved because of
16848-418: The mainland, but it provided water power for a mill which Sears built to saw wood, grind corn, and card wool. The water power generated by the dam attracted many industrialists. Over the next seven years, a number of factories sprouted up along the shoreline. A factory town was platted in 1843 on the Illinois shore under the working name of "Rock Island Mills". The name did not stick. When Charles Atkinson, one of
17004-406: The major landowners in the area, was offered the choice of naming the town Moline ("City of Mills", from the French moulin , as suggested by a local surveyor P.H. Olgilvie) or Hesperia (meaning "Star of the West"), he chose Moline. The town of Moline was incorporated on April 21, 1848 under Illinois state law and granted a charter for a trustee form of government. The same year, John Deere ,
17160-425: The merger. After the Civil War , the population of Moline continued to grow. The street grid was expanded to the east and west along the shoreline and to the south up the bluffs. There was a severe housing shortage; few men were rich enough to invest in real estate other than what they could afford to build for themselves, and few incoming workers had sufficient funds to build a home. Nevertheless, Moline's expansion
17316-491: The militiamen and some of Black Hawk's warriors were spoiling for a fight. Meanwhile, Black Hawk learned that the Ho-Chunk and Potawatomi tribes were less supportive than anticipated. As in other tribes, different bands of these tribes often pursued different policies. The Ho-Chunks who lived along the Rock River in Illinois had family ties to the Sauks; they cautiously supported the British Band while trying not to provoke
17472-400: The militiamen caught up with the British Band near present-day Sauk City, Wisconsin . To buy time for the noncombatants to cross the Wisconsin River, Black Hawk and Neapope confronted the Americans in a rear guard action that became known as the Battle of Wisconsin Heights . Black Hawk was desperately outnumbered, leading about 50 Sauks and 60 to 70 Kickapoos against 750 militiamen. The battle
17628-436: The natives, which had previously prompted a raid by Black Hawk to destroy the whiskey. This time, underbrush had grown to impede the militiamen from landing, so the next day the militia tried to assault Saukenuk itself, only to find that Black Hawk and his followers had abandoned the village and recrossed the Mississippi. On June 30, Black Hawk, Quashquame , and other Sauk leaders met with Gaines and signed an agreement in which
17784-511: The neighborhood its name), Hamilton Heights, Wildwood, Prospect Park, Park Hill, Forest Hill, Highland, Villa Park, Green Acres, Molette, Rockview Estates, Homewood (home to the Playcrafter's Barn Theater ), Heritage Park, Stewartville, Deerview, and Walton Hills. Typical of the northern half of Illinois, Moline experiences a humid continental climate ( Köppen Dfa ) with hot, humid summers and cold, moderately snowy winters; precipitation
17940-442: The new river front campus, an $ 18.2 million first phase of the project has 60,000 square feet, making it the only college campus along the Mississippi River . It includes 14 classrooms and four meeting/conference rooms. Western Illinois University-Quad Cities continued to grow its presence and list of educational opportunities they provide with the completion of Phase II in 2014. The $ 38 million, five interconnected buildings doubled
18096-656: The official City of Moline Historic Landmarks website . Some of the notable Historic Landmarks include, The Moline Public Library, located in downtown Moline, and the John Deere House, located at 1217 11th Avenue. Moline was home to the Tri-Cities Blackhawks , a professional basketball team that evolved into what is today the Atlanta Hawks . The Blackhawks played at Wharton Field House from 1946 to 1951. For 27 seasons between 1914 and 1948,
18252-450: The performance of his men, cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of disbanding. Most of Whiteside's brigade disbanded at Ottawa, Illinois , on May 28. About 300 men, including Abraham Lincoln, agreed to remain in the field for twenty more days until a new militia force could be organized. As Whiteside's brigade disbanded, Atkinson organized a new force in June 1832 that he dubbed the "Army of
18408-447: The plight of Black Hawk's people misled Atkinson into thinking that the British Band was still at Lake Koshkonong. While Atkinson's men were trudging through the swamps and running low on provisions, the British Band had in fact relocated miles to the north. Potawatomis under Billy Caldwell also managed to demonstrate support for the Americans while avoiding battle. In mid-July, Colonel Dodge learned from métis trader Pierre Paquette that
18564-408: The population. There were 19,032 households, out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.8% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.3% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and
18720-479: The product of a "fertile imagination". Black Hawk welcomed the information, though he would later criticize Neapope for misleading him. He spent the winter in an unsuccessful attempt to recruit additional allies from other tribes and from Keokuk's followers. According to Neapope's erroneous report, Wabokieshiek ("White Cloud"), a shaman known to Americans as the "Winnebago Prophet", had claimed that other tribes were ready to support Black Hawk. Wabokieshiek's mother
18876-454: The record coldest maximum temperature is −12 °F (−24 °C) on January 18, 1994 and January 29, 1966, while the record warmest minimum is 84 °F (29 °C), set the same day of the record high. Temperatures reach 100 °F (38 °C) only several years per decade, and −20 °F (−29 °C) readings are even rarer; the last occurrence of each was July 25, 2012 and January 31, 2019. The average window for freezing temperatures
19032-496: The region. Most accounts of the Black Hawk War focus on the conflict between Black Hawk and the United States, but historian John Hall argues that this overlooks the perspective of many Native American participants. According to Hall, "the Black Hawk War also involved an intertribal conflict that had smoldered for decades". Tribes along the Upper Mississippi had long fought for control of diminishing hunting grounds, and
19188-466: The regulars and militia continued up the Rock River to search for Black Hawk. The militiamen became discouraged at not being able to find the British Band. When they heard about the Indian raids, many deserted so that they could return home to defend their families. As morale plummeted, Governor Reynolds asked his militia officers to vote on whether to continue the campaign. General Whiteside, disgusted with
19344-399: The river allowed home construction to proceed further up the bluff, and the electric streetcars allowed Tri-Citians to live in one community and shop or work in another. Moline's streetcar system, the state's first and only the nation's third, was also Illinois's best for a number of years, with a minimal five-cent fare and an extensive coverage area. The state's first garbage collection system
19500-422: The river as far as Rockford. On May 12, learning that Black Hawk's band was only twenty-five miles away, eager militiamen led by Major Isaiah Stillman left Whiteside's encampment, making another camp on a tributary of the Rock River later named Stillman Valley after him. Seeing a small party of natives with a red flag, Major Samuel Hackelton and some men pursued without waiting for orders, and Hackelton killed
19656-505: The river over thousands of years, using it for transportation, water and fishing. According to the Rock Island County Historical Society, the first more permanently settled inhabitants of the Moline area are thought to be the Sauk and Meskwaki Indians, who founded the village of Saukenuk in 1720 along the Rock River not far from its confluence with the Mississippi. This tribe saw the land between
19812-632: The river would make shipping goods cost-efficient. As Deere expanded his factories, Moline grew in area and population. Charles Atkinson and others successfully lobbied the federal government to get the first transcontinental railroad to pass through Moline and to cross the Mississippi over Arsenal Island . The railroad, which arrived in 1854, carried thousands of immigrants – at that time mostly Swedish , Belgian , and German, reflecting areas of economic problems in Europe – to Moline's borders. The immigrants, most of whom knew little or no English, responded to
19968-406: The sale of land. After months of clashes with the squatters, the Sauks left in September 1829 for the next winter hunt. Hoping to avoid further confrontations, Keokuk told Forsyth that he and his followers would not return to Saukenuk. Against the advice of Keokuk and Forsyth, Black Hawk's faction returned to Saukenuk in the spring of 1830. This time, they were joined by more than 200 Kickapoos ,
20124-577: The siege, looted the nearby homes, and headed back towards his camp. The next day, June 25, Black Hawk's party encountered a militia battalion commanded by Major John Dement . In the Second Battle of Kellogg's Grove , Black Hawk's warriors drove the militiamen inside their fort and commenced a two-hour siege. After losing nine warriors and killing five militiamen, Black Hawk broke off the siege and returned to his main camp at Lake Koshkonong. This would prove to be Black Hawk's last military success in
20280-560: The size of available facilities at WIU-Quad Cities. The campus addition houses academic programs and services from the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Education and Human Services, and Fine Arts and Communication, and also includes the other programs and services from the former WIU-QC 60th Street campus, including the library, WQPT-Quad Cities public television and classes offered through the Quad Cities Graduate Study Center. More projects are being planned, all
20436-428: The southwestern part of the city. Belgian immigrants came predominantly to work in the fledgling auto industry in Moline, Velie Motors , founded by a Deere relative. For a time, Moline had the second largest Belgian population in the country after Detroit. Swedish immigrants continued to be drawn to Deere & Company, with John Deere as leader continuing to hire new employees in droves until his death in 1886. In 1883
20592-411: The state militia provide a mounted battalion. Illinois governor John Reynolds had already alerted the militia; about 1,500 volunteers turned out. Meanwhile, Keokuk convinced many of Black Hawk's followers to leave Illinois. On June 25, 1831, Gaines sent troops to Vandruff Island across from Saukenuk. The island had been named for a farmer and trader who operated a ferry, as well as sold liquor to
20748-408: The successive waves of immigrants from France, Germany, Sweden, Belgium, Eastern Europe, and most recently, Mexico. Events such as the annual Greek Cultural Festival at John Deere Commons , Rolle Bolle tournaments at Stephen's Park, and "Viva! Quad~Cities" all reflect Moline's diverse heritage. Downtown Moline also plays host to events of regional importance such as Taste of the Quad Cities, Race for
20904-403: The tallest building in Moline and a longtime symbol of the city's wealth and prestige, closed its doors. The 1990 census showed a population loss for the city for the second straight decade. In the 1990s, Moline began staging a comeback through the redevelopment of its riverfront. Deere & Company demolished its vacant riverfront factories and donated the land to the city so that it could build
21060-579: The topography and the excessive cost of construction." The layout of the city was significantly improved by the approval of the city's first zoning ordinance and the creation of a Zoning Board in 1929. Moline became the first Illinois city outside the Chicago area to adopt this tool of urban planning. The zoning board, in its preliminary report, released the following statement: "Generally speaking, [the new zoning ordinance] will tend to promote public health, safety, comfort, morals, and welfare. Specifically, it
21216-405: The town's founders struggled to maintain their positions of authority. Moline was re-chartered as a city under a mayor/aldermanic form of government on April 21, 1872, and John Deere, the longtime resident and entrepreneur, was defeated by Daniel Wheelock, a newcomer, for the first mayorship. Belgian and Swedish immigrants began arriving in a huge influx, settling into a neighborhood on the bluffs in
21372-402: The trends of industrial expansion and the end of the age of immigration, Moline's population stagnated throughout the mid-to-late-20th century, settling in the 40,000–45,000 range, where it remains today. The central retail district gradually closed down as the area's first shopping malls opened in the early 1970s, pulling business away from downtown. This southward trend in retail occurred despite
21528-404: The tribes to continue using the ceded land until it was sold to American colonists by the U.S. government. For the next two decades, Sauks continued to live at Saukenuk , their primary village, which was located near the confluence of the Mississippi and Rock Rivers . In 1828, the U.S. government finally began to have the ceded land surveyed for colonists. Indian agent Thomas Forsyth informed
21684-543: The two states. This is an unusual growth pattern on major rivers that form state boundaries ... . Further complicating the economic and political arenas is the fact that there are five contiguous cities in the Iowa Quad-Cities and eight in the Illinois Quad-Cities. Quad-Cities fragmentation historically has been raised as a major community liability by many different groups and individuals . . . . It
21840-606: The war is not precisely known; the total from Illinois alone has been estimated at six to seven thousand. In addition to organizing a new militia army, Atkinson also began to recruit Native American allies, reversing the previous American policy of trying to prevent intertribal warfare. Menominees, Dakotas, and some Ho-Chunks bands were eager to go to war against the British Band. By June 6, agent Joseph M. Street had assembled about 225 Natives at Prairie du Chien. This force included about eighty Dakotas under Wabasha and L'Arc, forty Menominees, and several bands of Ho Chunks. Although
21996-453: The war's final campaign, but he would be too late to see any combat. General Atkinson, who learned in early July that Scott would be taking command, hoped to bring the war to a successful conclusion before Scott's arrival. The Americans had difficulty locating the British Band, however, thanks in part to false intelligence given to them by area Native Americans. Potawatomis and Ho-Chunks in Illinois, many of whom had sought to remain neutral in
22152-446: The war, decided to cooperate with the Americans. Tribal leaders knew that some of their warriors had aided the British Band, and so they hoped that a highly visible show of support for the Americans would dissuade U.S. officials from punishing the tribes after the conflict was over. Wearing white headbands to distinguish themselves from hostile Natives, Ho-Chunks and Potawatomis served as guides for Atkinson's army. Ho-Chunks sympathetic to
22308-442: The war. With his band running low on food, he decided to take them back across the Mississippi. On June 15, 1832, President Andrew Jackson , displeased with Atkinson's handling of the war, appointed General Winfield Scott to take command. Scott gathered about 950 troops from eastern army posts just as a cholera pandemic had spread to eastern North America. As Scott's troops traveled by steamboat from Buffalo, New York , across
22464-566: Was a Ho-Chunk (Winnebago), but his father had belonged to a Sauk clan that provided the tribe's civil leaders. When Wabokieshiek joined the British Band in 1832, he would become the ranking Sauk civil chief in the group. His village, Prophetstown , was about thirty-five miles up the Rock River from Saukenuk. The village was inhabited by about 200 Ho-Chunks, Sauks, Meskwakis, Kickapoos, and Potawatomis who were dissatisfied with tribal leaders who refused to stand up to American expansion. Although some Americans would later characterize Wabokieshiek as
22620-496: Was a lopsided victory for the militiamen, who lost only one man while killing as many as 68 of Black Hawk's warriors. Despite the high casualties, the battle allowed much of the British Band, including many women and children, to escape across the river. Black Hawk had managed to hold off a much larger force while allowing most of his people to escape, a difficult military operation that impressed some U.S. Army officers when they learned of it. The Battle of Wisconsin Heights had been
22776-588: Was a middle-aged officer who had ably handled administrative and diplomatic tasks, most notably during the 1827 Winnebago War , but he had never seen combat. On April 8, he set out from Jefferson Barracks in Missouri, moving up the Mississippi River by steamboat with about 220 soldiers. By chance, Black Hawk and his British Band had just crossed into Illinois. Although Atkinson did not realize it, his boats passed Black Hawk's band. When Atkinson arrived at Fort Armstrong on Rock Island on April 12, he learned that
22932-453: Was also developed in Moline in 1894. In this time, the municipal administration bureaucracy first began to grow, with departments created for sanitation, public works, utilities, and recreation. New public buildings also were constructed; the first public library came in 1873, the YMCA was built in 1885, and Moline Public Hospital opened in 1896. In the midst of steady growth and changing times,
23088-524: Was an important avenue of social advancement. The situation was complicated by the American spoils system . After Andrew Jackson assumed the U.S. presidency in March 1829, many competent Indian agents were replaced by unqualified Jackson loyalists, argues historian John Hall. Men like Thomas Forsyth , John Marsh , and Thomas McKenney were replaced by less qualified men such as Felix St. Vrain . In
23244-584: Was clean, well maintained, and prosperous, and unlike Rock Island and Davenport, contained no slums, congestion, or red-light districts. Despite the occasional conflicts between native-born and immigrant leaders, the Puritanical, serious temperament of the city had not changed in the half-century since Moline's founding. The city became known as "Proud Moline" to its neighbors, a somewhat derisive nickname that touched on Moliners' sometimes haughty, holier-than-thou attitude. The electric streetcar system expanded as
23400-415: Was elected captain of his company. After Atkinson's arrival at Rock Island on April 12, 1832, he, Keokuk, and Meskwaki chief Wapello sent emissaries to the British Band, which was now ascending the Rock River. Black Hawk rejected the messages advising him to turn back. Colonel Zachary Taylor , a regular army officer who served under Atkinson, later stated that Atkinson should have made an attempt to stop
23556-408: Was generally an orderly affair. The street grid remained a set of rectangular blocks, and though no zoning commission or local authority directly oversaw construction, the unwritten code of carpenters, masons, and citizens kept the city a well-planned place. Temperance societies and lyceums joined other reform movements and social organizations in prominence within the community. The quality of life
23712-399: Was generally regarded as quite good: "The laboring men of Moline are among the most prosperous to be found in the country. Instead of spending their spare earnings in saloons and dram shops, they carefully hoard them and in a few years a little home of their own is the result." Over time, John Deere expanded operations into other agricultural equipment, and Deere-affiliated factories employed
23868-620: Was helpful for trade. The two tribes had become closely connected after having been displaced from the Great Lakes region in conflicts with New France and other Native American tribes, particularly after the so-called Fox Wars ended in the 1730s. By the time of the Black Hawk War, the population of the two tribes was about 6,000 people. As the United States colonized westward in the early 19th century, government officials sought to buy as much Native American land as possible. In 1804, territorial governor William Henry Harrison negotiated
24024-406: Was laid out in an orderly initial grid of sixteen square blocks with streets named after the primary landowners of the time. The New Englanders chose not to install a town common or park along the river, as they thought the space would be better used for industrial purposes. Many of these founders clearly envisioned a " Lowell on the Mississippi", after a major industrial city of Massachusetts; Moline
24180-523: Was marketed as a " Lowell of the West" to potential investors and immigrants. As Moline grew around its mills and factories, and as its neighbor to the west, Rock Island, continued to grow at a similar pace, the neighboring towns ran up against one another's borders relatively quickly. In the mid-19th century, articles about "consolidation" were a daily feature in the Moline Workman and the Rock Island Advertiser ; city leaders dreamed of
24336-502: Was the first real American victory in the war, and helped restore public confidence in the volunteer militia force. On the same day of Dodge's victory, another skirmish took place at Kellogg's Grove in present-day Stephenson County, Illinois . American forces had occupied Kellogg's Grove in an effort to intercept war parties raiding to the west. In the First Battle of Kellogg's Grove , militia commanded by Adam W. Snyder pursued
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