Rock Island County (Images of America)

By: David T. Coopman

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Synopsis: The history of Rock Island County, once known as the "farm implement capital of the world," starts well before that industry sprung up on the Mississippi River at a point where the river runs east to west. Fur trading, farming, mining, milling, and lumber all played a key role in the county's formation. As the railroad moved west, the first rail bridge over the Mississippi at Rock Island created a transportation hub and furthered the area's process of industrialization. This volume of vintage pictures looks at the county from the early 1800s, prior to its creation, through the mid-1960s. It illustrates the rich rural influence of the settlements, villages, and townships; the development of the cities and their industries, businesses, and educational and cultural centers; and how the people who worked the fields and factories made use of and enjoyed their leisure time.