Rock Island County Court House - Rock Island IL
Posted by: 
kJfishman
N 41° 30.582 W 090° 34.765
15T E 702005 N 4598169
Rock Island County Court House - Rock Island IL
Waymark Code: WMCJNR
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 09/13/2011
Views: 6
UPDATE: This historical building has been demolished. (
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The Rock Island County Court House, Rock Island IL was completed in in 1896 for $125,000. You can hardly get a small single family home for that price today. The Court House grounds is graced with the Ventilator Cowl from the U.S. battleship Maine along with other war memorials including Civil War memorials.
"As Rock Island County grew it was soon apparent that extensive improvements and additions to the court house would be necessary. This rehabilitation would have cost the county so much money that it seemed to the wise men quite the wrong thing to do, but rather appeal to the people to decide at the polls whether or not it was their desire to bear the expense of a new and modern building. Supervisor Joseph Fitzpatrick of Milan championed the movement. He introduced a resolution at the April term, 1893, calling for a committee to investigate the needs of the county and the probable cost of a new court house, to report to the board at the July meeting, with recommendations as to the time and money necessary to erect such a court house as would compare with the wealth and progress of the county.
This committee composed of Supervisor Joseph Fitzpatrick, A. F. Vinton, James G. Britton and Conrad Schneider made a favor-able report and thought $125,000 would be about the right amount!
An election was held November 6, 1894, and the proposition to issue bonds to the amount of $125,000 was carried by tie following vote: For the proposition to issue bonds, 3,913; against proposition, 2,174; majority for said proposition, 1,739 . Accordingly the contract was let, Charles J. Larkin winning.. Work on the foundation commenced June 26, 1895, and October 1, 1896 the corner stone was laid. The arrangements being in charge of the Old Settlers' Association.." Source (
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