Fort Armstrong Theatre (Circa 21)
Third Avenue & 19th Street Its given name was the “Fort Armstrong Theatre” and it was called the “Castle That Shadows Built.” The shadows, of course, referred to the silent movies that were shown there. Later it was named simply “The Fort.” Now it is “Circa 21,” named for 1921, the year the theatre first … [ Continued
First Brick Building in Rock Island
209 15th Street When this postcard, captioned “First Brick Building Erected in Rock Island About the Year 1840,” was published in the early 1900s, the historic store building was still a point of pride. Greg Binder shared this postcard, but the picture has been reproduced many times over the years, even though the building is … [ Continued
Second Avenue West from 18th Street
Second Avenue is the undisputed heart of downtown Rock Island, both historically and today. It has been the destination of shoppers, tipplers, and travelers, of salesmen, milliners, attorneys and blacksmiths. Historically, the commercial area extended from 15th to 20th Streets. West of 15th Street the avenue was residential, while east of 20th Street, the Chicago, … [ Continued
Mill Store
300-02 Fourth Avenue The Mill Store, featured on this postcard, notes that it contains drygoods, shoe, and grocery departments. In city directories, the Mill Store also indicated that it sold hardware here, at its outlet on the southeast of Third Street and Fourth Avenue. All these items and many more were offered in a space … [ Continued
