Postcards From Home



Villa de Chantal

16th Avenue at 21st Street  The Villa de Chantal, pictured in this circa 1912 postcard, served as a Catholic boarding and day school from 1901 to 1978.  It was the … [ Continued



St. Mary’s School & Convent

5th Avenue & 22nd Street  St. Mary’s, the oldest Catholic Church in Rock Island County, celebrated its 150th Anniversary in 2001.  Founded in 1851 by Rev. George Alleman, it was … [ 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. … [ Continued



House at 1103 2nd Avenue

It’s a quiet street, a nice, tree-shaded street – and it could be anytown USA.  But this postcard is a view of 2nd Avenue looking east from 11th Street as … [ Continued



Rock River Dam

Rock River Near 11th Street Although the postcard labels this the Water Power Dam, most of us call it the Sears Dam, sometimes the Sears Power Dam.  It’s located in … [ Continued



Ferry T. J. Robinson

 “It is man’s natural inclination to walk to the edge of any body of water and look out upon its surface.”  So begins a 1902 story of the ferryboats that … [ Continued



Ransom R. Cable Residence

918 Second Avenue  He was the son of one wealthy man, Hiram C. Cable, and the nephew of another, Philander Cable, yet Ransom R. Cable started his working life as … [ 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 … [ Continued