Rock Island Arsenal facts for kids

Rock Island Arsenal
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark District
Rock Island Arsenal, Quarters 1 (Building 301)
Location in Illinois Show map of Illinois Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Rock Island, Illinois
Built	1832
Architect	General Thomas J. Rodman et al.
Architectural style	Greek Revival, Italianate
NRHP reference No.	69000057
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	September 30, 1969
Designated NHLD	June 7, 1988

Rock Island Military Prison
Part of American Civil War prison camps
Union prison at Rock Island, during the American Civil War, circa 1863–1865
Type	Union Prison Camp
Site information
Owner	U.S. Government
Controlled by	Union Army
Open to the public	No
Site history
In use	December 1863-July 1865
Battles/wars	American Civil War
Garrison information
Occupants	Union soldiers, Confederate prisoners of war

Rock Island in the pre-arsenal years, following the Black Hawk War of 1832, with a view of the U.S. Army post Fort Armstrong, circa 1839

Perspective drawing of the prison for Confederate soldiers at Rock Island, 1864

The Rock Island Arsenal is a large military base located on an island in the Mississippi River. This island, originally called Rock Island, sits between Davenport, Iowa, and Rock Island, Illinois. It covers about 946 acres (383 hectares). Today, it is home to important parts of the United States Army, including the First Army Headquarters. It is also a special center for making things with new technologies like 3D printing.

Long ago, the Sauk Native Americans used this island as their summer home. But as European Americans moved into the area, they argued over who owned the land. This led to the Black Hawk War in 1832, named after the Sauk leader Black Hawk.

In 1816, the U.S. government built Fort Armstrong on the island. This fort helped protect river travel after the War of 1812. Later, in the 1880s, the army started making military equipment and weapons here. For example, in 1919–1920, they built 100 Mark VIII tanks, though they were finished too late for World War I. Today, Rock Island Arsenal is the largest government-owned factory for weapons in the United States. Because of its important history, it was named a National Historic Landmark in 1988.

At the start of the 1900s, the arsenal made weapons and also leather gear for the army, which still used horses for travel. Now, it helps the U.S. Armed Forces by making things, handling supplies, and supporting the base. It is the only active U.S. Army factory that makes metal parts. It produces many items, including artillery, gun mounts, recoil mechanisms, small arms, and grenade launchers. Some of its most famous products include the M198 and M119 howitzers, and parts for the M1 Abrams tank. About 250 military members and 6,000 civilians work here. In 2020, 182 people lived on the island.

History of Rock Island Arsenal

From 1816 to 1862, the island was known as Fort Armstrong. Before that, Native American groups lived here for thousands of years. They chose the island because it was a great spot along the Mississippi River.

The United States took control of the island in 1804 through a peace treaty with the Fox and Sac Tribes. The U.S. Army did not use the island much until the War of 1812. After that war, in 1814, the army sent an expedition to use the island as a guard post. This helped them control river traffic and watch over local Native American tribes.

Black Hawk wrote in his story: "When we arrived we found that the troops had come to build a fort on Rock Island...We did not object, however, to their building their fort on the island, but were very sorry, as this was the best one on the Mississippi, and had long been the resort of our young people during the summer. It was our garden, like the white people have near their big villages, which supplied us with strawberries, blackberries, gooseberries, plums, apples and nuts of different kinds."

Civil War Prison Camp

During the American Civil War, the army turned some buildings into a prison camp in 1863. The first Confederate prisoners arrived in December of that year. These first 468 prisoners were captured in battles near Chattanooga, Tennessee. Soon, more than 5,000 Confederate prisoners were held at Rock Island. They lived in 84 barracks, with about 100 prisoners in each.

A total of 41 Confederate prisoners managed to escape from the prison. Many more tried but could not get past the strong currents of the Mississippi River.

Sadly, 1,964 Confederate prisoners and 125 Union guards are buried in the nearby military cemetery. Most of these men died from diseases because living conditions were very basic. They also faced very hot summers and freezing winters. In 1864, serious smallpox outbreaks quickly spread through the prison.

The prison camp was open from December 1863 until July 1865, when the last prisoners were set free. After the war, the prison buildings were completely taken down. During its two years, the prison held more than 12,400 Confederate soldiers.

Other historical places nearby include the Confederate Cemetery, the Rock Island National Cemetery, old stone workshops, and the site of the first railroad bridge built across the Mississippi. After the war, the government kept the island and developed it into the arsenal and manufacturing center we know today.

Women's Role in History

During World War I, the demand for war supplies grew a lot. This meant factories needed more skilled workers. Many men were drafted into the army, so women were hired to fill these jobs at the arsenal. This was sometimes called the "women draft" because they stepped in to keep factories running.

At Rock Island Arsenal, the number of female employees jumped from 175 in 1914 to 300 in 1917. This was a big change, especially since women did not yet have the right to vote. Women were extremely important to the success of the U.S. war effort in World War I. They played a key role in making products at Rock Island Arsenal.

Key Moments in Time

Here are some important dates in the history of Rock Island Arsenal:

• 1809: The U.S. Congress officially made the island a federal military area.
• 1816: Fort Armstrong was built on the island.
• 1818: George Davenport, an army supplier, set up a trading post.
• 1832: The island served as the U.S. Army's main base during the Black Hawk War.
• 1833: George Davenport's large house was built.
• 1836: Fort Armstrong was no longer actively used, but the island remained a place to store military supplies.
• 1845: George Davenport was killed by a group of criminals known as the Banditti of the Prairie.
• 1856: The first railroad bridge was built across the Mississippi River here.
• 1862: The Rock Island Arsenal, as we know it today, was officially created by Congress.
• 1862: Major Charles P. Kingsbury became the first commanding officer of Rock Island.
• 1863-1865: The Rock Island Prison Barracks were built to hold Confederate soldiers.
• 1865: Brevet Brigadier General Thomas J. Rodman became the second commanding officer. He is often called the "Father of Rock Island Arsenal" for his important work.
• 1867: The Clock Tower Building was built. It is still used today as offices for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
• 1871: The first military homes were built on Rock Island. One, called Quarters One, is a huge house (20,000 square feet) and one of the largest government homes in the U.S.
• 1872: The first Government Bridge was built across the Mississippi River. It replaced the railroad bridge that had been destroyed by a steamboat.

Rock Island Arsenal Museum

The Rock Island Arsenal Museum opened on July 4, 1905. It is the second-oldest U.S. Army Museum in the country, after the West Point Museum. The museum has closed twice, during World War I and World War II, to make more room for manufacturing military supplies.

The museum's exhibits tell the story of Rock Island Arsenal. They cover the Union prison camp during the American Civil War and the island's role as a military factory. The museum has the second-largest collection of small weapons in the U.S. Army. It also has an outdoor display of military vehicles.

You can see many different types of military equipment at the museum, including:

• Various howitzers (large artillery guns) from different time periods.
• Recoilless rifles and anti-aircraft guns.
• Machine gun turrets.
• Different models of tanks, like the M4 Sherman from World War II.
• Self-propelled anti-tank guns and howitzers.
• Rocket launchers and missiles.
• Anti-tank guns from World War II.