Rock Island Arsenal
About this property
The Rock Island Arsenal comprises 946 acres (383 ha) located on Arsenal Island, originally known as Rock Island, on the Mississippi River between the cities of Davenport, Iowa, and Rock Island, Illinois. It is home to the United States Army First Army Headquarters, and the United States Army Center of Excellence for Additive Manufacturing. Historically, the indigenous Sauk people used Rock Island as their summer camp site. Encroaching European Americans coming into the area disputed the claim of tribal ownership, and competition between the peoples led to the Black Hawk War of 1832, named for Black Hawk, the primary leader of the Sauk. In 1816, the federal government authorized the army to build Fort Armstrong here, to protect shipping on the river in the aftermath of the War of 1812 with Great Britain. Decades after the Civil War, in the 1880s, the army established a foundry and armory here, manufacturing both military equipment and ordnance. In 1919–1920, one hundred of the Anglo-American or Liberty Mark VIII tanks were manufactured there, although too late for World War I. The base is now the largest government-owned weapons manufacturing arsenal in the United States. In 1988, the Arsenal was designated a National Historic Landmark. At the turn of the 20th century, it manufactured both ordnance and leather accoutrements and field gear, for an army that still relied on horses for transportation and cavalry. Today, it provides manufacturing, logistics, and base support services for the United States Armed Forces. The Arsenal is the only active U.S. Army foundry, and manufactures ordnance and equipment, including artillery, gun mounts, recoil mechanisms, small arms, aircraft weapons sub-systems, grenade launchers, weapons simulators, and a host of associated components. Some of the Arsenal's most successful products include the M198 and M119 towed howitzers, and the gun mount for the M1 Abrams, main battle tank for the Army since the 1980s. About 250 military personnel and 6,000 civilians are employed there. The population from the 2020 census was 182 people.
Location
Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Questions about this property
When was Rock Island Arsenal listed on the National Register?
Rock Island Arsenal was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 29, 1969.
What type of historic resource is Rock Island Arsenal?
Rock Island Arsenal is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.
Is Rock Island Arsenal a National Historic Landmark?
Yes. Rock Island Arsenal has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.
What is the period of significance for Rock Island Arsenal?
The period of significance for Rock Island Arsenal is recorded as the early_republic era.
Can I research the history near Rock Island Arsenal?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Rock Island Arsenal will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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