Fort Armstrong Theater, Rock Island, IL – 31 AUG 2012

As I leave Illinois and my job with the Army, I have one last gem to share:

Built in 1920 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

The Fort Armstrong Theater (commonly called Fort Theater) opened on January 19, 1921 with the silent movie Midsummer Madness.

In stead of the standard organ player, they had a ten piece orchestra to accompany the film.

The tree-story Art Deco building was designed by Rock Island architectural firm of Cervin and Horn and the Chicago Brawn and Ermling.

The polychrome terra cotta reliefs were designed specifically for the theater by Rudolph Sandberg and produced by the Midland Terra cotta Company of Chicago.

Above you can see the swastika motif which was used by some Native American tribes and was found in excavations of the Mississippian-era.

Since 1977, it has been occupied by the dinner theater group called Circa ’21. All their meals are prepared on-site and the same people who serve the meals (Bootleggers) also perform the show.

In addition, they have a concert series that has brought in some big name performers over the years. Here's their website: Link to Circa '21 

Rock Island Arsenal Museum, IL - JUL 2012

Rock Island Arsenal is our nation’s largest government owned and operated arsenal. 

Located on a 946-acre island in the Mississippi River between Illinois and Iowa. In 1969, the arsenal was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. There are several 1870’s brick buildings, the museum is located in one of them.

When you first walk into the museum you are greeted by this magnificent taxidermied bird with a typewriter written note in all caps: BALD EAGLES OFTEN SPEND THE WINNER MONTHS ALONG THIS PART OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. THIS PARTICULAR EAGLE IS A FEMALE. SHE DIED OF NATURAL CAUSES AND OLD AGE AT A LOCAL ZOO.

Above is a model of Rock Island Arsenal’s early manufacturing complex and surrounding buildings. It consisted of ten stone shops, a water power plant, and homes for the officer’s.  It is believed to have been the model on display in the Government Building at the 1876 International Exhibition in Philadelphia.

TW Wants a Cannon Teeter Totter Ride

Being an arsenal, there were several displays of weapons...all made on the island.

Fallen Comrades

This museum had the largest display of guns and rifles, across all periods of time…this wall display, was over 100 feet long and then turned the corner for another 30 feet.

 “The forerunners of the flintlock ignition system were invented simultaneously in Spain and Holland in the late 1500’s. The flintlock first appeared in France around 1610 and was widely adopted in Europe by 1650. It was the primary ignition system for weapons until the mid 1800’s."

On the left is a standard issue World War I helmet and on the right is a Regimental dress helmet; the banner translates: WITH GOD FOR KING AND FATHERLAND.

Model 1917 Helmet with Patch-Style Camouflage

Gulf War: Bulgarian Decontamination Kit

“Wall guns filled the tactical gap between hand-held firearms and cannon. They were mounted on the tops of fortification walls by means of the yoke attached to the stock. The guns were then easily aimed in all directions despite their considerable weight. This example weighs 50 pounds. This wall gun was made around 1776 at Rappahannock Forge.”

TW Says "Fire"

On the horse below is a Model 1916 Artillery Harness manufactured at Rock Island.

TW on 75mm Pack Howitzer – Carriage M8E1 manufactured by Rock Island Arsenal:

They had an activity room where adults and children could try on cloths of the Civil War era as well as modern uniforms.

I have driven by this structure and thought it was part of the original fort:

It’s actually a reproduction of part of Fort Armstrong (1816-1939):

Rock Island Arsenal has been an active manufacturer of military equipment since the 1880s and currently employs 6,000 people.

Colonel Davenport Historic Site, Rock Island, IL - JUL 2010

Back View

Tinky Winky Visits Back Yard Model

TW on Real Front Porch

His Federal Style house built in 1833, is made of logs with pine clapboards as the finish. Later the East and West wings were added using standard frame construction. 

View from Front Steps

This was a small but impressive museum. I had a personal guide who walked me through the house giving me descriptions of all items and the history of the Colonel.

TW Finds Playmates

On the left: sugar came in a cone and you used a special tool to remove a chunk. On the right: Celery was a Victorian delicacy that  required its' own custom crystal vase.

The mirror over the fireplace was for reflecting light, that is why it is hung high and made of a poor quality glass. Small mirrors of high quality were called a looking glass.

Lace curtains acted as window screens helping to keep flies outside.

Not feeling well, the Colonel stayed home, on July 4^th, 1845, while everyone attended the big Independence Day celebration. A gang of robbers chose that day to rob his house, thinking the place would be empty and there would be a large sum of money in the safe. Wrong on both counts, they were surprised by Davenport. They shot him in the leg, forced him to open safe where there was only a small amount of money. They dragged the Colonel into his bedroom, beat him unconscious and left him for dead. Some fishermen heard his calls for help and rushed to bring his family and a doctor back from the Fourth of July picnic. Colonel Davenport had a photographic memory which allowed him to give a thorough description of the robbers including the serial numbers of the stolen bills. His injuries were so severe, he died later that night.

There was an impressive fur trade display in the second bedroom.

A buck was worth one credit and a smaller doe was half that value. This is why a dollar is called a buck.

Blankets used in trade were marked with lines to represent their value. On the left a ruff blanket is worth 3 bucks and a doe while the smooth blanket on the right is worth 4 bucks.

When George Davenport set up his home, he had the Army move his family from back East, a wife, twenty years older and her two children.

Surprisingly, it was the daughter, his own age, who later became the mother of his two children. Sounds like George found a clever way to have the Army, which only moves immediate family members, move his extended family (mother and brother in-law).