ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — A historical centerpiece of the Rock Island Arsenal is open for visitors.
On Thursday, May 2, the Colonel Davenport House opened for the 2024 season. Colonel George Davenport owned the home, and according to historians, it was the first permanent house in Rock Island, making him one of the area's earlier settlers. The house is located on the north end of Arsenal Island, and the Colonel Davenport Historical Foundation hopes to welcome many visitors to the region.
"The George Davenport House represents a key part of our Quad Cities history," Colonel Dan Mitchell of the Rock Island Arsenal said. "George Davenport came here in 1816 and he came out here with Fort Armstrong to support the soldiers here as an Army contractor. His mission and his legacy live on today."
Tours of the historic home are available Thursday to Saturday every week from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors are required to have a federal ID card or visitor pass to access the house. In order to receive a visitor pass, tourists must stop at the Visitor Welcome Center from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. with their Real ID and their Social Security Number. Residents without a Real ID can alternatively submit two photo IDs.