ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — Crews continue to clear the site of the former Rock Island County Courthouse, according to a release from Rock Island County Board chairman Richard Brunk.
Contractors have been improving the site with concrete work and grading of the property. The property has been dubbed "Historic Courthouse Square."
In the coming weeks, native trees will be planted by Living Lands and Waters and grass seed will be laid down.
Brunk says that other improvements such as benches, new signage, and lighting are in the works, as well as the refurbishment of the war memorials and monuments. Work will continue on the Civil War monument from 1869.
Some stones were salvaged from the 1897 courthouse and will be worked into some future design plans.
The land, right off the foot of the Centennial Bridge, was deeded to the county by a presidential land grant in 1841 by President John Tyler.
"When the square is complete, I think that the citizens of the county and our region will be quite proud of it. I think that it will be a good entry point to our county and the City of Rock Island," Brunk said in an interview with News 8.
"I think that the residents of the county are going to be really pleased with the final product. I think it'll be a source of community pride. It'll be something that will be very respectful of our County's history and our region's history," Brunk said.
Work will continue over the next several months. Demolition of the building began in April 2023.