Rock Island County, Illinois Genealogy Trails A Walking Tour of 1918 Government Housing Olof Z. Cervin, Architect; Rock Island Historical and Architectural Walking Tours Funded by the City of Rock Island and Federal funds provided by the U.S. Department of the Interior and administered by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, 1990 This brochure was prepared by Linda L. Anderson. 12pages. Data here abstracted and transcribed by Candi Horton, ©Dec. 2006,   1918 Government Housing During World War I the employment at the  Rock Island Arsenal rose to 13,400 with more new employees and their families moving to the area. Thus creating a need for more housing. Olof Cervin and his partner Ben Horn wanted to work with the U.S. Housing Corporation to meet this housing need. They drew up plans and went to Washington, D.C.. They returned with a contract to build 400 homes in the Rock Island, Moline and East Moline. The builders were Henry W. Horst and Company of Rock Island. The construction took place during the winter of 1918. By March 8, 1919 the job was nearly complete. In early 1919 there were 200 buildings containing 217 housing units in Rock Island; total cost $671,241. Each home had at least two bedrooms with each living unit had its own front porch. Even though it has not been documented, it is believed that the C structures were Cervin designs, H structures Horn design and D structures were double houses. The structures were of eight different designs and ranged from $2, 935. to $5, 671. Seventeen of the houses were two family designs designated as D-1 and D-2. These two story houses cost $5,553 each to build. The rest of the buildings were a combination of four, five, six room cottages and houses. Fifteen four room cottages, C-1, were built at a cost of $2,935. each. Twenty-nine houses, C-2, built at a cost of $3,000. each. Forty-five, C-3, at a cost of $3,400. each. Twenty-five type H-1 costing $2,964. each. Twenty-eight, H-2, costing $3,172. each. Forty-one type H-3 at a cost of $3,204. each. The houses on the walking tour are: 3204 16th Ave. 3228 16th Ave. 4404 17th Ave. 3913 18th Ave. - This is a two story, three bedroom. 4009 18th Ave. - It has a gambrel roofline and shed dormers. 4013 18th Ave. - Variation on the Dutch Colonial style. 4105 18th Ave. - Several of these two family homes remain in the neighborhood. 1537 39th St. 1553 39th St. 1548 40th St. - This is a  Dutch Colonial style architecture. 1505 40th St. 1537 40th St. 1545 41st St. - Two story, box-like shape 1519 41st St. 1500 41st St. - Built as a one story with room for a second story expansion.   A second neighborhood of WWI housing remains between 15th and 18th Avenues and 33rd St. BACK Rock Island County, Illinois Genealogy Trails History Group is a Volunteer Organization Dedicated to providing FREE access to Historical and Genealogical Data. © 2006 - 2008 byGenealogy Trails -  All Rights Reserved - With full rights reserved for original submitters.