The History of Rock Island in Post Cards Postcards were originally printed in the Rock Island Argus and Moline Dispatch, 2001 and are reprinted with permission United Presbyterian/Wayman AME Church This is one of a series of postcards depicting local churches that was published by the Rock Island Postcard Company early in the twentieth century. It shows what may be Rock Island's oldest remaining church building, certainly the oldest recognizable one. It was built in 1873 on the southwest corner of 14th Street and 3rd Avenue. At that time, there were three Presbyterian churches within walking distance of the courthouse as well as others located elsewhere in the city. Each congregation met a special need - some were ethnic (there was a German Presbyterian church), others reflected social disagreements (some congregations had divided because of opposing views on slavery). It is reported that Suzanne Denkmann Hauberg attended Sunday school in this building. The early congregation was apparently quite conservative, as Mrs. Hauberg said, "They sank Psalms, not hymns, and they were opposed to musical instruments in their church service." When more liberal members installed an organ, she reported that at least one member left. United Presbyterians later moved to a new church on the corner of 18th Avenue and 24th Street where they remain today. They sold their old building to the Wayman AME congregation in 1947. Wayman AME Church has occupied this historic building since that time. Brick detailing frames the window areas and eaves, creating strong shadow lines that provide visual delight. These shadows are very pronounced on the postcard photograph. The simple round arched windows are typical of the Italianate style, and are similar to those used on homes during this time. Notice the keystones above the windows- these are not just decorative, they are structural, acting as a wedge to keep the arch from collapsing. The front window is a bit fancier than the others, with wooden tracery creating a pattern of smaller arches within the larger arch. Notice, too, the beautiful wooden ornament in the gable, as well as the rooftop finial. Unfortunately, this fragile feature has succumbed to time. However even today there remains wood trim carved in a rope pattern around the entrance, while the date of 1873 is still visible above the door. Rock Island had several brickyards in the mid 1800s, and most brick was made locally. As a result, many of Rock Island's oldest buildings are constructed of solid brick. Years later, many were painted. While the paint may have been an aesthetic choice, frequently paint was necessary, for reasons which lies in the nature of brick itself as well in as the way bricks are mortared together to create walls. A brick, especially a very old one, is much like a loaf of good European bread: It has a hard crust on the outside and is soft on the inside. The hardness of the crust and the softness of the interior is the result of the manufacture and firing (or baking, just like the bread) of the brick. Brick that was fired at a high temperature for a long time would be much harder. Brick is durable as long as the outer crust is intact. But damage to this crust can result from weathering - rain and wind blown erosion - or from chipping of the surface during the freeze-thaw cycle when water penetrates the mortar joints. Once the crust is disturbed, additional erosion can be very rapid. Thus once some deterioration of the surface occurred, owners usually painted in an attempt to recreate the outer crust and hence protect the wall. Unfortunately, sometimes the wrong kind of paint actually accelerated deterioration, because it sealed the brick too effectively and didn't allow moisture vapor to pass through. Modern sealers, which can be substituted for paint, are transparent and breathable, but they must be reapplied every two or three years. The lesson in all this? Don't disturb the surface of old brick - especially by sandblasting or other abrasive cleaning methods. And É.. if the surface has been damaged or eroded, protect it with paint or a sealer that is suitable for vintage brick. United Presbyterian/Wayman AME Church is a very simple, sturdy yet highly detailed structure. Although built without ostentation it was and remains a beautiful, even elegant, building. And since it is still a church, it is appropriate to recall the words attributed to architect Mies van der Rohe, who was world renowned for his modern stripped-down International Style. In architecture, according to Mies, "God is in the details." God was definitely in the details of this church when it was built - and still is present. Submitted by the Rock Island Preservation Society Back to the Postcard Index Page St. Anthony's Hospital Doesn't the building on this postcard look familiar? We've all driven up 30th Street and seen St. Anthony's Hospital - now St. Anthony's Continuing Care Center. There have been additions, but we can still see this old building fronting 30th Street. Right? Wrong! Although today's St. Anthony's may remind us of this postcard photo, there's a big difference. The postcard building is long gone and what stands today is the result of many additions and subtractions to and from the original building over its lifetime. It was born to save lives, but St. Anthony's grew with a life of its own. In 1891, Father Thomas Mackin, pastor of St. Joseph's church, invited the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls, Minnesota to start a hospital here. At the time, there were only inadequate private medical facilities. A hospital that was open to the public and that would serve both Rock Island and Moline was desperately needed. The sisters didn't arrive until 1893, and they immediately opened their first hospital in a 10-room brick house that was purchased from Thomas McEniry. The property also contained 2 acres and had 175 feet of frontage on 30th Street. The hospital was such a success that within a year it proved too small. An addition was being constructed, but a fire burned it to the ground before it was occupied. Undeterred and with great community financial support, especially from their contractor Mathias Schnell, another 35 bed addition was quickly opened in 1895. That 1895 construction is the left and center portion of the building on our postcard. It contained an elevator and the operating room was on the top floor. The original hospital/house was converted to a convent. St. Anthony's quickly outgrew its new building and in 1903 another 60-bed addition - the right section on our postcard - was completed at a cost of $18,000. The sisters also purchased another house adjacent to their property that they called an Old People's Home. Little changed for another 15 years - our card was postmarked 1916 - but during the influenza epidemic of World War I, a temporary frame building was erected to accommodate another 40 beds. Finally, after the war ended, a very large wing was added in 1920 to the north, which had been the site of the Old People's Home. That wing was demolished in 1989, but the lower portions of the walls were saved and the interior area was converted to open meeting areas and gardens. Over the years there were other additions and changes, many of which were hidden behind the main structure or were inside, including a chapel, laundry facilities, and nurses dormitory. In 1937, the 1894 part of the postcard building was demolished for a new $225,000 addition. By the late forties, it was curtains for the 1903 addition as well, demolished when construction began for a larger 80-bed addition to the south. That 5-story addition, which also contained operating and delivery rooms, was not completed until late in 1953. This marked the last significant expansion of the hospital. At its maximum size, St. Anthony's accommodated 240 patient beds. In 1972, the hospital operations were transferred to the new and larger Franciscan Medical Center, now Trinity Medical Center West Campus. Once the transfer was complete, the old hospital was converted into the Continuing Care Center, still operated by the Franciscan Sisters, that opened in 1974. So what do we see today when we pass St. Anthony's? The walled gardens, that were part of the 1920 addition, the 1938 addition in the center (this is the section with round-topped windows and recessed areas) that reminds us of the postcard), and the 1954 south addition, which is very simple with few windows. But there is one part of the old hospital that has not changed one whit from the postcard - and maybe it was even there when the site was just Thomas McEniry's house. That's the limestone retaining wall that runs next to the sidewalk. Back to the Postcard Index Page YMCA Building Postmarked in 1912, this postcard shows the YMCA - Young Men's Christian Association - building that was located on the southwest corner of 3rd Avenue and 19th Street. Its style is Richardsonian Romanesque, as were many of Rock Island's early schools, and it was designed by the same local architect who designed those schools - E. S. Hammatt. Excavation for the foundation began in 1889, but it took until 1891 to open four rooms. Construction proceeded slowly because it was necessary to raise funds by subscription, which took a great deal of time. The building was finally dedicated in 1894, thanks to over 650 donations, ranging from 25 cents to $5000. Old Lincoln School (7th Avenue at 22nd Street) was completed about the same time, and shares many similarities with the YMCA, especially the square tower, the massive stone entry arches, and the high stone foundation. The interior layout of the building is interesting by modern standards. A gymnasium was located in the basement, while the main floor contained reading and reception rooms, as well as the YMCA office. The second floor held the YMCA hall. Several rooms were also rented for private offices, likely to help defray operating costs. The YMCA movement was formed in 1844 in London, England, by young businessmen in an attempt to combat the idleness which led to gambling and drinking in other young men. The YMCA was intended to provide an alternative to such activities - a place for Bible studies and prayer meetings. YMCAs proved very popular in England and, by 1851, began to open in the United States. Although founded primarily for passive pursuits, the latent energy of its young patrons probably necessitated a change in the scope and variety of YMCA pastimes. Late in the 19th century, buildings with gymnasiums, swimming pools, and auditoriums, as well as libraries and hotel-type rooms were erected by many local YMCAs. Unfortunately for our postcard YMCA, it was functionally obsolete even before it was completed. A YMCA instructor in Massachusetts invented a version of basketball in 1891. It involved elements of football, soccer, and hockey, and the first ball used was a soccer ball. Teams had nine players, and the goals were wooden peach baskets affixed to the walls. Volleyball was invented a bit later in 1895, also by a YMCA leader. The basement gymnasium in our YMCA would not have been high enough to accommodate these games as they evolved. The final straw for our YMCA was likely in 1906, when the national YMCA launched its first Water Safety and Learn-to-Swim campaign. How could a swimming pool be added to this building? The limitations of this beautiful building for athletics finally led to construction of a new YMCA building, at the corner of 20th Street and 5th Avenue, which was occupied in 1913. For the subsequent six years, this old YMCA was rented to the Marron Manufacturing Company and the Electric Construction and Machinery Company, both of which had the same officers. The companies had no respect for the building: A 1915 photo shows that the tower has been removed and a huge sign hung in its place. Ironically, although the Richardsonian Romanesque style was intended to convey stability, strength and endurance, it took only a 25 year lifespan for our YMCA to fall to the wrecking ball in September 1919. Nobody cared about this building, and the site had been purchased for a new theatre, to be known as the Fort Armstrong Theatre. But that's another postcard. Submitted by the Rock Island Preservation Society Back to the Postcard Index Page Villa de Chantal The Villa de Chantal pictured in this circa 1912 postcard served as a Catholic boarding and day school from 1901 to 1978. It was the vision of an order of cloistered nuns known as the Sisters of the Visitation who came to Rock Island from Kentucky, bringing with them a convent bell that would become a recognizable feature to the residents of central Rock Island for decades. The Sisters of Visitation came to Rock Island in 1898 and opened an academy on 5th Avenue. The school was very successful and within two years it was clear that more space was needed. A bluff top piece of property was purchased and the process of raising funds for a new school began. The Gothic Revival style building pictured here was actually built in 2 sections. The oldest section is to the far left of the picture. It housed classrooms and living quarters for both the students and the Sisters. Within five years the enrollment at the school had grown to 60 boarders and it was time for the large second section of the building to be built. It contains the ornate central entrance to the building along with a chapel, library, classrooms and private rooms for the boarders. Now the original structure would serve as the living quarters for the Sisters. In future years there would be further expansion adding an additional classroom wing and a chaplain's bungalow. The first two buildings of the Villa de Chantal were designed by Rock Island architect, George P. Stauduhar. Stauduhar is known for his eclectic designs of homes, business structures and even steamboat interiors in the Quad Cities area. But he gained his wider midwest reputation through his design of Gothic churches. Over two hundred were constructed in the upper Mississippi River valley. The Sisters of the Visitation continued to operate the Villa de Chantal as a boarding school until 1958 and a day school until 1978. In the early 1990's the complex was sold and today there are again the voices of young students ringing through the halls. The building at 2000 16th Avenue is home to Morningstar Academy. It is also available for parties or receptions. The Villa de Chantal is a designated Rock Island local landmark. Back to the Postcard Index Page