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| Rock Island Arsenal Museum posted [Dec 21,] 1904, the first Rock Island Arsenal-produced Model 1903 Springfield Rifle, Serial No. 1, was accessioned into the collection of the Rock Island Arsenal Museum. The main production for the rifle was in Shop B (Building 60) where the Museum is located today. Serial No. 1 will be on display when the Museum reopens in the Summer of 2023. Mike Judd: Apparently Springfield Armory also has a serial number 1 https://www.thefirearmblog.com/.../the-first-springfield.../ Douglas Vanatta: Mike Judd there were a couple of other manufacturers and they probably also have a serial number 1. Friends of Springfield Armory National Historic Site: Mike Judd https://youtu.be/gxUK5wezZbA |
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| 1 of 14 photos posted by Rock Island Arsenal Museum The Rock Island Arsenal Museum opened [July 4] in 1905 and is the Army's second oldest Museum. Originally called, The Ordnance Museum at Rock Island Arsenal, the Museum was located in Building 102 until after WWII when it was relocated to it's current location in Building 60. |
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| Retro Quad Cities posted Arsenal Clock Tower |
Where was this fort?
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| Retro Quad Cities posted 1911 Postcard of the Rock Island Arsenal's Fort Armstrong 1816-1836 |
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| Retro Quad Cities posted 1908 Rock Island Arsenal Interior of Golf House |
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| Retro Quad Cities posted 1912 Arsenal Gun Yard |
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| Retro Quad Cities posted 1910 Rock Island Arsenal Canons confiscated from the Mexican War |
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| Retro Quad Cities posted April 4 1938 Arsenal "worker looks over guns sent to Rock Island Arsenal for repair.. Reconditioning of arms, leather goods etc., is chief job of Rock Island Arsenal" |
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| Retro Quad Cities posted 1940-US-Army-Guns-Anti-Aircraft-Rock-Island Armory |
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| 10:55 video @ 0:25 Illinois Adventure #1501 "Rock Island Arsenal Museum" As the largest government-owned weapons manufacturing arsenal in the western world, the Rock Island Arsenal (RIA) provides manufacturing, logistics, and base support services for the Armed Forces. The Arsenal is an active U.S. Army factory, which manufactures ordnance and equipment for the Armed Forces. Some of the Arsenal's most successful manufactured products include the M198 and M119 Towed Howitzers, and the M1A1 Gun Mount. |
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| 1 of 7 photos posted Rock Island Arsenal Museum The Museum collection includes a 1924 Singer sewing machine that was used for production in the early-20th century. |
Rock Island Arsenal Museum posted 19 photos with the comment:
[Dec 27,] 1871, Shop B (Building 60) was completed.It has had many uses during its 151 year history. It has been home to the manufacturing line for the M1903 Springfield Rifle, the Officer's Club and Enlisted Club, a bowling alley, the Arsenal's cafeteria, the barbershop, and offices.Today it is home to the Rock Island Arsenal Museum, Army Contracting Command - Rock Island, Arsenal Attic Thrift Shop, and Lock & Dam Lounge
Mike Davis: I remember when there was a pistol range in the basement in the front of the building.
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| 2 Larry Ayer: It sure must have been noisy in operation! Bob Nolen: This was the telodynamic system. It was only used for a very short time, 3-5 years due to mechanical failures. I do agree on the hazards and wonder how many hands were removed by this. |
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| 7 Charles Enstrom: What a wonderful cafeteria back in the 50 s. They should be ashamed of how they let the food setup deteriorate into what they currently have. |
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| 11 Dawn Duskin: I remember this. From when Aunt Mary took us to the museum MANY years ago. Bob Nolen: I think there's only 1 or 2 of them left now and it's in a plexiglass case because they used to use strychnine in the tanning solution to preserve the hides. Lots of changes over the years and I'm sure there's lots more changes to come. |
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| ArsenalHistoricalSociety-exhibits [I wish I could read that telodynamics explanation. Bob Nelson's comment above is the first time that I have heard of that term.] |
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| video on ria-jmtc @ 0:07 [I could not figure out how to turn of the closed captioning.] "The Rock Island Arsenal - Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center footprint covers over 30 buildings and over 3 million sq. ft. of manufacturing space. This state of the art, vertically integrated metal manufacturing facility is a readiness provider for the Department of Defense, designed to meet the needs of America’s Warfighter. Our skills do not make us unique, but we are unique in the fact that we can create product from the initial alloying and casting of raw material through all of the manufacturing processes required to deliver a finished part or system all under one roof. At any given time, over 300 projects are running through our factory - items as small as a spring to as big as an Ambulance." |
Golf Club House & Arch Bridge
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| safe_image for Rock Island Arsenal to demolish historic golf clubhouse, stone bridge "Rock Island Arsenal officials have announced plans to demolish the former golf clubhouse built in 1906 and a historic stone bridge near the driving range....Mitigation efforts for the bridge include the development of a Historic American Engineering Record document and the retention of undamaged lion’s-head scuppers that reflect the masonry craftsmanship of the period." |
The above article does say that they plan to save the lion heads.
Steve McFate posted seven photos with the comment:
Demolition Scheduled 😔 😟 🏗Structure 57: The Lion’s Head (Rustic) Stone Bridge at Arsenal Island 🏰💎🎯The historic stone bridge at the Rock Island Arsenal, officially designated as Structure 57 and often called the Rustic Bridge, is a 19th-century landmark slated for removal. 👷♂️ 🏗 #rockislandarsenal #rockislandillinoisHistory and Design 📚Construction: The bridge was planned and built between 1870 and 1874 under the master plan of General Thomas J. Rodman. Its construction coincided with other limestone landmarks on the island, such as Quarters One. 🌆Purpose: It originally spanned a man-made lake designed as a scenic boundary between the Arsenal’s manufacturing center and the officer residential quarters. 🌊Architectural Features: The structure is approximately 120 feet long and is most famous for the ornamental stone lion heads carved into the ends of the bridge. 🦁Location: Since the lake was drained in the early 1900s, the bridge has sat on the grounds of the Rock Island Arsenal Golf Course. It is located specifically near the driving range on the north edge of the former lake bed. 🏌️Current Status and Proposed Demolition 🚧As of March 2026:Arsenal officials have confirmed plans to demolish Structure 57 due to severe structural failure. 💥Condition: The bridge has been out of use for decades and was officially condemned after a catastrophic collapse of its northern span in 2015. It is now considered unsafe and uneconomical to repair. 🚫Documentation: To honor its history, a Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) will be completed before demolition. This involves detailed architectural sketching and photography for the Library of Congress. 📚Preservation: While the bridge itself will be removed along with the former 9-hole course clubhouse (Building 312), there is significant interest in salvaging the stone lion heads for potential inclusion in the Rock Island Arsenal Museum. 🏛️🎨🌟
Retro Quad Cities shared
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| 1 Very Rare 1901 Photo |
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| 2 Colorized version of the 1901 Photo |
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| 3 The Rustic Stone Bridge was originally designed to span a man made Lake that separated the Manufacturing areas from the Officers Residential Quarters. |
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| 4 The man made Lake dried up early in the 20th Century. |
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| 5 The Rustic Stone Bridge is currently located near the Driving Range on the existing 9 hole Golf Course. |
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| 6 Original Bridge plans circa 1870 |
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| 7 The ornamental Lions Head may be preserved for placement in the Arsenal Museum |
I found the bridge, but not the club house. Street View drivers have not been allowed on the island.
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