Moline Downtown Commercial Historic District listed in National Register of Historic Places

MOLINE - The Downtown Commercial Historic District, roughly bounded by 12th Street, 18th Street, 4th Avenue and 7th Avenue in Moline, was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on August 30, 2007 by the National Park Service.

"The Downtown Commercial Historic District's wonderfully intact architectural styles represent the city's building evolution," said Robert Coomer, director of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, which administers the National Register program in Illinois. "This is a prestigious recognition for Moline."

"This designation shows the power of working together to ensure that historic buildings remain intact and useable. Moline has shown that a productive and historic downtown can and will make a real difference for the community," said Senator Mike Jacobs (D-Moline).

"I am very proud to learn that Moline's Downtown Commercial Historic District has been given the honor of being listed in the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places. With all the rich agricultural and industrial history found in our area, I hope this is just the first of many such listings," said State Rep. Mike Boland (D-Moline).

"This honor points out that the people of the Quad Cities region are not only focused on their future, but that they honor the past and where we came from," said State Rep. Patrick J. Verschoore (D-Milan). "I hope that this historical designation will help boost our local tourism and economic development efforts."

The Downtown Commercial Historic District features buildings from as early as 1845 through recent years. Prominent local architects designed many of the structures that reflected the status of the city's business leaders. These business people invested in larger buildings to support their growing enterprises. Many of the original architectural features of the structures remain, providing a rich visual history of Moline's development.

For more information on the National Register of Historic Places program in Illinois, visit www.Illinois-History.gov/PS/historicplaces.htm.