Moline

Moline is a fun city to visit, with a lively city center, good food, and no shortage of things to keep you busy.

Direct your questions to Visit Quad Cities (563.322.3911).

• NOTE: See the Quad Cities overview for regional information, including more detail on tourism centers, festivals, and getting around.

Moline is another municipality that was founded on land originally owned by Antoine LeClaire. He sold several parcels to early settlers, many of whom were migrants from New England. Among them was David Sears, who built a dam between the mainland and Rock Island in order to power a mill. It opened in 1838 and worked out so well that he built two more. These early mills may have provided the inspiration for the town’s name, which the early leaders chose because they believed it was derived from a French word for “Milltown.”

John Deere moved his primary factory to Moline in 1848 because of the location’s proximity to coal, transportation, and a good supply of workers.  The company grew quickly and its plows, and the John Deere name, spread throughout the Midwest. One of his early partners was John Gould. Deere bought out Gould’s interests within a few years but Gould went on to establish a furniture factory, then a sawmill, before becoming a bank president.

The railroads reached Moline in 1854. The following year, Moline re-incorporated with strict liquor laws and new powers to maintain the city’s thoroughfares. The city required able-bodied males between twenty-one and fifty years old to work on road projects up to three days per year. Moline’s early leaders, proud of their Puritan heritage, reportedly encouraged people with inferior values to settle elsewhere, like in Rock Island.

The factories that lined Moline’s riverfront included workers of many European nationalities, including Swedes, Germans, Irish, and Belgians. The Belgian community grew into the second largest in the United States; for many years Moline was home to a Belgian consulate. With the exception of the Belgians, most factory workers actually lived in Davenport or Rock Island, not Moline.

In 1900 Moline had about 22,000 residents, about one-quarter of whom (over 5,000 men) worked in factories. Fully one-third of the factory workers worked at John Deere and another 1,200 at Moline Plow. No wonder Moline was nicknamed “Plow City” and “John Deere Town.” While many of those factories have since closed, John Deere forges ahead and is still a major presence in the city.

Moline has a cluster of fascinating historic houses to visit. The two most impressive houses are the Deere-Wiman House (817 11th Ave.) and the Butterworth Center (1105 8th St.), and they couldn’t be more different. The Deere-Wiman House is an exceptional example of 19th-century Victorian stylings, with gorgeous walnut paneling on the first floor, a music room complete with a pipe organ, and one of the earliest multiple-head full-body showers. And you thought the Victorian era lacked sensuality. In contrast, the Butterworth Center feels like a medieval castle when you enter the foyer, an impression that is cemented after entering the stunning library. Like the Deere-Wiman House, the Butterworth Center has a pipe organ, but, then again, whose house doesn’t? Both houses are open for guided tours (2:30p W-F, 1st Su, & every Su in July & August; 309.743.2700).

The Rock Island County Historical Society (822 11th Ave.; 309.764.8590) is across the street from the Deere-Wiman House. It hosts not only an impressive genealogy and local history collection but also manages a house and a carriage museum. The house itself is not as impressive as the two Deere family houses (there are few original furnishings) but has interesting displays of local history, including replicas of 19th-century dentist’s and doctor’s offices and an 1840s-era bedroom.

Nearby Velie Park (11th St. @ 11th Ave.) was named for Willard Lamb Velie, grandson of John Deere, and founder of the Velie Carriage Company. From 1908 to 1928 they produced seventy-five thousand cars, but the company came to an abrupt end in 1929 when Willard and his son died within a month of each other. The park has a nice overlook of Moline and the Mississippi River.

The Center for Belgian Culture (1608 7th St..; 309.762.0167) has a small collection of exhibits about Belgian life in the Quad Cities, with displays about homing pigeons, lace, and a game called Rolle Bolle that’s similar to bocce but involves discs instead of balls. The Center sponsors a genuine Belgian waffle breakfast on the first Saturday of the month at the Friend Circle Hall (701 18th Ave.).

At John Deere Pavilion (1400 River Dr.; 309.765.1000), you can climb into the cockpit of a giant harvester and get a new perspective on the world. Different models of tractors, combines, and other giant farm trucks are on display. You are encouraged to touch and climb into the seats of most of them. Just across the street, between the convention center and the hotel, you’ll find the sculpture Spirit of Place that was installed to mark the site of the first John Deere factory in Moline.

.Just across the street, between the convention center and the Radisson Hotel, is the sculpture Spirit of Place that was installed to mark and honor the site of the first John Deere factory in Moline.

Designed by noted architect Eero Saarinen, who also designed that Arch thing in St. Louis, John Deere World Headquarters (1 John Deere Place; 309.765.8000) is the prototypical corporate suburban campus. Then-CEO William Hewitt wanted a building that fit the John Deere corporate image—modern but not flashy. How Midwestern! He got his wishes. The buildings are constructed of Corten steel, a material previously developed for railroads that weathers as it ages, creating a rust-free barrier. Clever. The buildings are private, but you are welcome to drive around the campus. The trip from downtown Moline will only take about ten minutes.

If you still haven’t had enough of John Deere, a side trip to the location where it all began might be just what you need. The John Deere Historic Site (8393 S. Main, Grand Detour, IL; 815.652.4551) is located in Grand Detour, near Dixon, Illinois, a ninety-minute drive from Moline. Guided tours lasting about seventy-five minutes will take you around the original homestead of John Deere where he invented the first self-cleaning plow. The tour includes a replica of John Deere’s blacksmith shop.

Niabi Zoo (13010 Niabi Zoo Rd.; 309.799.5107), located in Coal Valley, is a bit out of the way but has some fun exhibits for a small zoo. Especially entertaining is the Australian Walkabout, where you can strut alongside an emu or hold a lorikeet.

Who says America doesn’t have any cool ruins? The atmospheric setting of Sylvan Island (1st Ave. @ 2nd St.; 309.736.5714) was the site of the mammoth Republic Steel Works that operated from 1894 to 1956; all that remains is the concrete foundations that ornament the island with post-industrial ruins. If you are lucky, you will be exploring this place on a foggy, slightly cool day around dawn or dusk.

Stephens Park (15th Ave. @ 7th St.) has several Rolle Bolle courts.

Ben Butterworth Parkway is a greenway that runs along the Mississippi River from 22nd to 55th Street. It includes a paved multi-use trail (part of the Great River Trail that runs from Rock Island to Savanna), picnic shelters, and playgrounds.

If you are looking for entertainment later in the evening, the drinking establishments in downtown Moline will help you pass the time, like it did for me.

The Quad Cities Fruit and Vegetable Grower’s Association runs a market on Saturday morning from May through October at South Park Mall (4500 16th St.).

Stop at Katy’s Imports (2700 7th St.; 309764.8662) to stock up on food from around the world: German mustard, curry ketchup, lefse, chorizo, bangers, black pudding, head cheese, blood sausage! Imagine the fun at your next dinner party.

Lagomarcinos (1422 5th Ave.; 309.764.1814; M–Sa 9–5:30) has been making life in the Quad Cities a little sweeter since 1908. They’ve obviously figured out a few things. The quintessential soda fountain, they still make sodas with phosphate, but ice cream is their forte. Try a hot fudge sundae and languorously pour the fudge from its own fudge boat onto your ice cream.

Get your caffeine fix at the literate Dead Poet’s Espresso (1525 3rd Ave., #A; 309.736.7606), across 15th Street from the John Deere Pavilion, where you can also eat a light breakfast or lunch or snack on a freshly baked pastry.

At Milltown Coffee (3800 River Dr.; 309.517.6444) you can enjoy a latte or sandwich while enjoying good river views through big picture windows.

At Bent River Brewing Company (1413 5th Ave.; 309.797.2722) every day is the summer of love and the food is groovy, too. Bent River has a large selection of handcrafted beer (the Uncommon Stout is my personal favorite), good food, live music on weekends that leans toward rock and folk music, and a big patio that is more enjoyable in June than January. The service can be laid back, so don’t show up starving or dehydrated.

♦AUTHOR’S PICK: Lemongrass (1419 5th Ave.; 309.797.4100) has an impressive menu that includes food that crosses Asian cultures, including Thailand, Vietnam, and Japan. The food is fresh, delicious, and unlike what you’ll find anywhere else in the area.

There are several good Mexican restaurants in the Quad Cities but few are as good as Coya’s Cafe (4320 4th Ave.; 309.749.7626). Expect juicy tortas, tasty soups (caldo), and a few items you don’t typically see in Mexican restaurants in the Midwest.

If you a taste of Latin America other than the standard Mexican American options, check out Restaurante Sabor Catracho (2006 16th St.; 309.517.3817), which features dishes from Honduras. Try a delicious baleada or pupusa, or one of their many other satisfying main dishes.

There are two chain properties along the Moline Riverfront in Moline Centre.

• The Stoney Creek Inn (101 18th St.; 309.743.0101), a regional chain, has cozy rooms with a lodge-inspired décor.
• The upscale Wyndham Moline on John Deere Commons (1415 River Dr.; 877.999.3223) has all the amenities of a fancy hotel you expect, including a convenient location near the bars and restaurants of Moline Centre.

Element Moline (316 12th St.; 309.517.1659) offers 96 rooms in a rehabbed warehouse for visitors who might want to stay longer than a night or two.

Quad City International Airport, founded as Moline Airport, began regular commercial service in 1926. It is on the southern edge of Moline, near the intersection of Interstates 280 and 74. It is served by four airlines: Allegiant, American, Delta, and United. Access to downtown Moline from the airport is quick, about ten minutes, by taking I-74 westbound. You may have to call for a taxi, as there is not always a queue at the QC Airport. Rates and phone numbers are posted by exit 7, near baggage claim. You can also take a MetroLINK bus (Route #20) from the airport to downtown Moline.

The bus terminal in Moline is at Centre Station (1200 River Dr.); busses from here have daily departures to Chicago, Des Moines, and Indianapolis. Specific departure times vary from day to day and change frequently. Call the bus lines or check the Internet for current schedules (Greyhound: 563.326.5127; Burlington Trailways: 563.322.1876).

Heading upriver? Check out East Moline.

Heading downriver? Check out Arsenal Island.