The river is the area's No. 1 attraction and became even more so with the arrival of riverboat gambling. Jumer's Casino Rock Island riverboat, which opened in 1992, quickly became Rock Island's most popular attraction, drawing 1 million visitors in its first 14 months of operation. Cruises last about two hours and include free hors d'oeuvres, with cocktail waitresses serving free soft drinks and inexpensive mixed drinks. If you go bust early, it's a pleasant cruise along the Quad Cities' waterfront. The President Casino Riverboat, which docks across the river in Davenport, also offers gaming cruises.
High rollers prefer to gamble in Illinois.
The Rock Island Arsenal played a key role in munitions manufacturing during World War II, when this photo of tanks was taken. Originally called Rock Island, it's been a federal military installation since Ft. Armstrong was built here in 1816. The military presence today is the Army's large Rock Island Arsenal, established in 1862 and still manufacturing weapons and hardware for the military. The Arsenal Museum, opened in 1905, is the second-oldest U.S. Army museum after West Point.