This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.
Every few decades, the cities surrounding Rock Island come down with a severe case of togetherness. They shift into a mode of cooperation and love, much like brothers who have not spoken to each other for years, and suddenly make plans for a grand reunion.
Sometimes, they even act. Once they published a joint history of all the cities called Joined by a River, though in reality a Davenporter will never cross the river to Illinois to attend a meeting. Another time, all the chambers of commerce got Rand McNally to change its maps so that this area reads “Quad Cities.”
Efforts to cooperate go back at least to 1888, when the bickering sisters, Rock Island and Moline, decided to hold a great international machinery exposition in 1893. We were already by then, the farm equipment capitol of the world.
The chambers of commerce sold shares, bought a site bordering both cities, and built a large grandstand. Then, as usual, each town began accusing the other of not working as hard. The great plans fell apart. Chicago got the Columbian Exposition in 1893, while Rock Island and Moline held a few sports contests in front of the grandstand, until it burnt down from some misplaced fireworks.
In 1965, Rock Island and Moline tried again. This time, they wanted to merge into one city to save money on city services. A larger city would get more state and federal aid.
As sides lined up pro and con, the planners decided to hold a contest to pick a new name for the proposed city.
This was a mistake. Three names rose to the top. The first two were Twain and Mississities. Clever, but there was not overwhelming support from prospective residents. It was the third name that killed the project. Roline. Roline, Illinois. Would you ever put down on a resume that you came from Roline? You would be audited by the IRS, investigated by the F.B.I.
If a fit of togetherness ever strikes us again, I know a man who is going to suggest "South Dubuque" instead.
Rock Island Lines with Roald Tweet is underwritten by Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois.
