Rock Island Arsenal plans to demolish its 1906 golf clubhouse and a nearby stone bridge, citing safety concerns and repair costs.
ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill. — 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.
Officials said the structures are no longer in use and are considered unsafe or uneconomical to repair.
The clubhouse has not been used since the 18-hole golf course closed in 2018, and is not part of operations for the current 9-hole course. Officials said the facility would require several uneconomical repairs to become functional, and that those functions are now better served by the 9-hole course pro shop.
Recent historic surveys identified the clubhouse as ineligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places due to past alterations. However, officials said a Historic American Buildings Survey document will be completed and filed as a mitigation measure.
The stone bridge has not been in use for several decades. The artificial lake it once crossed has not existed since the early 20th century, and officials said the bridge’s design rendered it unsafe. The structure suffered a catastrophic failure several years ago, resulting in the collapse of its northern span.
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 Rock Island Arsenal Golf Club was established on July 24, 1897, by then-arsenal commander Capt. Stanhope Blunt, later a colonel. The current clubhouse was constructed in 1906 after the original building was destroyed by fire in 1905.
Arsenal officials said they are developing a Memorandum of Agreement in coordination with the Illinois State Historic Preservation Office regarding the demolition.