28-643: Silvis is a city in Rock Island County , Illinois , United States. It is part of a larger metropolitan area known as the Quad Cities . The Quad Cities Metropolitan Area is situated across four counties in Illinois and Iowa. It is located four miles (6.4 km) from the intersection of Interstate 80 and Interstate 88 , 165 miles (266 km) of Chicago , and 165 miles (266 km) east of Des Moines. It sits next to East Moline and Moline, Illinois . Silvis
56-771: A few seats on the Democratic-dominated county board; however, since 2018, the Republican Party influence on the board has begun to decrease as the county resumed heavy Democratic voting. 41°28′N 90°34′W / 41.47°N 90.57°W / 41.47; -90.57 National Railway Equipment National Railway Equipment Company ( reporting mark NREX ) is an American railroad equipment rebuilding, leasing, and manufacturing company, headquartered in Mt. Vernon, Illinois . NREC sells new and rebuilt locomotives to railroad companies worldwide, with an emphasis on
84-408: A household in the city was $ 35,047, and the median income for a family was $ 41,390. Males had a median income of $ 32,451, versus $ 22,050 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 16,764. About 8.4% of families and 9.5% of the population were below the poverty line , including 14.9% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over. The City of Silvis (initially named Pleasant Valley)
112-580: A single-digit margin of victory, the first Republican to do so since Ronald Reagan in 1984; in 2020, Joe Biden increased the Democratic margin from 8.3% to 12.1%. Due to the dominance of the Democratic Party in county politics, Rock Island County remains one of the most Democratic counties outside of the Chicago area in Illinois. Since 2010 the Republican Party began making inroads in county politics, gaining
140-703: Is Rock Island ; its largest city is neighboring Moline . Rock Island County is one of the four counties that make up the Davenport - Moline -Rock Island, IA -IL Metropolitan Statistical Area . Rock Island County was formed in 1831 out of Jo Daviess County . It was named for Rock Island, an island in the Mississippi River now known as Arsenal Island . The Rock River (which the Sauk and Meskwaki peoples called Sinnissippi , meaning "rocky waters") flows from Whiteside County and points further east and north and joins
168-537: Is near two major medical centers, including a critical access center. Silvis also has two community college districts, a liberal arts college, a public university auxiliary campus, two private universities, and two extension services in the area. As of 2019, the population of Silvis is 7,475 with 2,984 households, and 1,939 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,994 inhabitants per square mile (770/km). There were 3,135 housing units at an average density of 860 per square mile (330/km). The racial makeup of
196-527: The 2010 United States Census , there were 147,546 people, 61,303 households, and 38,384 families residing in the county. The population density was 345.0 inhabitants per square mile (133.2/km ). There were 65,756 housing units at an average density of 153.8 per square mile (59.4/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 81.6% white, 9.0% black or African American, 1.6% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 4.4% from other races, and 3.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 11.6% of
224-577: The North American market. NRE's flagship locomotive product is dubbed the N-ViroMotive and is targeted at providing light duty road switcher engines with increased efficiency and decreased air and noise pollution . These locomotives are specifically targeted for yards and other urban environments where noise & exhaust from idling locomotives can become a nuisance. They also fill a market segment for light duty locomotives now largely abandoned by
252-483: The Union Pacific was moved into the shop. Included were 4-6-6-4 Union Pacific 3985 , 2-10-2 Union Pacific 5511 and EMD DDA40X Union Pacific 6936 . The city is home to TPC Deere Run , a public golf course designed by former PGA Tour professional D.A. Weibring along the area's famous Rock River . Golf Digest once ranked it No. 42 among U.S. public golf courses, while Golfweek Magazine has called it among
280-509: The Lady of Guadalupe church, dedicated on Easter Sunday in 1927. In 1929 the no-property-tax agreement came to an end, and the city authorities evicted the railway workers. Many moved their houses to the area that became second, third and fourth streets. After The Rock was liquidated in 1980, the locomotive workshops, yards and facilities were used for storage of locomotives and railcars that soon would be sold off to other railroads. The facility later
308-666: The Ledo Road in Burma. He was killed when his unit was sent to the front to fight for control of a key airbase. His older brother, Joe, assigned to the 41st Armored Infantry Division in Europe, was killed in April 1945, just days before the war ended. Joseph and Carmen Sandoval also immigrated to the United States from Mexico. When the war broke out, they consented to their son Willie's request to enlist in
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#1732855419086336-674: The Mississippi River at Rock Island. The Sinnissippi Mounds , dating from the Hopewell period and on the National Register of Historic Places are upriver at Sterling in Whiteside County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 451 square miles (1,170 km ), of which 428 square miles (1,110 km ) is land and 24 square miles (62 km ) (5.2%) is water. In recent years, average temperatures in
364-504: The Silvis school districts. Quad Cities MetroLINK provides bus service on multiple routes connecting Silvis to destinations across the Quad Cities. Rock Island County, Illinois Rock Island County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois , bounded on the west by the Mississippi River . According to the 2020 census , it had a population of 144,672. Its county seat
392-510: The army. Trained as a paratrooper and assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division , he fought in Italy and Germany, and was killed on October 6, 1944, during a combat mission related to Operation Market-Garden , the largest airborne operation of all time. Silvis Mayor, William Tatmen renamed the street Hero Street USA in May 1967. On 30 October 1971 a city park was built and dedicated as Hero Street Park to honor
420-514: The city was 86.09% White , 3.45% African American , 0.47% Native American , 0.81% Asian , 6.51% from other races , and 2.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino ethnicities made up 14.36% of the population. There were 2,984 households, out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18, 47.2% were married couples , 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.0% were non-families. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.8% had someone living alone who
448-612: The county seat of Rock Island have ranged from a low of 13 °F (−11 °C) in January to a high of 85 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of −22 °F (−30 °C) was recorded in February 1996 and a record high of 103 °F (39 °C) was recorded in July 2006. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.28 inches (33 mm) in January to 4.75 inches (121 mm) in June. As of
476-539: The county. John Deere is headquartered in Moline. Rock Island County is divided into eighteen townships : Before 1932, Rock Island County was a Republican stronghold in presidential elections, backing the party's candidate in every election from 1892 to 1928. From 1932 on, it has consistently backed Democratic Party presidential candidates, except for the national Republican landslides of 1952, 1956, 1972, and 1980. In 2016, Donald Trump managed to keep Hillary Clinton to
504-779: The eight deceased Hispanic (Latin American) servicemen from Hero Street USA. The park contains a pictorial monument, a grotto, a playground, and a pavilion. The monument contains pictures and biographies of the eight-deceased veteran from Hero Street, the grotto displays the names of all war dead from Silvis. In 2015, Fourth Wall Films released a documentary, "Letters Home to Hero Street", by Emmy-nominated filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle. Silvis public schools belong to three districts, Carbon Cliff-Barstow School District 36, East Moline School District 37, and Silvis School District 34. There are three Silvis preschool schools., three elementary schools, one junior high school and one high school belonging to
532-524: The major builders, GE & Electro-Motive , which have not listed such locomotives in their catalog for nearly 20 years. N-ViroMotives are newly built as opposed to rebuilt with donor parts. They use a low hood design with up to three diesel gensets that supply current to the traction motors. The current gensets use a 700 horsepower (522 kW ) Cummins diesel engine and can be easily swapped in and out for repair or overhaul work. The gensets are computer controlled to switch on and off according to
560-447: The population. In terms of ancestry, 25.9% were German , 14.2% were Irish , 8.7% were English , 6.8% were Swedish , and 5.2% were American . Of the 61,303 households, 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.3% were married couples living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 37.4% were non-families, and 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size
588-476: The railroad's main line and the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad ’s Rock Island branch. Construction began on May 1, 1903; the facilities eventually included a general stores department, repair shop, 45-stall roundhouse with a 90-foot turntable, and two large freight yards east and west. The need for cheap labor attracted a number of immigrants from Mexico , who worked in the stores, the workshops, or as part of
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#1732855419086616-675: The state's top five courses. Since 2000, TPC Deere Run has hosted the PGA Tour 's annual John Deere Classic , previously known as the Quad Cities Open . The John Deere Classic is held in July the week before the British Open . The name of the city's Second Street—a muddy two-block thoroughfare that was once home to Mexican immigrants who worked for the Rock Island Railroad—was changed in 1967 to Hero Street to honor people who lived on
644-472: The track laboring team. The railway developed housing for all of its workers and families. This was rented to the workers at favorable rates, which were possible under an agreement with the town that meant the occupants paid no property taxes. The Mexican section, with its own Mexican-run general stores and a Mexican-themed band, became known as La Yarda. When the band waned, the railway-donated boxcars that had once housed its instruments were refurbished to create
672-535: The two-block street and served in the U.S. military. A total of 84 men served in World War II, Korea , and in Vietnam . Eight died during World War II: Joseph Gomez, Peter Macias, Johnny Muños, Tony Pompa, Frank Sandoval, Joseph "Joe" Sandoval, William "Willie" Sandoval, and Claro Solis. Eduvigis and Angelina Sandoval immigrated to the U.S. from Romita, Mexico. Their son, Frank, was a combat engineer assigned to help build
700-608: Was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.93. The median age was 40.0 years. The median income for a household in the county was $ 46,226 and the median income for a family was $ 58,962. Males had a median income of $ 42,548 versus $ 31,917 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 25,071. About 8.7% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line , including 19.0% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over. At one time Mississippi Valley Airlines had its headquarters in Quad City Airport in
728-434: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41, and the average family size was 3.01. In the city, the population was 25.6% under the age of 18, 8.9% aged 18 to 24, 26.9% aged 25 to 44, 22.3% aged 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 86.5 males. The median income for
756-525: Was incorporated in 1906. The city took its name from Richard Shippen Silvis, one of the original settlers whose family operated the Silvis Mining Company. Some older sources give the alternate spelling of "Sylvis" although this spelling is not regularly used today. In 1902, the Rock Island Line decided to build its largest railroad locomotive repair workshop in Silvis, on a 900-acre site between
784-402: Was sold to National Railway Equipment , with the workshops remaining a maintenance and refurbishment hub for the wider North American railroad industry. Railroading Heritage of Midwest America bought the facility in late 2021 to develop a museum and for refurbishing and maintaining steam and heritage diesel locomotives along with associated rolling stock. In November 2022 heritage equipment from
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