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Upper Mississippi 1812Photo: Bill Whittaker (Billwhittaker at en.wikipedia) · CC BY-SA 3.0
–Not graded
History · Campbell's Island

Half of Campbell's Island’s homes were built after 1954

Most of Campbell's Island was built recently: 7% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1954. Below: maps from 1892 on.

0on the National Register
7%homes built before 1940
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Photo: Bill Whittaker (Billwhittaker at en.wikipedia) · CC BY-SA 3.0

What stands out about Campbell's Island’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Campbell's Island are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18923 editions of the USGS map, 1892 to 1991. Watch Campbell's Island change.Old housesHalf of Campbell's Island’s homes were built before 1954.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Campbell's Island’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Campbell's Island’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
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On the map

Campbell's Island on the map, 1892 to 1991

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Campbell's Island. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Campbell's Island on the 1892 USGS mapCampbell's Island on the 1975 USGS mapCampbell's Island on the 1991 USGS map1892Leclaire sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Campbell's Island.

The story

How Campbell's Island came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Campbell's Island.

Read it all →

Campbell's Island was the site of the Battle of Rock Island Rapids, one of the westernmost battles of the War of 1812, when a band of approximately 500 Sauk warriors allied with the British Army clashed on July 19, 1814, with an American force led by Lieutenant John Campbell of the 1st U.S. Regiment of Infantry. Campbell was leading three gunboats along the Mississippi River to carry military supplies to Fort Shelby, located at the present site of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. One boat carried 42 people – soldiers of the 1st U.S. Regiment of Infantry and members of their families. The other two boats carried 66 U.S. Rangers. The British-allied Indians attacked the flotilla in their canoes and forced Campbell to turn back. The American loss was 8 men of the 1st Regiment killed and 16 wounded;4 Rangers killed and 8 wounded. This victory helped to enable the Sauk to maintain their control o…

ChaptersWar of 1812Early 1900sToday

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Campbell's Island, decade by decade

Today3 recent
Cable car from Campbell's Island to Watertown (now East Moline)2012Cable car from Campbell's Island to Watertown (now Ea…House in the Woods Campbell's Island 19072009House in the Woods Campbell's Island 1907FEMA - 1369 - Photograph by Andrea Booher taken on 04-26-2001 in Illinois2001FEMA - 1369 - Photograph by Andrea Booher taken on 04…
Famous people

Famous people close to Campbell's Island

Nobody well known was born in Campbell's Island itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
Lara Flynn BoyleAmerican actress · b. 1970
Buffalo BillAmerican soldier and showman · b. 1846
Seth RollinsAmerican professional wrestler and actor · b. 1986
Julia MichaelsAmerican singer-songwriter · b. 1993
Sue LyonAmerican actress · b. 1946
E
Eduvie IkobaAmerican soccer player · b. 1997
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

East MolineIts storyCHampton Township1 historic placeB+South Moline TownshipIts storyC

Questions about Campbell's Island’s history

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (3), Wikipedia and U.S. Geological Survey historical maps. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.