Black Hawk State Historic Site

Address: 1510 46th Avenue Rock Island IL 61201
Phone: (309) 788-9536 +1 309-788-9536
Website: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.blackhawkpark.org" class="link-button link-arrow" data-type="Website link" data-id="15097" data-name="Black Hawk State Historic Site"> Visit Website

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Picture a forest in the middle of the city, an urban paradise. Hiking trails that wind deep into the woods, up rugged hills and along the banks of a gentle river.

Wonderful for families, friends for outdoor recreation. This wooded, steeply rolling 208-acre tract, borders the Rock River in the city of Rock Island. Prehistoric Indians and 19th-Century settlers made homes here, but the area is most closely identified with the Sauk nation and its great warrior, Black Hawk. Voted one of the "7 Wonders of Illinois," this pristine park offers beautiful trails for hiking and walking. Picnic areas are also available.

While at the park be sure to visit the Watch Tower Lodge that houses a large reception area and the Hauberg Indian Museum. The museum features Sauk and Meskwaki Native American Indian artifacts and displays depicting the four seasons and life of these tribes. A new exhibit tells the story of the Sauk and Meskwaki—how they came to live in the Quad Cities area, why they no longer live here, and, as the piece de resistance, a four-by-eight-foot scale model of the city of Saukenuk - one of the largest Native American Indian settlements in the United States. Also learn about the Civilian Conservation Corps that built the lodge and helped develop the trails and picnic areas in the park.