Lincoln School (Rock Island, Illinois)

Lincoln School was an historic building located in Rock Island, Illinois, United States. It was designated a Rock Island Landmark in 1984, individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985, and became part of the Broadway Historic District when it was listed on the national register in 1998. It was torn down in 2012.HistoryThe school building, which originally housed Public School #4, was completed in July 1894. It was designed by Davenport architect E.S. Hammatt, who had designed four other school buildings in Rock Island, although only Lincoln School remains. He also designed school buildings for the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa in Davenport. Kemper Hall, which still stands on the Davenport Central High School campus and multiple additions to St. Katherine’s Hall were also his work. He was also the architect for the Connor House in Rock Island. Lincoln School was constructed by John Volk and Company.Mary Platt, who taught ninth grade, was named the school’s first principal. Shortly after that ninth grade was moved to Rock Island High School. Seventh and eighth grades remained at Lincoln until 1937. The school operated as an elementary school until 1980. It was scheduled for demolition in 1984 when it was given its landmark status. A neighbor who was interested in saving the building bought the old school. It remained vacant and was named on 2005’s Ten most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois by the preservation advocacy group Landmarks Illinois.