River Action is partnering with Visit Quad Cities, Bally’s Quad Cities and the Quad-City Times to present the 17th Henry Farnam Dinner on Thursday, April 20.
The event, which will be from 5 to 8:45 p.m., will be held at Bally’s Casino and Hotel in Rock Island.
The annual event celebrates significant historical events, people and places in the Quad Cities – especially as they relate to broader regional and national events.
It is named in honor of Henry Farnam, the principal builder of the Chicago & Rock Island Railroad, and celebrates the 1856 bridge that was the first to connect the East with the Mississippi River.
This year’s event will include two guest speakers:
- William “Bill” Ashton, founder of Ashton Engineering, will speak on the design and engineering of the 1856 railroad bridge from Rock Island to Davenport.
- Richard Harnish, executive director of the High Speed Rail Alliance, an organization he helped found in 1993, will speak on efforts to integrate rail and transit networks connected by 200+ mph, high-speed lines.
The event will include dinner and the program, as well as feature displays and a cash bar and raffle. Visit here to register. For more information, call (563) 322-2969.
