Augustana College will celebrate 150 years since its relocation to Rock Island with a celebration from 6-7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 21, at Schwiebert Riverfront Park. The event is free and open to the public.
The college moved to its current location overlooking the Mississippi River in 1875, after brief periods in Chicago and Paxton, Illinois.
The 150-year celebration will feature a performance by the Augustana Symphonic Band – a nod to the Augustana Silver Cornet Band, which played on the first day of classes in Rock Island in September 1875.
Augustana President Andrea Talentino and Rock Island Mayor Ashley Harris will offer remarks.
Concessions will be available for purchase from Rock Island Parks & Recreation and Bent River Brewing Company.
“Augustana College started in Chicago and was then briefly in Paxton, Illinois, but clearly coming to Rock Island represents this college’s best move,” the college’s president said in a news release. “We are proud to be part of this community, and with the creation of our strategic plan, we are making it very clear that Augustana’s future and destiny remain tied to Rock Island as they have been since 1875.”
The college’s “Bold & Boundless” strategic plan emphasizes closer ties between the campus and the surrounding community.
“Obviously, we are very interested in the part of Rock Island that is close to campus, but we also want to have a commitment to the city as a whole,” Ms. Talentino added. “We are working with community leaders and city personnel to think about how and where we can invest to help stimulate economic development and encourage small businesses, while thinking about residential vitality and building strong communities and neighborhoods.”
