Day in history for December 17, 2004

1854 -- 150 years ago

Although the river is closed at most points by ice, the ferry John Wilson still crosses back and forth every day here.

1879 -- 125 years ago

Impossible roads again kept farmers from coming to Rock Island to trade today.

1904 -- 100 years ago

Bethany Home has rejected an offer of the Gilpin Moore homestead at $12,500. (Note: A year later the children's home bought the property and occupied it for 36 years.)

1929 -- 75 years ago

Clarence Roper will manage the Rock Island professional baseball team in 1930. He has been managing the team at Kingston, N.C.

1954 -- 50 years ago

Three-quarters of an acre of property was added to the Rock Island High School grounds at a cost of $15,000. Joining the high school parking lot on the west and bounded on the south by 25th Avenue, the lot is 125 by 288 feet. School board members agreed to purchase the lot and a seven-room frame house on it from Mrs. Cora Sanderson.

1979 -- 25 years ago

The Alcoa Reclamation Center today raised the price paid for returned aluminum cans to 25 cents per pound. The previous price was 21 cents. The center is located on Bellingham Road, west of the Davenport Alcoa plant. Since August 1978, the center has processed more than 247,775 pounds of cans from the Quad-City area.

Back: Available days in December 2004