Black Hawk Museum and Lodge
Why it's listed
Perched on a bluff overlooking the Rock River, this limestone complex at Black Hawk State Park near Rock Island combines a museum, a central lounge and a dining room, all linked by an enclosed gallery. Built between 1934 and 1941, with the museum dating to 1938, it was designed by Joseph F. Booten. The walls are locally quarried stone laid in random courses, with buttressed museum walls, steep gable roofs and dormers. Inside, the lounge has a cathedral ceiling, stone fireplaces, knotty pine siding, rough-hewn log trusses and two murals of Indian life. Booten compared the design to French Colonial military architecture, influenced by his work at Fort Chartres. The site was acquired by the state in 1927 after serving as a streetcar-terminal amusement park. The museum was built to display John H. Hauburg's collection of artifacts. The complex was listed as part of a group of Illinois state park lodges, recognized for its architecture and its role in recreation.
Significance in brief: It is nominated as part of a thematic group of Illinois state park lodges and cabins, for its architecture and its association with state park recreation. Booten's design was inspired by French Colonial military forms from his Fort Chartres restoration work. The museum was built to house a collection of Indian, African and Mexican artifacts, and the park developed from an earlier amusement park site.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 85002402, listed March 4, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1510 46th Ave., Rock Island |
|---|---|
| County | Rock Island County |
| Listed | March 4, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85002402 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Joseph F. Booten |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the Illinois Department of Conservation; the museum, lounge and dining room remain in use, with a snack bar added in the lounge. |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Coordinates | 41.46431, -90.57276 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 85002402.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4920882
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.