Looking east from the current crest of 7th Avenue, this is the college's First Building accessed by a dirt path with split-rail fences on the north. Circa 1880s. Courtesy of Special Collections, Thomas Tredway Library
ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS (September 2, 2025) — Augustana College invites the community to celebrate the college’s 150th anniversary in Rock Island, 6-7:30PM Sunday, September 21, at Rock Island’s Schwiebert Riverfront Park. The college moved from Paxton, Illinois, to its current location overlooking the Mississippi River in 1875.
The Augustana Silver Cornet Band played rousing fanfares to celebrate the first day of classes in Rock Island in September 1875. In a nod to commemorate that occasion, the Augustana Symphonic Band will perform at the celebration.
Augustana President Andrea Talentino and Rock Island Mayor Ashley Harris will give brief remarks.
The event is free to attend. Rock Island Parks and Recreation and Bent River Brewing Company will provide concessions for purchase.
“Augustana College started in Chicago and was then briefly in Paxton, Illinois, but clearly coming to Rock Island represents this college’s best move,” said President Talentino. “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 and Boundless strategic plan includes closer ties between campus and the community as one of its three primary directives.
“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,” Talentino said.
“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.”
