ROCK ISLAND – Broadway Historic District will host a Great Unveiling event on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2017, at 4 p.m. at the private residence of Josh Brueggen, 930 20th St., Rock Island.
The Great Unveiling, organized by the Broadway Historic District Association, is a nationally recognized program. Typically, 30 to 50 neighborhood volunteers pitch in to tear, pry, and pull unoriginal artificial siding off houses to reveal beautiful architectural details beneath.
Aluminum, vinyl, steel, asphalt shingle, transite, fake brick composite, and even Permastone have been removed to expose original wood clapboard, friezes, decorative shingles, and other unique examples of quality 19th century craftsmanship. At the Brueggen residence, the last portion of asphalt brick siding is being removed.
"Investing in an old home is a good investment if you are not scared of a little hard work,” Brueggen said.
Brueggen made the decision to buy in the Illinois Quad Cities due to the affordability of homes, and while he initially picked Broadway in Rock Island specifically because it was financially attractive, he stayed because of the neighbors and activity, noting that events like Great Unveilings show “a true community spirit which never seems to exist in those new subdivisions on the edge of town.”
More than 50 Broadway Historic District homes have benefited from the unveiling process. Residents of the Broadway neighborhood of Rock Island are encouraged to attend and participate, and preservationists from across the Quad Cities area are also welcome.
The Broadway Historic District is a 19th century neighborhood in the heart of Rock Island that is made up of more than 550 homes. The earliest residence is from 1854, with most of the homes built between 1890 and 1915. Broadway is bordered roughly by 7th Avenue on the north, 13th Avenue on the south, 17th Street to the west and 23rd Street to the east. Learn more at www.BroadwayDistrict.org.
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