An+Introduction+to+Turkey+Island

Original Author : Emily Serres, ENG340 FL11
 * An Introduction to Turkey Island **

Turkey Island A kind island property that sets off on the Rock River is Turkey Island. The Island is ancient with a rather deep and interesting history from the first settlers to land owners on the Island. The land is approximately 2.44 miles from the closest town, Milan, a small town separated from the main Illinois cities of the Quad Cities by the Rock River. The island is also located near the larger cities of Rock Island and Davenport, Iowa. Turkey Island is nonexistent to many people who live in the Quad Cities. This nonexistent place has plenty of land for hunting, camping, and a place to just getaway. Turkey Island consists of 43 acres near Sunset Marina and juncture to the Mississippi and Rock River. Since it’s an island on a river it doesn’t help that the land is very high above sea level, making it difficult for farming.This piece of land stands 168 meters above Sea Level (Turkey Island). Turkey Island is one of several kind islands in Rock Island County; others include Andalusia Island, Beaver Island, Big Island, Blanchard Island, Campbells Island, Carr Island, Hershey Island, Indian Island, Island number 317, 318, 319, 322, 328 and 330, Pettifer Island, Rock Island, Smiths Island, Sylvan Island, Vandruff Island, Willow Island, and Winnebago Island (Turkey Island). Still, of the islands listed few have the deep history of Turkey Island and most probably aren’t familiar with most of the islands.

History Turkey Island is a piece of land with no residential properties and has mainly been used for farmland and recreational use. The history of the Island will continue grow and the island is named Turkey Island for a reason. Ferrel Anderson, the founder of the Quad-City Archaeological Society,  stated that Turkey Island received its name because of the turkeys that would fly onto the island to roost and stay safe and protected from all the other wildlife (Rock River Property). Brent Nelson, of Premier Partners LLC, said the island was originally two small islands, Turkey Island and Little Turkey Island. Eventually, though, because of the high waters and movement the two are considered conjoined into Turkey Island (Rock River Property). According to Anderson, “the Island was farmed at one time; Indian relics were found on that island. But I doubt if any burials were there. The Sauk Indians had farms on some of these islands, probably from 1735 to 1831” (Rock River Property). Farming continued on the Island until the U.S Army Corps built the lock and dam off of the Rock Island Arsenal Island; when this was built it raised the waters at least 2 feet (US Army 1761). Water raised on a land that is already only 168 meters above sea level has made it increasingly difficult for farming and the re-growth of timber. While it was difficult to farm on the land, John M. Gallagher purchased the Island in 1847 and his task was to clear the land or chop the timber on the Island. He became a rich man for his hard labor (Clark396). The land was then purchased by a company called Batey Ltd, in 1983. This company established a saw mill that cut lumber for a furniture manufacturer. The Batey’s family owned business planted trees immediately after cutting them down, taking them 10 to 13 years for re-growth (Rock River Property). A tug and tow located on the island was visible for ships and used as a reference point for the location of the channels (1955 American Maritime Cases). Turkey Island also is home to a large amount of cotton and maple trees, trees that can thrive in areas that see consistent flooding (Rock River Property). The Rock River has a rich history of flooding during the spring months, and with the flooding comes potential for these trees to flourish. Ferrel Anderson also found information in a autobiography of Black Hawk, the war chief of the Sauk Indian tribe that formerly inhabited the area, that his people once farmed 800 acres of land, some on the river islands, such as Turkey Island. On these islands they grew beans, corn, barley, pumpkin and squash from their rich water surroundings (Rock River Property).

Schorpp, Doug. "Rock River Property Offers Rare Ownership Opportunity." //Quad-City Times: Quad Cities, IA/IL //. 20 June 2010. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. . "Island of Turkey Island (Milan), Rock Island, Illinois." //<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Usa //<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">. 10 Nov. 2011. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. <http://usa.indettaglio.it/eng/17/161/419934.html>. <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Mergenthal, Kristie. "Turkey Island Sells for $51,000 - WQAD." //<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">NEWS //<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">. WQAD. Rock Island, Illinois, 7 July 2011. //<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Quad Cities News, Weather, and Sports - Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa; Moline and Rock Island, Illinois - WQAD //<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">. Web. 11 Nov. 2011. <http://www.wqad.com/news/wqad-turkey-island-sold-highest-bidder-07072011,0,1372906.story>. Transcript
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Works Cited **

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Clark, C.J. //<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">The Biographical Record of Rock Island County, Illinois //<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">. Chicago1: S.J Clark, 1897. //<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Google Books //<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">. Web. 11 Nov. 2011. <http://books.google.com/books?id=ABsVAAAAYAAJ>. <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">. //<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">American Maritime Cases //<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">. Vol. 1. //<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Google Books //<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">. Web. 11 Nov. 2011. <http://books.google.com/books?id=81YSAAAAYAAJ>.

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