Sources checked October 29, 2026. Holdings checked against official catalogs and repository descriptions. Staff-confirmed details are identified below; other holdings are based on published sources. No name-level search; dates do not guarantee complete coverage or online images.
STOP 01 / WIU IRAD
Moline: follow a public contract into council decisions
Contract files and council minutes can be compared when a family story involves a local business, public job or improvement.
Moline: City Contract Files 1883–1924 · Accession 2/0090/04
Moline: City Council Minutes 1857–1983 · Accession 2/0090/05
A focused question to ask
Are the contract files indexed by vendor, project or date, and can the related council authorization be identified?
Evidence limit: An award or agreement does not prove completion, employment or kinship. Confirm the surviving years and read the final action.
STOP 02 / WIU IRAD
Moline: ordinary municipal services leave unusual records
Street-lamp outages and dog-tax collection are narrow administrative sources. They can support questions about a street or local service even when they are not name indexes.
Moline: Street Lamp Outage Reports 1912–1929 · Accession 2/0213/22
Moline: Dog Tax Collection Record 1893–1945 · Accession 2/0213/23
A focused question to ask
Do entries include addresses or names, how are the records arranged, and is a targeted lookup possible?
Evidence limit: The catalog does not describe entry-level fields. Neither series should be treated as a complete resident directory.
STOP 03 / WIU IRAD
Township administration: sheep claims and public health
Drury animal claims and Cordova health-board minutes show two distinctive local responsibilities. Choose the township relevant to your research rather than searching them as a countywide series.
Cordova Twp: Board of Health Minutes 1937–1953 · Accession 2/0005/03
A focused question to ask
For the relevant township, is there a name or subject index, and what access conditions apply to the volume?
Evidence limit: A claim is not proof that it was approved. Health-board minutes are not necessarily patient records; names and sensitive details have not been inspected.
IRAD is an Illinois Secretary of State program administered by the Illinois State Archives. Depository location: Western Illinois University, Macomb. Direct IRAD research requests to the regional depository, not the university’s separate archives or special collections.
Request research by telephone or mail to IRAD-WIU, University Libraries, 1 University Circle, Macomb, IL 61455. WIU does not accept IRAD research requests by email. Call before visiting; university closures and seasonal hours affect access. Ask about copying charges before ordering.
Start with no more than two names, approximate dates, the county and the record type. Include the township or school where known and the accession number above. Ask whether an index exists, which volumes survive and what copying will cost. For an unindexed series, agree on a manageable search before requesting a long period. The statewide policy directs research requests to telephone or mail rather than email; wait for a response before sending another request. See the statewide research policy ↗.
Request template: I am researching [person or place] in [locality] around [years]. Your catalog lists [title], accession [number]. Which volume covers that period, is it indexed, and how can I consult or obtain the relevant pages? Please let me know any gaps, restrictions and copying charges.
Collection dates at a glance
The table lists IRAD series with verified date spans. Community collections above may have different or unspecified coverage and separate access rules. Catalog spans are starting points, not guarantees of every year, locality or individual. Use the Research Planner to compare your years with these cataloged series.
Selected cataloged series for Rock Island County
Record series
Catalog dates
Accession
Moline: City Contract Files
1883–1924
2/0090/04
Moline: City Council Minutes
1857–1983
2/0090/05
Moline: Street Lamp Outage Reports
1912–1929
2/0213/22
Moline: Dog Tax Collection Record
1893–1945
2/0213/23
Drury Twp: Animal Claim Record, Sheep
1899–1921
2/0101/03
Cordova Twp: Board of Health Minutes
1937–1953
2/0005/03
Keep the record and your interpretation separate.
Save the depository, collection, accession number, volume, page, dates and any copy correspondence. Record uncertain names as uncertain. A shared road, school or signature can suggest an association; it does not establish a family relationship.
Suggest a correction, an overlooked collection or an updated access detail. An official link or source helps us check it before making a change. Please leave out private family documents and sensitive personal information.