Quad Cities Archives Fair: Haunted Rock Island Roadhouse
Do you love history? Archives? Museums?
Get excited for the annual QC Archives Fair on Saturday, October 18, 2025! This year’s host site, the Haunted Rock Island Roadhouse will be full of tables featuring our unique archives, libraries, and museums from around the Quad Cities area. Visit tables to learn about the specialized collections housed at these organizations. In addition to visiting this historic site and the cultural and historical organizations, John Brassard Jr. will be our special guest speaker at 1:30pm and 3:00pm. You may even win a door prize of swag from local history organizations!
The Haunted Rock Island Roadhouse will be offering a tour of the building. Registration will be available during the event.
Free and open to the public. To learn more about this event click here.
- Date:
- Saturday, October 18, 2025
- Time:
- 1:00pm - 4:00pm
- Location:
- Off-Site
- Audience:
- Adults (19+) All ages Kids Teens
- Categories:
- Celebration/Party Educational Genealogy Local History
Brick by Brick: The Legacy of the Old Rock Island YMCA
Presented by John Brassard Jr.
1:30pm and 3:00pm
Discover the riveting history behind one of Rock Island’s most iconic buildings with historian and storyteller John Brassard Jr. Dive deep into the YMCA’s history and travel from its beginnings in the early 20th century as a refuge for travelers, soldiers, and citizens looking for purpose and connection through years of scandal, intrigue, and even murder.
Whether you’re a history lover or fascinated by true crime, this talk offers a gripping look at how one building mirrored some of the best and worst elements of Rock Island itself.
About John Brassard Jr.: "John Brassard Jr. is the author, host, and podcaster behind the Strange and Dreadful Things brand. Since 2016, he has soared to ever greater heights and plumbed the darkest depths of history to bring you the stories that your grandma didn’t want to tell you ." For more of his content, please visit: The Kitchen Table Historian.