Read more: Local, Community, Development, River, Museum, Quincy, Mississippi
Some local leaders are hoping to revive a long-standing plan to bring new development and possibly a river museum to Quincy's river front.
The idea started back in 1990 when community leaders put together a plan to make the riverfront a focal point for the city and a gateway from Missouri.
Some projects in that plan like Clat Adams Park and the Art Keller Marina have already been accomplished in that plan to enhance the riverfront
But one part of that master plan was to build a star river museum attraction on the riverfront.
We talked with Bob Mays, a former Park District Board member.
He says it's important to jump on this project now while there is still riverfront property to be developed.
Local Rotarian Mike Klingner is also involved in bringing a museum to the city of Quincy. He says the goal is to provide a AAA star tourism site for the state of Illinois. The vision of the museum, which may be called the "Mississippi River Interpretation Center" would include river cultural issues addressing the abolition movement across and along the river, as well as the cultural/religious movement between the states.
It would also address navigation, flood control/agricultural productivity, energy from the river, and environmental issues including water quality. It may also include a river aquarium, riverine habitat and native animal zoo. This lead museum/interpretation center would link to Quincy's existing museums, such as the Eads Underground Railroad, John Wood Mansion, Quincy Museum, Gardner Museum, and Villa Katherine Visitors Center and hopefully provide the synergy to make Quincy one of the prime areas in the Midwest to visit and learn about the Mississippi River and the people that settled it.
Interested people can contact the Quincy Rotary president, Jack Freiburg at Jack Freiburg Insurance, 223-9222 or Mike Klingner, Rotary Environmental Committee Chair at Klingner & Associates, 223-3670.
