Rock Island Today

Yesterday, the Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy was formally dedicated, marking the completion of a major construction project. The new facilities include a 260,000-square-foot residential long-term care building and an 80,000-square-foot independent living facility. This $300 million project provides housing and amenities for Illinois veterans.

The long-term care building offers 210 skilled-care beds with full amenities for residents. The independent living facility includes 80 units designed to accommodate resident spouses and children. Currently, the Quincy Veterans’ Home serves 379 individuals in long-term skilled care and 88 in independent living and domiciliary care. Amenities available to residents are dining rooms with elevated meal service, living rooms with fireplaces, outdoor spaces featuring interactive art, a chapel, a movie theater, and a pub.

The dedication of this facility continues a long tradition of veteran care in Illinois. According to an excerpt from Charles H. Curry’s “History of Illinois Soldiers’ & Sailors’ Home,” the idea for such a home dates back to 1885 when the Grand Army of the Republic’s state commander encouraged members to establish a soldiers’ and sailors’ home in Illinois. Curry wrote: “Many things have happened since the 1885 Illinois State Encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic, when the department commander, in his address to the assembled Civil War veterans, told of his dream that each GAR Post and each of the 20,000 members ‘use all honorable means’ to establish and maintain a soldiers’ and sailors’ home in the State of Illinois. Age, old wounds, disease and nightmares were catching up with the veterans of that most terrible of wars, and the number of disabled veterans had increased to the degree that the consensus throughout the state was that they should be treated as honored wards of the State of Illinois. From this dream has come an outstanding example of what can – and has – been done to honor the veterans of our state and nation.”

In 1885, legislation was passed by the General Assembly to create such a facility for disabled veterans. Quincy residents played a significant role by contributing funds for its establishment on what became known as the “Old Dudley Homestead.” The original dedication took place 139 years ago over three days in October 1886. It included a large celebration called the Soldier’s Reunion and Encampment with hundreds of tents set up for veterans at “Camp Oglesby” and special arrangements made by local residents.

Swanson, a Republican elected to represent Illinois’s 71st House District in 2023 after Donald L. Moffitt, has been involved in supporting veterans’ issues.