What) The Rock Island Arsenal comprises 946 acres (3.83 km2), located on Arsenal Island, originally known as Rock Island, on the Mississippi River between the cities of Davenport, Iowa and Rock Island, Illinois. It lies within the state of Illinois. The island was originally established as a government site in 1816 with the building of Fort Armstrong. It is now the largest government-owned weapons manufacturing arsenal in the United States. It has been an active manufacturer of military equipment and ordnance since the 1880's. Items manufactured at RIA include artillery, gun mounts, recoil mechanisms, small arms, aircraft weapons sub-systems, grenade launchers, weapons simulators and a host of related components. About 250 military and 6,000 civilians work at the Rock Island Arsenal. (1)
Why)
Thinking about it now, I can't come up with a reason for
putting this place onto the Buckys list. I will say that
I enjoyed furtively taking
pictures of a US military
installation while slouched down in the passenger seat of a
moving SUV. 
