When John Wood built his first log cabin in 1822
at what is now Front and Delaware Streets,
he began a settlement that would become Quincy,
Illinois. To the east was a high bluff, and to the west,
the Mississippi River. As the town grew, it moved
eastward onto the bluff.
In Qunicy's early days, the settlers depended on
the Mississippi River for their livelihood. Today's
residents still depend upon the Mississippi, but now
more for transportation and for pleasure. It is difficult
today to imagine what the area looked like in those
early years. As with many American towns, Quincy has
experienced change through the years, dramatic and
subtle, both captured here in the unforgettable images
of Then & Now: Quincy, Illinois.