NW Illinois News

Sen. Neil Anderson (R-Moline) recently announced a $350,000 investment for the Fidelity-Drives Building, which will be facilitated by Rebuild Illinois in an effort to keep the more than 100-year-old structure functioning as a community center, according to a press release.

The Fulton Historical Society will receive the grant, which is co-sponsored by Anderson and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), in order to help renovate the structure.

"An exciting time for the city of Fulton! This member initiative is a great example of how hard work and perseverance can help drive a community’s vision forward. I look forward to coming back and seeing the renovations at the Fidelity-Drives Building," Anderson wrote in a Facebook post.

The Fidelity Drive building will receive the investments immediately, with the first phase of the project focusing on structural upgrades including ADA accessibility, new HVAC, improved plumbing, electrical, and mechanical systems along with the construction of a new community classroom and learning center.

These funds will also allow the center to provide S.T.E.A.M. courses, provide space for a Dutch Museum and a Mississippi River Museum and play a key role in the Fulton Dutch Days Festival.

The historic building, which sits along the dike of the Mississippi River and adjacent to the authentic Dutch Windmill and Windmill Cultural Center, was built in 1912.

The structure served as the home to Fidelity Life Insurance Association's headquarters for 62 years and Drives, LLC, an agriculture chain manufacturer, for 40 years until the property was donated to the City of Fulton in 2010 by Drives LLC.

The property was later sold to the Fulton Historical Society in April of 2019 after nearly a decade of being vacant.