Built on limestone bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River, Quincy (pop. 42,500) is the principal economic, cultural and medical hub for an agricultural region composed of nearly 400,000 people living in West Central Illinois, Northeast Missouri, and Southeast Iowa.
Cited in at least two directories as one of the 100 best communities in the United States in which to live, it is renowned for its exceptional stock of well-preserved Victorian architecture, its natural beauty and its outstanding commitment to arts and education. On the day following his 2000 State of the Union Address, President Bill Clinton made an official visit to Quincy to showcase what individual communities could do for themselves to stimulate economic growth, improve quality of life and strengthen family values.
Quincy has a rich and well documented history. A hotbed of abolitionism, it was an important point of intake on the Underground Railroad in the 1840s and 1850s. It was in Quincy's town square, Washington Park, where candidate Abraham Lincoln debated Senator Stephen Douglas on the subject of slavery during the legendary Lincoln-Douglas debates that catapulted Lincoln to national political prominence. Quincy was also home to pioneer parachutist and hot air balloon navigator Thomas Baldwin; William Lear, inventor of the Lear Jet; and communications technology giants Elmer Wavering and Parker Gates.
Nearby are the smaller communities of Hannibal, MO, the boyhood home of great American novelist Mark Twain, and Nauvoo, IL, center of the Mormon religion prior to its move to Salt Lake City, Utah, under the leadership of Brigham Young.
Business
A city, county and region that relies heavily upon agriculture, Quincy is also blessed with a diversified commercial and manufacturing base that includes the city's largest employer, Blessing Hospital, and several international communications/electronics firms - Harris Allied, Broadcast Electronics and Glenayre Electronics. Quincy is also home to ADM Alliance Nutrition, which produces agricultural products used worldwide, and Titan International, a manufacturer of wheels and axels for off-road vehicles. As far as transportation is concerned, Quincy Regional Airport is served by two carriers offering daily flights to St. Louis and Chicago. Quincy is also connected with the Interstate highway system, and Amtrak passenger rail service providing daily trips to Chicago.
Education
Quincy offers strong public and parochial elementary and secondary school systems. Both Quincy High School and Quincy Notre Dame High School boast state-ranked athletic teams and scholastic honors. Quincy is also the home to John Wood Community College, Quincy University - a private Catholic university, Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing, and Vatterott College - a career and technological college.
Entertainment
Quincy is also home to America's first community arts council, the Quincy Society of Fine Arts. Quincy and the communities surrounding it hosts many festivals and events each year. The Mississippi River and nearby Mark Twain Lake provide water-based recreational activities for thousands of people. Quincy also has an extensive and beautiful system of public parks. The Quincy Park District includes a 270-slip marina off the Mississippi River. Quincy is also home to a highly successful collegiate-league baseball team, the Quincy Gems, who consistently draw thousands of fans to each of their home games during the summer months.
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