City of Silvis is located in Western Illinois just 4 miles from the intersection of the I-80 & I-88 interchange. Contiguous to East Moline and Moline; the larger populations that help comprise the Quad City area. Silvis is 165 mile west of Chicago, IL and 165 miles east of Des Moines Iowa. The location of Silvis allows for easy access to major metropolitan areas including Minneapolis, Omaha, Kansas City, St. Louis, Milwaukee and Indianapolis giving Silvis daily access to millions of people and thousands of businesses. So, available, is a rate media market with 308,910 TV households in a designated market area or 2.7% of United States. Silvis has properties available with access to both rail and interstate. Silvis also has access to two major medical centers that include a critical access center located in Silvis. Two community college districts, a Liberal Arts College, and a public university auxiliary campus along with two private universities and two extension services are in the area.
It has been documented that as of the present day there have been over 100 young men and women from Second Street who have given service to the United States Military Forces. It had been researched and documented by The Department of Defense in Washington, D.C. that (there is no other street of comparable size) that has had as many men and women render service to the Armed Forces of the United States of America than the 1 1/2 block long street in Silvis. Of these military men and women, six of them were killed in action during WWII and two during the Korean War.
Because of the contributions of these young American the street was renamed Hero Street USA in May 1967, by former Mayor of Silvis, William Tatmen. On 30 October 1971 a city park was built and dedicated as Hero Street Park in honor of the eight deceased servicemen from Hero Street USA. The park contains a pictorial monument a Grotto, a playground and a Pavilion. The monument contains pictures and biographies of the eight-deceased veteran from Hero Street, the grotto displays the names of all war dead from Silvis. [6]