american hauntings ghost hunts
NIGHT AT THE HAUNTED ROCK ISLAND ROADHOUSE
FORMER ROCK ISLAND YMCA
ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS
NEXT AVAILABLE DATE: OCTOBER 9, 2026
8:00pm TO 2:00 am
$80 PER PERSON
Join American Hauntings at this former YMCA, turned brothel, turned Haunted Rock Island Roadhouse -- located in the heart of the historic city and overlooking the mighty Mississippi River. With criminal connections to Prohibition gangsters like John Looney and Al Capone, this compelling destination is perfect for both new and seasoned investigators and offers an intensely active location with a dark and deadly past.
On a quiet corner in the heart of Rock Island is an unassuming old building with a storied past. Though the brown brick exterior is now etched with the name ‘Dan Vinar Furniture Co.,’ this building began life very differently.
By the early 1900s, the city had enjoyed over a half century of prosperity and growth. As a result, Rock Island needed a lot of resources, lodging, and entertainment. One organization – the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) – offered all three. The YMCA built a new structure from brick in the heart of downtown, and it quickly became a popular stop for travelers and locals alike.
The YMCA also provided free lodging to military men. Rock Island had long been home to a federal arsenal, and hundreds of soldiers passed through town on an annual basis, especially during World War I, which began to involve U.S. soldiers soon after the YMCA opened.
It was considered one of the finest facilities in the state and included a gym, pool, reading room, game room, and lodging for 100 people on the third and fourth floors. Additionally, outdoor areas had spaces for tennis, handball, racketball, and basketball. By the mid-1920s, the YMCA had grown large enough to expand, and the school next door was torn down to make way for the expansion in 1927.
It was said that during the years of Prohibition, a speakeasy operated in one part of the YMCA building – connecting it to organized crime figures like local mob boss John Looney and Chicago’s Al Capone. Another section allegedly functioned as a brothel under the control of the infamous madam, Helen Van Dale. Its history includes housed criminals, reported murders, multiple deaths, and countless stories that, while shrouded in legend, have never really gone away.
In 1976, a devastating fire at the YMCA closed the place the following year, and it was left abandoned for nearly two decades. Finally, in 1994, it was renovated to become Dan Vinar Furniture, which meant the removal of the pool and the gymnasium spaces so that space could be made for warehouses and showrooms.
By the early 2000s, more changes had been made to the former YMCA. As a furniture store and storage company, many of the old lodging rooms were turned into storage space out of necessity, and yet some remnants of the YMCA remained, including portions of the gym floor, the old running track – and some lingering residents of yesterday.
The owners tried to ignore the resident ghosts, but they became hard to avoid. Since then, more and more ghostly encounters have been added to the history of the repurposed community center.
Strange happenings have been reported throughout the building. For instance, in the second-floor classrooms, several distinct spirits have been encountered. One is a woman who silently walks the hallway. Another is said to be a nurse, who exudes the smell of alcohol.
Much of the building’s paranormal activity occurs on the upper floors, where the storage areas were located. Loud noises and phantom footsteps are often heard in the halls. Some guests have reported shadowy figures that come and go, and phantom cigarette smoke has often put in appearances.
One stairway, which has an open elevator running down the center of it, is a place where visitors have reported slamming sounds, screams, and pounding footsteps. Additionally, some have reported doors to the elevator stairwell being pulled at by unseen forces. While no one knows the source of all the stairwell activity, there is one spirit identified in an attached storage room that may be the culprit.
Today, many who visit or investigate this eerie location leave with spine-tingling experiences that defy easy explanation. It’s a place where history comes to life, the past does not remain silent—and secrets are waiting to be found. If you’ve got the courage to join us, you won’t want to miss this amazing place!