More than 170 years ago, when settlers first began arriving in what is now the Quad-Cities, there were no roads, only rough trails.

There was one good way to travel and that was on the broad Mississippi River which served like an interstate highway for the Indians and pioneers.

Many different kinds of boats have been used on the river. Before the first steamboats, about 175 years ago, Indians paddled canoes made out of logs or bark.

When the pioneers came, they floated down the river on flatboats or pushed their boats along with poles. Early farmers and businessmen in the area would put items they wanted to sell on these boats, then float down the river for hundreds of miles. When they got where they were going, they would sell their flour or corn. Sometimes they'd sell the boat, too.

When the steamboat was invented, it made travel on the river a lot easier. Many of the old steamboats were huge. One, called the Eclipse, was longer than a football field and higher than a four-story building,

But steamboats were dangerous as well. Hundreds of steamboats blew up or sank, and parts of them still lie on the bottom of the Mississippi River.

Steamboats survived the incursion of railroads, but the riverboat era ended in the early part of the 20th century as highways and bridges took over much of the nation's commerce.

Excursion boats began reappearing in the Quad-Cities as the area turned its eyes toward recreation on the Mississippi riverfronts in the 1980s; and the big boats returned with the legalization of riverboat gambling in the 1990s.

Unlike most communities with riverboat casinos, the Quad-Cities offers three different gambling experiences:

• Casino Rock Island, Mississippi River at 18th Street, Rock Island; 793-4200.
• Lady Luck Casino, Mississippi River at 18th Street, Bettendorf; 359-7280.
• President Riverboat Casino, Mississippi River at Brady Street, Davenport; 328-8000.

The President

The President has much the same feel as a Las Vegas casino, with plenty of glitz. The President may carry 2,000 passengers, who board on the Davenport riverfront between John O'Donnell Stadium and The Dock Restaurant. Known as ``The Big One,'' the boat is 297 feet long, 87 feet wide and reaches five decks (about 55 feet) above the water.

The President underwent a $10 million renovation in preparation for riverboat gambling. It features more than 28,000 square feet of casino gaming space, with 52 tables and 776 slot machines. The first deck offers a gift shop and supervised children's arcade for anyone under age 21. While children are welcome, no one under age 21 is allowed on the casino floor.

The boat offers a cruise from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For information, phone 322-2628 (BOAT) or (800) 262-8711.

Casino Rock Island

Casino Rock Island features the intricate craftsmanship and attention to detail that has made Jumer's Hotels famous worldwide.

The 200-foot long, four-deck, $10 million boat features more than 600 gaming spots, including 16 blackjack tables, four craps tables, one roulette wheel, video poker and slot machines. Two decks also offer lounges, one where guests enjoy live entertainment. Among the casino's newer attractions is Caribbean stud poker, in addition to regular gaming promotions and giveaways.

The casino's interior is decorated in a Victorian look of deep reds, purples and aquas. Scarlet draperies with gold tapestry complement the casino's ornate carpeting. The paddlewheeler's red-white-and-blue nautical theme is carried out on its three support ships docked on the Rock Island waterfront. Together they make up The Rock Island Boatworks.

The boat is located at the foot of 18th Street, in the heart of The District, downtown Rock Island's arts and entertainment area. Call (800) 477-7747 for individual reservations or 793-4200 for group reservations. You must be at least 21 years old to board Casino Rock Island.

Lady Luck Casino

Lady Luck Casino, Bettendorf is powered by a diesel engine that propels ``Z-drives,'' which are like outboard motors, at the stern. The vessel is 300 feet long and 100 feet wide, with two decks of gaming in a wide-open, spacious atmosphere. The vessel can carry 2,300 passengers and crew.

Casino games are spread throughout the main and upper decks, and the boat features a 4,000-square-foot non-smoking casino.

Lady Luck features Roger Craig's Sports Bar on the second floor, named after the Lady Luck's spokesperson, a Davenport native and four-time Super Bowl champion with the San Franciso 49ers. Catch sporting action on more than 30 televisions throughout the bar, which also features a 28-foot octagon-shaped video-poker bar and low-limit table games. Lady Luck's 300-seat Showroom features live weekend entertainment.

The casino features 44 table games, including blackjack, craps, roulette and Caribbean stud poker; nearly 900 slots, video poker and keno machines; and live poker in the Champions Poker Parlor.

Lady Luck is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The casino operates dockside during the winter months; it cruises the Mississippi from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Monday through Friday during the summer.

Lady Luck docks at State Street Landing, which is part of the newly revitalized State Street corridor. For information, phone (800) 724-5825.

All of the casino riverboats are worth a visit. If spending the whole day, enjoy a Quad-Cities sunrise aboard The President, the mid-day sun aboard the Lady Luck, then take in a sunset aboard Casino Rock Island.

The area also features three non-gaming excursion boats.

The Celebration Belle offers a dinner cruise and is open for private banquets, proms, and business events. Day cruise trips are offered, with bus transportation back to Moline included. Call (309) 764-1952 for information on the schedule.

Lunch, brunch, dinner and big-band cruises begin in February and continue through October. The boat remains open for dockside dining throughout the winter and is available for holiday and private parties year-round.

For information, call (309) 764-1952.

The Channel Cat Water Taxi, a 48-passenger ferry, connects the Moline, Bettendorf and Davenport riverfronts. All-day passes are available for $3.50 for adults and $1.50 for children ages 2 to 10, and free for those under 2.

The Channel Cat operates Tuesdays through Sundays from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Call for the schedule of stops: (800) 297-0034 or (309) 764-1952.

The Twilight cruise boat offers a two-day, round-trip cruise from LeClaire, Iowa, a few miles up the Mississippi River to Galena. Round-trip cruises leave every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Rates include all meals, accommodations, sightseeing and activities.

Advance reservations are required. Cruising begin on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend and end in mid-October. (800) 331-1467.