The Soule Bowl commemorates Dr. A. E. Soule, the first chairman of the East Moline Park Board and the man whose idea it was to build a stadium in the natural bowl in the Butterworth Park hillside. He then oversaw planning and construction.
Constructed under the auspices of the Works Progress Administration, Soule Bowl hosted its first game Oct. 17, 1936. Kewanee won, 7-6, over what was then the East Moline High School Hilltoppers. The first home win came a week later, 39- 0, over St. Joseph's of Rock Island.
Dr. Soule, active in civic affairs throughout his life, died Aug. 12, 1949, at age 72.