21 Facts About Rockford Illinois

The largest city in Illinois outside of the Chicago metropolitan area, Rockford is the fifth-largest city in the state and the 171st most populous in the United States.

Notable outdoor or recreational spots near Rockford Illinois are Rock Cut State Park, Atwood Homestead County Forest Preserve, and Lowden State Park.

In 1837, the village of Midway was renamed Rockford Illinois, highlighting a rocky river ford across the Rock River in the village.

In 1853, inventor John Henry Manny moved to Rockford Illinois to produce horse-drawn mechanical reapers for farmers and transport the finished products by rail.

In 1884, Rockford Illinois established its first city-wide public school district, constructing Rockford Illinois Central High School in 1885; following the construction of the high school, the district began construction of brick multi-story multigrade school buildings across the city.

Related searches

In 1963, the Rockford Illinois area was selected by Chrysler Corporation to construct an assembly plant; the final site of what is the Belvidere Assembly Plant is southwest of Belvidere, between US 20 and Interstate 90.

In 1980, then Congressman John B Anderson, representing the 16th Congressional District in Illinois which includes Rockford, ran for President of the United States.

Rockford Illinois would be hit hard by the early 1980s recession, becoming one of the highest-unemployed cities in the United States.

Neighboring communities that border Rockford Illinois, and are considered an integral part of the Rockford Illinois metro area, are the cities of Loves Park, Machesney Park, Belvidere, and the villages of Winnebago, Roscoe, Rockton, Poplar Grove, New Milford, and Cherry Valley.

Rockford Illinois is approximately 85 miles west-northwest of downtown Chicago, and 70 miles south-southeast of Madison.

Rockford Illinois is in the center of its namesake metropolitan area.

Mrs Fisher's, known as Mrs Fishers Potato Chips, a regional manufacturer of potato chips founded in Rockford Illinois, is a recognized brand name of potato chips in parts of the Midwestern United States.

Since 1923, Rockford Illinois has been home to Kegel Harley-Davidson; owned by the same family since 1912, it is the oldest family-owned Harley-Davidson franchise in existence.

From 1974 to 1981, Rockford Illinois was served by Amtrak via its Black Hawk route, a daily train service from Dubuque, Iowa to Union Station in Chicago with a stop in Rockford Illinois.

The Illinois Railway Rockford Line comes from the South, joins the Canadian National line, where they continue on trackage rights to the Canadian National yard.

Rockford Illinois University is best known for graduating Jane Addams, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931 for her efforts to promote international peace and justice.

The 186-foot tall Faust Hotel complements the Coronado; constructed in 1929, it endures as Rockford Illinois's tallest building, albeit as apartments for the elderly and disabled.

The Rockford Area has two additional places named by the American Institute of Architects in the 150 Great Places, Anderson Japanese Gardens in Rockford, Illinois and Poplar Grove United Methodist Church in Poplar Grove, Illinois.

The eastern riverwalk of Rockford Illinois is maintained by the park district, featuring the Nicholas Conservatory and Gardens.

From 1943 to 1954, the Rockford Illinois Peaches were an inaugural team of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.

Rockford Illinois is the 161st largest radio market in the United States.