Rockford, Illinois

Rockford is a city of Illinois in the United States. It is in Northern Illinois, at the junction of Interstate 92, Interstate 90, Interstate 82 and Interstate 39. It is one of the largest cities in the state of Illinois, with a population of 148,655 in 2020.^[1] An AHL team called the Rockford IceHogs play there. The population was 148,655 at the 2020 census, making Rockford the fifth-most populous city in Illinois as well as the most populous outside the Chicago metropolitan area. It anchors the Rockford metropolitan area, which had 338,798 residents in 2020.

Settled in the mid-1830s under the initial name of Midway, Rockford became strategic for industrial development, stemming from its location roughly equidistant between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River. During the second half of the 19th century, it became notable for its production of heavy machinery, hardware, and tools. At the beginning of the 20th century, the city was the second leading center of furniture manufacturing in the U.S. During the second half of the 20th century, Rockford struggled alongside many Rust Belt cities to maintain its previous industrial presence. Since the late 1990s, efforts in economic diversification have led to the growth of automotive, aerospace, and healthcare industries, as well as the undertaking of various tourism and downtown revitalization efforts.

Nicknamed "the Forest City" for its heavily forested residential neighborhoods during the 20th century, Rockford is known for various venues of cultural or historical significance, including Anderson Japanese Gardens, Klehm Arboretum, Tinker Swiss Cottage, the BMO Harris Bank Center, the Coronado Theatre, the Laurent House, and the Burpee Museum of Natural History. Its contributions to music are noted in the Mendelssohn Club, the oldest music club in the U.S., and performers such as Cheap Trickand Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps.

Rockford, Illinois Media

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Winnebago County War Memorial
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Rockford Station, circa 1890
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Digital remake of the flag Carried by the Zouaves during the Civil War
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Fordham Dam across Rock River
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Cathedral of Saint Peter, the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockford
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Coronado Theatre marquee in its Art Deco styling
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Tea house within Anderson Japanese Gardens