Rockford, Illinois
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- ''This article is about Rockford, Illinois. For the Cheap Trick album of the same name, see Rockford (album)
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Geography & Climate
Rockford is at the intersection of Interstate 90, U.S. Highway 20, and Interstate 39. Rockford is located approximately 90 miles east of Dubuque, Iowa and 90 miles northwest of Chicago, Illinois.
The Chicago/Rockford International Airport serves the region with daily non-stop flights to major U.S. cities and seasonal vacation service. The airport is also home to United Parcel Service's second largest air-hub. The Chicago/Rockford International Airport is presently ranked as the twenty-third largest cargo airport in the nation when measured by land weight. The airport is undergoing a major effort to recruit travelers from the Chicago, Milwaukee and Madison metropolitan areas as well as from western Illinois, southern Wisconsin, and eastern Iowa.
Due to its location in the midwest, Rockford's climate contains four clearly defined seasons. Summers are usually very warm with the high temperature in July, the hottest month, being 83°F (28°C). The winter months can bring bitterly cold air masses from Canada. The average high temperature in January, the coldest month, is 27°F (-3°C). June is Rockford's wettest month while February is the driest. During a typical year, Rockford receives 36.3in (922mm) of precipitation.
Rockford and surrounding areas are prone to violent thunderstorms during the months of March, April, May, and June. On April 21, 1967, the neighboring town of Belvidere was struck by a violent F4 tornado, in which thirteen were killed and hundreds more injured at Belvidere's High School. Other severe weather events, such as hail and strong winds are common in these storms. On July 5, 2003 at around two o'clock in the morning, microbursts caused major damage on both the east and west sides of Rockford. Approximately 70,000 people were without power, with many on the west side suffering in the heat for weeks. It took months for the damage to be completely cleared, but because the storm struck so early in the morning there were no injuries or fatalities. However, these somewtimes violent storms bring the majority of summer rainfall.
The city is also prone to severe snowstorms in winter, and blizzards are frequent winter occurrences. On January 13, 1979 over 9 inches (.23m) of snow fell on Rockford in just a few hours during one of the strongest blizzards in the city's history. The city averages approximately 36 inches (.92m) of snowfall in a normal winter, but greater amounts are common. The snowiest winter in the history of the city was the winter of 1978-1979, when 75 inches (1.91m) of snow fell.
Demographics
As of the census[Geographic references#2GR2] of 2000, there were 150,115 people, 59,158 households, and 37,328 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,034.8/km² (2,680.4/mi²). There were 63,570 housing units at an average density of 438.2/km² (1,135.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 72.81% White, 17.37% African American, 0.32% Native American, 2.20% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 4.80% from other races, and 2.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.18% of the population.
There are 59,158 households of which 31.5% include children under the age of 18, 43.8% were married couples living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.9% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $37,667, and the median income for a family was $45,465. Males had a median income of $37,098 versus $25,421 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,781. 14.0% of the population and 10.5% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 19.6% of those under the age of 18 and 8.0% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Rockford surpassed Peoria as Illinois' second largest city in the late 1950s, and held onto that position for nearly half a century before being dislodged by Aurora in 2003.
History
Rockford, Illinois, was first settled in 1834-1835 by Germanicus Kent, Thatcher Blake, and Lewis Lemon, who came from Galena and established themselves on the west bank of Rock River; and Daniel Shaw Haight, who founded a settlement on the east bank. (Lemon, a slave, later bought his freedom, but stayed in the area as a truck farmer.) Halfway between Chicago and Galena, the community was briefly known as Midway, but quickly became known as Rockford, because of the excellent ford across the Rock River. A post office was established in 1837. The settlement was incorporated as a village in 1839, and chartered as a city in 1852.
The first weekly newspaper was published in 1840 and the first successful daily newspaper appeared in 1877. Between 1890 and 1930 the city had three daily newspapers. Rockford Female Seminary was chartered in 1847, became Rockford College in 1892, and became fully coeducational in 1958. Best known of the college's graduates is Jane Addams (RFS Class of 1881), the founder of Chicago's Hull House and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931. Rockford Public Library, the second such institution in Illinois, first opened to the public in August 1872; the library's first dedicated building, a Carnegie library, was completed by 1902.
Although Rockford was a sleepy country village up until the 1850s, the city is now the seat of Winnebago County. In 1851, the Rockford Water Power Company was organized and in 1852 the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad reached the city. These two events, which brought inexpensive power and inexpensive transportation to the area, changed Rockford forever. By 1860 Rockford had become a significant, growing industrial center, noted for production of the John H. Manny reaper and other agricultural machinery. By the 1880s a furniture industry was begun, using the talents of Swedish craftsmen and capitalists, and by the first half of the 20th century Rockford was the second largest furniture-manufacturing center in the United States. Many of the furniture companies were cooperatives, reflecting a different business approach from that of the old Yankee entrepreneur, with laborers and craftsmen holding significant power. The agricultural implement industry was already in decline by the First World War, and the furniture industry was severely damaged by the Great Depression and the Second World War. By the end of the 1960s both were extinct in the city.
Rockford's 20th Century industry revolved around machine tools, heavy machinery, automotive, aerospace, fastener and cabinet hardware products, and packaging devices and concepts. The city's industrial background has produced many important and interesting inventions, among them the Nelson knitting machine, airbrush, electric brake, electric garage door opener, dollar bill changer, and electronic dartboard. Some defunct Rockford concerns of historical interest are: Air Brush Manufacturing Company, Free Sewing Machine Company, Haddorff Piano Company, Hanson Clock Company, Hess & Hopkins Leather Company, Norse Pottery Company, Rockford Brewing Company, Rockford Silver Plate Company, and Rockford Watch Company.
The USS Rockford, a Tacoma class frigate named for the city, was commissioned in March 1944 and earned two service stars during World War II. Camp Grant, a training depot used during World Wars I and II, was torn down in 1947 and became the site of the Chicago/Rockford International Airport by late 1954.
Looking into the Future
The Rockford economy has suffered since the decline of the manufacturing industry in the late 1980s. Rockford has one of the highest unemployment rates in the state of Illinois at just below 10%. The city's hope relies on high-technology businesses and the westward growth of the Chicago metropolitan area. As of 2006, studies are being conducted to determine the benefits of passenger train traffic, future commercial airline service, and highway infrastructure upgrades.
When the Northwest Tollway was constructed in the 1950s, many commercial businesses relocated from the city's center to the new thoroughfare six miles east. As a result, the downtown area is not the bustling center of commerce expected from a city of its size. The commercial center of Rockford is currently on East State Street, and more recently, Perryville Road, which boast closer proximity to the highway. As of 2006, new commercial and residential development is planned in the downtown area. The city is also considering plans for a Convention Center, Casino, and Riverwalk.
Rockford School System
Post-secondary
Rockford, Illinois is the site of Northern Illinois University Rockford, Rockford Business College, Rockford College, Rock Valley College, and the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford.Rockford College is best known for graduating Jane Addams, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931 for her efforts to promote international peace and justice. Laura Jane Addams (1860 - 1935) entered what was then Rockford Female Seminary in 1877 and became the first graduate to receive a B.A. degree from the newly accredited baccalaureate institution in 1882 (the school was renamed Rockford College in 1892).
- [NIU Rockford]
- [Rockford Business College]
- [Rockford College]
- [Rock Valley College]
- [U-Illinois College of Medicine Rockford]
Public School District 205
The Rockford Public School District covers about 170 square miles and serves over 27,000 students. It is the third largest school district in the state, with 40 elementary schools, five middle schools, and four high schools. It is also a center of controversy due to its involvement in continued court cases with groups against alleged racial discrimination and illegal taxing.In May of 1989, a group of citizens calling themselves People Who Care filed a class action suit against District 205 challenging a reorganization plan. The original intent was to keep West High, a racialy mixed high school, from being closed. However, this escalated into a 12-year desegregation case. In July of that year, the Board entered into a consent decree. West High closed, and other schools were re-organized so that they had a more even ratio of white to black students (Findlaw, Chronicle Magazine).
In 1993, U.S. Magistrate Judge P. Michael Mahoney found the district guilty of systematic discrimination against African-American and Hispanic students (Adversity.net). In March 1994, the school district was ordered to "eliminate all vestiges of discriminating against black and Hispanic students." Not long after, another judge ordered District 205 to implement "system-wide remedies." These remedies include extensive busing of children from one side of town to the other, because most of the schools on the west side of the Rock River are predominantly African-American and Hispanic, while those on the east side are predominantly Caucasian. The remedies also include building new schools and updating existing ones on the west side of Rockford (ISU School Law Quarterly).
For over a decade, the federal court’s orders regulated virtually every aspect of school administration in Rockford, requiring the district to expend over $210 million through the 1998-99 school year. Areas of federal judicial control include student assignment, within-school assignment, extra-curricular activities, discipline, curriculum and instruction, transportation, disposition and acquisition of facilities, district boundaries, facilities and equipment. The people of Rockford pay the highest property tax of any community in the United States (Adversity.net).
On April 18, 2001 Rockford Public Schools were granted their freedom from twelve years of school "desegregation" litigation and a five year old court order called "ambitious schemes of social engineering," by Judge Richard Posner of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. The decision ordered that the district be granted the relief they sought. Rockford students are now free to attend neighborhood schools. "The racial balance guidelines imposed by the court are no longer valid," proclaimed school district attorney Tom Lester. Middle and high schools are open enrollment with a priority given to students living within one and one/half miles of the school. Under-performing schools will be targeted with special initiatives to bring up the performance. Children currently enrolled in a school can stay there even if it is not their attendance area school, and students with brothers and sisters already enrolled in a certain school have a better chance to attend the same school. Each magnet school is also given an attendance area (Nans.org).
Currently, the superintendent of [District 205] is Dr. Dennis Thompson.
Sources
- [ISU School Law Quarterly]
- [Findlaw]
- [Chronicles Magazine]
- [Adversity.net]
- [National Association for Neighborhood Schools]
Miscellaneous
Sports Teams
- Rockford Forest Citys (Baseball, 1871)
- Rockford Lightning (Basketball)
- Rockford IceHogs (Ice Hockey)
- Rockford RiverHawks (Baseball)
- Rockford Peaches (Baseball, 1943-1954)
- Rockford Metros (Arena Football, 1986 'playtest game')
- Rock River Raptors (Indoor Football) (relocated from Alabama, have yet to change the name)
- Rockford Ravens (Rugby)
- Rockford Thunder (Indoor Soccer - now defunct)
Notable Rockfordians
- Jane Addams, Nobel Peace Prize Winner
- Ginger Lynn Allen, adult film actress
- John Bayard Anderson, U.S. Representative and 1980 presidential candidate
- Jodi Benson, actress and voice of Ariel in The Little Mermaid
- James Henry Breasted, scholar, first American teacher of Egyptology
- Cheap Trick, rock band, circa 1970-present
- City of Rockford Pipe Band, Competition Pipe and Drum Band
- Susan Saint James, actress, childhood years
- Sarah Kelly, contemporary Christian artist
- Janet Lynn, ice skater
- Joe Mantello, Tony Award winning actor and director
- Lynn Martin, US Secretary of Labor and Congresswoman
- Phantom Regiment, Drum and Bugle Corps
- Shawn Ryan, television writer, creator of FX show "The Shield"
- Janice E. Voss, American Astronaut
- Michelle Williams, member of Destiny's Child
- James "Big Jim" Wright, music producer, songwriter, (Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Flyte Time)
- Barbara Hale, Actress, "Perry Mason"
- Matt McDonough, Drummer, Mudvayne
- Paris Bennett, American Idol Season 5 Finalist (Fifth Place)
Media
- [Rock River Times], Weekly Newspaper. Independently owned since 1993. Circulation: 20,000.
- [Rockford Register Star], Daily Newspaper. Founded 1855. Circulation: 75,000.
- WREX-TV, NBC Affiliate. Channel 13.
- WTVO, ABC Affiliate. Channel 17.
- WIFR, CBS Affiliate. Channel 23.
- WQRF-TV, FOX Affiliate. Channel 39.
- WTJK 1380, ESPN Radio.
- WFEN-FM 88.3, Christian Radio.
- WGFB-FM 103.1, Adult Contemporary Radio.
- WGSL-FM 91.1, Christian Radio.
- WYHY-FM 95.3, Classic Rock Radio.
- WNIU-FM 90.5, Classical Radio.
- WNIJ-FM 89.5, NPR.
- WNTA 1330, News/Talk Radio.
- WQFL-FM 100.9, Christian Radio.
- WROK 1440, News/Talk Radio.
- WXRX-FM 104.9, Active Rock Radio.
- WXXQ-FM 98.5, Country Radio.
- WZOK-FM 97.5, Top 40 Radio.
Points of interest
- Anderson Japanese Gardens, a garden by Hoichi Kurisu which is ranked the top Japanese garden in North America
- Burpee Museum of Natural History, home of Jane the Tyrannosaurus Rex
- Discovery Center Museum, a large and well-respected interactive children's museum
- [EIGERlab], a venue for Industry, Education and Government to focus on Innovation and Enterprise
- Klehm Arboretum and Botanic Garden, 150 acres of rare trees and shrubs
- Metro Centre, multipurpose indoor arena seating 10,000, located downtown
- Rockford Art Museum, part of Riverfront Museum Park, featuring a good selection of modern artwork and regular exhibits unique to the community or pop culture
- Sportscore I & II
- Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum, a preserved Victorian "cottage" built in 1865
- Mary's Place The oldest Bar in Rockford [Mary's Place]
- Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center [link] the oldest, continuous community music organization in the United States, exists to provide quality music for all people of the northern Illinois region through live performances by local and world renowned artists.
Sister cities
Brovary, Ukraine - Since 1995 Changzhou, China - Since 1999 Borgholm, Sweden - Since 2002External links
- [GoRockford.com - Rockford Area CVB travel guide]
- [City Of Rockford Website]
- [WinGIS.org WinGIS - Winnebago County GIS Website]
- [EIGERlab - Technology Commercialization Center]
- [- Rockford West High School 1975 website]
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