Rockford FAQs

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Just how big is Rockford, anyway?
Where's Rockford?
How far away is Rockford by car?
How did Rockford get its name?
How did Winnebago County get its name?
What are Rockford's nicknames?
What's Rockford's ethnic heritage?
What makes Rockford tick today?
What's down by the riverside?
Hotels?
Restaurants?
Shopping?
Antiques?
Baseball, anyone?
The arts?
Museums?
Gardens?
Outdoor recreation?
Golf?
Winter recreation?
Did anyone famous come from Rockford?
Why do people visit Rockford?
How do you get to Rockford?
Visitor taxes?

JUST HOW BIG IS ROCKFORD, ANYWAY?

A. Big enough to have lots of attractions and culture, but small enough to be inexpensive and uncomplicated. Rockford’s population is 147,651 (2016), making it one of Illinois' largest cities ...smaller than Chicago, but bigger than Peoria or Springfield. Rockford’s the county seat of Winnebago County, population 285,873 (2016). The city encompasses 61 square miles, while the county covers 513 square miles.

Q.	WHERE'S ROCKFORD?
A. In north-central Illinois, just south of Wisconsin, halfway between Galena and Chicago.

HOW FAR AWAY IS ROCKFORD BY CAR?

A. Just a 60-minute drive west of Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, and only 90 minutes, more or less, from downtown Chicago, Milwaukee and Madison. Peoria, Bloomington, Galena, the Quad Cities, and Wisconsin Dells are only a few minutes more, and it's an easy drive from Des Moines, Waterloo, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Springfield, Minneapolis, and Detroit.
Visit our Location and Transportation page to find specific travel information, mileage, and links.

HOW DID ROCKFORD GET ITS NAME?

A. In 1834, New Englanders settled on both banks of a shallow, rocky stretch of the Rock River, where there was a natural ford. They named their settlement “Midway Village,” because it was halfway between Chicago and Galena (then a mining boomtown). By 1837, the settlement had grown and was re-named “Rockford.” (The original ford is just south of where U.S. Business Highway 20 [State Street] crosses the river at Founders Landing in Davis Park.)

Q.	HOW DID WINNEBAGO COUNTY GET ITS NAME?
A. The Winnebago was a tribe of Native Americans living in Illinois and Wisconsin. They spoke a Siouan language and shared traditions of both the Eastern Woodlands and Plains cultures. In 1832 they formed an alliance with the Sac and Fox, under the leadership of Black Hawk, to drive white settlers off Indian lands. They were defeated in the infamous Bad Axe Massacre near LaCrosse, WI.

WHAT ARE ROCKFORD'S NICKNAMES?

A. Early settlers called it “Forest City” because of the river valley’s verdant woods. Today, it’s being called the “City of Gardens.” Rockford has 7,000 acres of parkland, tree-lined streets, an exceptionally green downtown, a riverside trail, and several magnificent public gardens. Look in the phone book...you’ll discover two whole columns of businesses named “Forest City,” “Forest Hills” or "Forest View."
• Also, much to Rockford’s chagrin, it was once known as the “Screw Capital of the World” because of the billions of screws, bolts, and fasteners its factories produced for the manufacturers of the world.

WHAT'S ROCKFORD'S ETHNIC HERITAGE?

A. Thousands of Swedish immigrants settled in Rockford between 1835 and the early 1900s. Immigrants arriving in Chicago from New York encountered a cholera epidemic, so they rode the trains west to the end of the line at Rockford. The Swedes’ metal and woodworking craftsmanship made Rockford a leading furniture center, with more than 90 furniture companies in existence between 1835 and 1960. Their descendants remained at the forefront of Rockford industry, adapting to changing needs and technologies.
• Italians came to Rockford by the thousands between 1878 and 1912, establishing businesses that still bear their names and social clubs that reflect Italy’s various regions. (That’s also why Rockford has so many terrific Italian restaurants and markets.)
• Germans, Irish, Poles and other Eastern Europeans also immigrated to Rockford in significant numbers.
• Today, Rockford is a vital, multicultural community of people with roots in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Rockford’s landmarks, restaurants, and shops reflect the city’s rich ethnic heritage.

WHAT MAKES ROCKFORD TICK TODAY?

A. Just as in the 1800s, manufacturing is the Rockford Region’s largest industry. Rockford companies supply the world with precision cutting tools, fasteners (nuts, bolts, screws, nails, etc.), aerospace components, machine parts, and automobiles, among other things. Rockford is a regional shopping center, and the city’s hospitals and clinics make it a regional medical center as well.
• In 2004, Rockford was a recipient of the Presidents' Arts Friend Community Award, presented by the Illinois Arts Alliance Foundation and the Illinois Municipal League, recognizing Rockford as a model for how mayors and other municipal leaders can work with artists, arts organizations and volunteers to improve the quality of life for residents. • Also in 2004, Sports Illustrated Magazine and the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) with named Rockford as Sportstown USA for the state of Illinois.
• Long known as The City of Gardens, Rockford placed first in the America In Bloom national competition in 2005 and 2007.

WHAT'S DOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE?

A. Rockford life centers around the Rock River. It may divide the east side from the west, but it brings people together for events such as the Illinois Snow Sculpting Competition; Fourth of July Festival; Ski Broncs Water Ski Shows; Rockford Art Museum Greenwich Village Art Fair and Rockford Art Guild's Artists' Fair; Music in the Park and Holiday Festival of Lights.
Several museums cluster in Riverfront Museum Park on the west bank; Sinnissippi Gardens and Park stretch along the east bank; Mercyhealth Sportscore One has river access on the north; a trail network links them all. Rockford continues to develop its waterfront by converting industrial sites into parks and public areas, such as Davis Park at Founder's Landing.

Q.	HOTELS?
A. More than 3,000 rooms at a couple of dozen hotels, motels, resorts, and a bed-and-breakfast. Most of the major chains are present, and many of the properties are relatively new. Some of the largest are Embassy Suites by Hilton Rockford Riverfront, Riverview Inn and Suites, Hilton Garden Inn, Holiday Inn of Rockford and Radisson Hotel & Conference Center Rockford.

Q.	RESTAURANTS?
A. Hundreds! A host of Rockford Originals plus plenty of chains create an exciting collection of eclectic ethnic and gourmet restaurants…from elegant places such as Josef Steakhouse & Oyster Bar to trendy bistros such as Abreo and Octane Interlounge.

Q.	SHOPPING?
A. CherryVale Mall; a bustling East State Street “strip” of discount chains, off-price outlets and “big box” stores; interesting specialty shops scattered all over town.

Q.	ANTIQUES?
A. And you thought the market was dominated by quaint villages like Galena and St. Charles! With antique malls, more than 25 individual shops and several annual antique markets, this is where other antique dealers get their stuff!

BASEBALL, ANYONE?

A. In 1879, Rockford joined baseball’s first professional minor league, along with Dubuque, Davenport, and Omaha. In 1943, Chicago Cubs owner Phil Wrigley formed the Rockford Peaches, a top-flight women’s baseball team for 12 years. (The team was featured in the movie A League of Their Own starring Tom Hanks, Madonna, Geena Davis, and Rosie O’Donnell.) The Rockford Peaches played at Beyer Stadium, which was recently renovated. Rockford's current women's baseball team, the Rockford Starfires, plays baseball at this historic stadium. Rockford is also home to the Rockford Rivets, an expansion team of the premium college summer league, the Northwoods League. The Rivets play at Rivets Stadium located near I-90 and Riverside Boulevard.

THE ARTS?

A. Rockford is big enough to offer oodles of cultural events but small enough to make them affordable. For performing arts, there is theatre, a symphony orchestra, chamber music group, dance company, outdoor concerts and two venues for big-name shows: the BMO Center and Coronado Performing Arts Center. Starlight Theatre at Rock Valley College has a retractable star-shaped roof so that outdoor performances can go on, rain or shine. The visual arts are represented by a major art museum, plus storefront and loft galleries. The Rockford Art Museum has over 1,900 works of art.

MUSEUMS?

A. Rockford has metro-quality museums, too. Burpee Museum of Natural History, host to the annual celebration of dinosaurs, PaleoFest, has created a stir among paleontologists by unearthing a rare new dinosaur, a one-of-a-kind member of the Tyrannus family that they named "Jane." Child Magazine rated Discovery Center Museum as one of the top four children's museums in America. Midway Village Museum has a charming 1899 village with 24 life-sized buildings. Add to the mix Rockford Art Museum, Ethnic Heritage Museum, and several historic homes: Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum, Macktown Living History Center at Macktown Forest Preserve, Erlander Home Museum and Graham-Ginestra House.

GARDENS?

A. You could spend a whole weekend touring the "City of Gardens."Anderson Japanese Gardens is considered one of the top two Japanese gardens in the Western World; the other one's in Portland, Oregon. Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens at Sinnissippi Gardens, a linear park on the Rock River, brings the tropics to the Midwest. Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden has so many rare and unusual trees and shrubs, botanists say there's only one comparable site...and it's in France. There’s a year-round schedule of garden tours, flower shows, garden concerts, and gardening workshops, too.

OUTDOOR RECREATION?

A. With 10,000+ acres of parks and forest preserves, there’s plenty of outdoor fun in and around Rockford. You can bike, hike, roller-blade, swim, boat, sail, picnic, camp, fish, bird-watch, ride horses, play miniature golf. The Rockford Area has 25 miles of interconnecting trails and a dozen golf courses. Enjoy the 35-acre Six Flags Hurricane Harbor waterpark and the two huge sports complexes - Mercyhealth Sportscore One and Mercyhealth Sportscore Two and Indoor Sports Center. UW Health Sports Factory is one of the largest sports facilities in the Midwest. Watch the world-class Ski Broncs Water Ski Show Team ply the Rock River in free weekly shows during the summer. Attend car and motorcycle races at Rockford Speedway and Blackhawk Farms Raceway.

GOLF?

A. With a more than a dozen courses, we suspect Rockford has more golf holes per capita than any place in the world. That’s why we call it “Illinois’ Holiest City“…and why Golf Digest and Fodor’s chose it as “Best Mid-Sized City for Golf” in 1998, 1999 and again in 2000. The Aldeen Golf Club and Practice Centre, operated by the Rockford Park District, has been awarded a 4-1/2 star rating by Golf Digest, putting it alongside such great courses as Tournament Players Club at Sawgrass and Spyglass Hill in Pebble Beach!

Q.	WINTER RECREATION?
A. You can ice-skate indoors or out, cross-country ski, sled, snowmobile, ice-fish, and bowl. The Rockford IceHogs, an American Hockey League team affiliated with the Chicago Blackhawks, plays at the BMO Center.

DID ANYONE FAMOUS COME FROM ROCKFORD?

A. You bet! Famous natives and residents include:
• Virgil Abloh, Boylan High School graduate and fashion designer, was named by Time magazine in 2018 one of 100 most influential people in the world.
• Jane Addams, Nobel Laureate and founder of Chicago's Hull House, was in Rockford College's (now Rockford University) first graduating class.
• Corey Anderson, a graduate of Hononegah Community High School where he competed in wrestling, is a mixed martial artist ranked #7 in 2018 in the UFC light heavyweight rankings.
• John B. Anderson ran for US President as a third-party candidate and was a multi-term Rockford Congressman.
• Jodi Benson, a singer best known for being the voice of Disney's Ariel, the Little Mermaid.
• Mildred F. Berry, speech pathologist and political activist
• Rob Bollinger, Olympic diver
• James H. Breasted, archaeologist and Egyptologist
• Hal Carlson, National League pitcher, 1917-30
• James E. "Hoss" Cartwright, Retired U.S. Marine Corp four-star general, eighth Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Commander of U.S. Strategic Command
• Howard Colman - The founder of Barber-Colman Company, once the largest employer in the Rockford area, held 149 patents. His non-industrial patents included the BarCol garage door opener and a measuring device for creameries. More about Mr. Colman can be found in Jon Lundin's 2006 book, "Master Inventor."
• Admiral George Dufek, an Antarctic explorer, founded a base on the icy continent in 1958 and named it "Little Rockford."
• Kurt Elling, Jazz vocalist
• Harry Forbes, World bantamweight boxing champion, 1900-03
• Deb Genovese, Olympic luger
• Kenny Gould, Olympic boxer
• Barbara Hale, an actress who played Perry Mason's secretary Della Street on the long-running TV series, graduated from Rockford High School.
• Brad Hefton, world heavyweight kickboxing champion
• Jill Hollembeck, power tumbler
• Martin Johnson, Photographer and explorer
• General Laurence S. Kuter, Participant in the Yalta Conference (1945) and commander of NORAD
• Julia Lathrop, associate of Jane Addams, children's advocate, and Chief of the Children's Bureau, U. S. Department of Labor under Taft
• Sandy Lenz, Olympic skater
• Janet Lynn, Olympic skater
• Kathy Malmberg, Olympic skate
• Sammy Mandell, World lightweight boxing champion, 1926-30
• Angel Martinez, a student at Rockford Auburn High School, is the second youngest boxer to win a National Golden Gloves Championship.
• Lynn Martin, Secretary of Labor under President Ronald Reagan and former congresswoman, taught school in Rockford
• Marin Mazzie, Tony Award-winning actress and singer known for her work in musical theater.
• Actor Aidan Quinn and his theatrical siblings are Rockford natives.
• Gordy McKellen, Olympic skater
• Bessica Medlar Raiche, physician and first woman to solo in an airplane (1911)
• Ron Merriott, Olympic diver
• Alexandra Nicholson, trampolinist
• Kate O'Connor, women's rights activist, labor leader, and government official
• Susan Saint James, actor
• Carl E. Swenson, Inventor of the universal joint for automobiles and landscape painter
• Mark Taylor, golfer
• Kevin Uliassi, the balloonist who set the world record in 2000 for the longest solo flight, launched his balloon from a quarry in Loves Park.
• Fred VanVleet, an Auburn High School graduate, is point guard for the NBA's Toronto Raptors and GoRockford's first Sports Tourism Ambassador. Fred hosts an annual summer camp in Rockford.
• Mountaineer Ed Viesturs climbed all fourteen of the world's eight-thousander mountain peaks.
• Janice Voss, Astronaut
• Dan Webster, a Boylan High School graduate, is a Hollywood art director for many movies including: Home Alone, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Life of Pi, The Hunger Games Mockingjay Parts 1 and 2, The Holiday, That Thing You Do, Glory, The Abyss, and many more.
• Michelle Williams, singer, songwriter and actress once part of the group Destiny's Child, graduated from Auburn High School.
• Rock 'n' roll superstars Cheap Trick started as a garage band in Rockford and still live here.
• The Rockford Peaches, a top-flight women's baseball team formed in 1943 by Chicago Cubs owner Phil Wrigley, started a run which lasted for 12 years. (The team was featured in the movie A League of Their Own starring Tom Hanks, Madonna, Geena Davis, and Rosie O'Donnell.)
• Novelists Paul Dale Anderson, Wayne Dundee, and Alice Beal Parsons(who sometimes use Rockford scenes and events in their work)

WHY DO PEOPLE VISIT ROCKFORD?

A. Thousands of athletes flock to Rockford during the warm-weather months. Why? Rockford’s has lots of terrific facilities for soccer, volleyball, and softball. In fact, international teams often use Rockford as a practice facility, prior to competitions such as World Cup Soccer.
• Meeting planners book Rockford because it has urban appeal, but is more affordable and less chaotic than Chicago. At the same time, Rockford is centrally located and easily accessible, with a CVB that delivers with its high level of professional services.
• Shoppers are drawn to Rockford’s critical mass.
• Families visit Rockford because there are so many inexpensive indoor and outdoor attractions, plus affordable family packages at hotels and motels.
• Big-name entertainment and mega-events at the Coronado Performing Arts Center and the BMO Center draw audiences from a 100-mile radius.

HOW DO YOU GET TO ROCKFORD?

A. Rockford is easily accessible by car from either I-90, I-39 or US Highway 20.
• There are 17 daily shuttle bus runs between Rockford and Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, seven to Midway Airport, and four daily shuttles to Chicago’s Union Station and downtown Chicago.
• Rockford is served by Greyhound Bus Lines and five rental car firms: Avis, Enterprise, Hertz and National/Alamo.
• Rockford’s international airport, Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD), offers flights to Arizona (Phoenix, Mesa); Florida (Destin, Ft. Myers/Punta Gorda, Orlando/Sanford, Sarasota/Bradenton, Tampa/St. Petersburg); Nevada (Las Vegas); Costa Rica (Guanacaste); Dominican Republic (Punta Cana); and Mexico (Cancun).
Visit our Location and Transportation page for specific travel information, mileage, and links.