Starting in 2008, Jan Carter, who worked in the Rockford Public Library’s Local History department, started collecting historical information and pictures of the Rockford area. These records date from the 1840s to present day and the collection is growing every day.
Unfortunately, most of the information originally posted on this site is inaccessible as we re-work our digital collection for easier access. In the meantime, please visit our Local History Documents Archive, where you will find digitized Rockford resources and links to relevant Local History research databases. You can also find many other research resources by going to our A-Z Databases page.
Come and visit the Local History Collections and Archive on the third floor of the Main Library!
215 North Wyman Street,
Rockford, IL 61101
1-815-965-7606
Please call to check our hours, as they are subject to change while we settle into our new space. You can also email us at or fill out a Research Request and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
If you enjoy this website or find it useful, please consider making a donation to Rockford Public Library. We are committed to digitizing and preserving Rockford Illinois history.
Be sure to like the Library’s Facebook page to learn more about library events and services.
Featured Article:
Historic City of Rockford 10-minute promotional video from 1949
Source: www.youtube.com – Public Domain
The digital reproductions on this site, from materials held by the Rockford Public Library, are provided to researchers who visit this site, for research consultation and scholarly purposes only. Further distribution and/or any commercial use of the works from this site are strictly forbidden.
The mission of the Rockford Public Library is to educate, inform, entertain, and culturally enrich the people of our community.
© Rockford Public Library 2025
