A Tale of Seven Cities 1986

Source:  Rockford Magazine    June 1986   Vol.1 No.1

Rockford Fire Dept. history – Forest City Firelog, 1982

Source: Forest City Firelog, 1881 – 1981  Compiled by Fire Lt. George Thomas Burke, edited by James and Janet George, Rockford, IL  1982, first few pages

See also Rockfordiana files and newspaper articles on Fires

 

Winnebago County History

History 1600’s – first was part of Virginia

History 1700’s – French were first European settlers in county. French explorer, Robert de La Salle, rename country Louisiana

History 1763 – Treaty of Paris 1763  gave land East of Mississippi River to Great Britain

History 1778 – Colonel George Rogers Clark attacked  military posts in Kaskaski, Cahokia and Vincennes. The territory reorganized into Illinois.

History 1783 – The Treaty of Paris 1783 gave Illinois to Great Britain

History 1787 – History 1787 Congressional Ordinance – Ohio River to Mississippi be 3 – 5 States

History 1800  Act of Congress in 1800, Northwest Territory would equal Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin

History 1809 – was organized the territory of Illinois and  Kaskaskia became seat of Illinois government

History 1812 – Illinois was advanced to the second grade of territorial government

History 1818 – admitted to Union as a State named for Winnebago Indians, but were not prominent in Indian history

Source: Past and Present of the City of Rockford and Winnebago County 977.33 C471p

Winnebago means “fish eaters”

Source: Sinnissippi Saga 977.33 M31

first settler of European decent : Stephen Mack

Source: Past and Present of the City of Rockford and Winnebago County 977.33 C471p

first settler of East Rockford: Daniel Shaw Haight

Source: Past and Present of the City of Rockford and Winnebago County  977.33 C471p

Illinois State Legislature provided for organization of Winnebago County on January 16, 1836, formed from JoDaviess & LaSalle Counties originally included all of Boone County and part of Stephenson County. On March 4,1837  Illinois State Legislature provided creation of Boone & Stephenson Counties

Source: The pioneers of Winnebago and Boone Counties, Illinois, who came before 1841 R 929.377331 R883p

wanted to secede to Wisconsin between 1818 and 1845

Source: Nuggets of History Summer 1987

 

Unitarian Universalist Church – 2012

Unitarian Church

Source:  Northwest Quarterly magazine, Fall 2012, Vol. 9, No. 4, p 210

Broadway St., 2127

Built by E.F. Herrick in 1842, only 2 families have occupied in 102 years. Present owner Miss Margaret Borg. The house to be sold.

Source: Rockford Morning Star 3/6/1946

photo exterior + dining room.

Source: Rockfordiana – Historic Houses and Landmarks – 1 (3/22/1941)

“Cobblestone Antiques” opens today  owners David and Penny Pauling

Source: Rockfordiana – Historic Houses and Landmarks – 3, page 25 & Rockford Register Star 5/27/1973

“Bicentennial focus on architecture”

Source: Rockfordiana – Historic Houses and Landmarks – 4, p7 & Rockford Register Republic 1/12/1976

2127 Broadway

2127 Broadway

Herrick Cobblestone House

Source: Rockford Register Star 8/17/2011

Herrick Cobblestone House

Source: Rockford Register Star 8/17/2011

Herrick Cobblestone House