fire
Adams School, later Freeman School, later Freeman Square
Originally, the East Side High School, built in 1857-58 was at the north end of this block. A terrible fire led to the building to be razed by contractor Adam Shrive. In 1893, the Rockford City Council approved the design and plan and expenses to build the above architect’s drawing for Adams School (elementary). It remained Adams School until 1904, when the name was changed to Henry Freeman School. It was named for a former principal. The architect was David S. Schureman. The school was constructed on the south end of the same block. Address: 910 Second Ave.
In 1945 the school was converted to use as a Special Education Building, taught to children who were polio victims.
In 1970 it closed as a Special Education Building and became a middle school.
In 1978 it was renamed Freeman Square. In the 1980’s it was converted to office space.
301 Seventh St., 2017 – fire
Source: Rockford Register Star 7/4/2017
Rockford Fire Dept. – 1-11-1961
Source: Rockford Register-Republic Jan. 11, 1961
“Explosion, Fire Demolish Empty Duplex” – 1986
Source: Rockford Register Star 9/28/1986
Fire on Seventh St. – 1981
Source: Forest City Firelog 1881 – 1981
Ny-Lint Tool and Manufacturing Co. – 1940’s (3)
Source: Rockford Morning Star August 31, 1941
Source: Rockford Morning Star December 13, 1942
Source: Rockford Register-Republic April 3, 1943
“Rockford Files Go Up in Smoke” – 1992
Source: Rockford Register-Star 11-14-1992
Prohibition – 730 Dickerman St.
“Bootlegger Flees after Still Blast; Explosion Sets Fire to Flat Building”
“Another Rockford moonshiner took |
to the tall timbers this morning |
at 8 o’clock when one of his two |
stills exploded and started a fire in the |
basement of a flat building at |
730 Dickerman street. |
Responding to a fire call to that |
address this morning at 8 o’clock, |
firemen found the basement window |
wrecked by the explosion of a |
36 -gallon still and a small blaze. |
Entry into the basement disclosed |
a 50 – gallon still operating full force. |
The fire was soon extinguished. |
Detectives John Anderson and Ed |
Cavanaugh were called and investigation |
developed that some of the half a dozen |
families occupying the flat, a former |
macaroni factory, knew the identity |
of the owner of the two stills. |
There were four other gas plates in the |
basement in addition to the two beneath |
the stills. |
Fifteen barrels of mash were destroyed |
and the two stills, five gallons of hootch, |
300 pounds of sugar, five packages of |
yeast and several containers were |
taken to the police station’s “liquor cellar.” |
The two stills were equipped for fusil |
oil elimination and embraced every |
device and art known in scientific |
“moonshine” distillation. The 50 -gallon |
still appeared to have been in operation less |
than 2 weeks.” |
Rockford Daily Register-Gazette |
1/18/1924 |
Northern Star Plating and Finishing
“Second major blaze strikes Loves Park plating company”
“Loves Park – Firefighters sifted through the ruins of a portion of the Northern Star Plating and Finishing Co., 505 River Lane, Thursday afternoon seeking the cause of the second major fire to hit the place in six weeks.”
Source: Rockford Register Star March 14, 1980
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