Source: Rockford Register Star June 29, 1992
Post Office
“R I A A Squads Move as 2nd Half Begins” – Jan. 10, 1965
Source: Rockford Morning Star Jan. 10, 1965
R.I.A.A., RMA softball and Rockford Lawn Bowling Tourney – 1975
Source: Rockford Morning Star July 1, 1975
“R.I.A.A. Loop Resumes Play” – 7-15-1956, Softball
Source: Rockford Morning Star July 15, 1956
Rockford Industrial Athletic Association
Rockford Industrial Athletic Association
1958 Class A won by Barber-Colman
1958 Class B won by Drop Forge
1958 Class C won by Post Office
Source: Rockford Morning Star, 12/28/1958
Rockford Public Library – history of, Dave Oberg
Rockford Public Library
Article on history of the library by David Oberg
Rockford Library Association founded in 1852
In 1855, the Young Men’s Association proposed creating a library
In March 1857, shareholders paid $50 each to join
The first library was on the 3rd floor of the Robertson, Coleman Company, consisting of 1,000 volumes and 38 periodicals
During the Civil War, interest in the library declined, and the books were sold at public auction in 1865
The next version of the Rockford Public Library was founded by Elias Cosper, 1872
The Rockford Library reading room was opened on 08/01/1872
On 02/01/1873, the circulation department opened on the 2nd floor of northwest corner of State and Main, on “Wallach’s Block”
In July 1876, the library moved to the Post Office, on the 100 block of West State Street
In 1878, the library had its first withdrawals: 38 volumes worn out and 3 not returned by borrowers
In 1891, Mayor Starr appointed three women to the library board
In 1895, the board established 6 traveling libraries
In 1896, the library instituted a card catalogue
On 03/06/1901, Andrew Carnegie provided the opportunity to expand the library
The architects for the new library were Bradley and Carpenter
After discussion and delays the location on Wyman Street was chosen
The library was designed with twin entrances, East and West
In 1903, the new library housed a natural history collection. It was called the “Beattie Memorial Museum”
In 1904, the Rockford Public Library was free to Rockford residents, and $2 a year to Winnebago County residents
Also in 1904 the library has its first Child’s Room, and a branch on 7th Street
1905 photograph of library; Main Hall and Delivery Room
By 1917, there were library substations at Highland and Montague schools
In 1918, a thousand cards were given to Camp Grant soldiers
Also in 1918, a new Southeast branch was located at 1217 4th Avenue, and two deposit stations were created: at the W.C.T.U. (Women’s Christian Temperance Union) and at 1616 West State Street
By 1920, Rockford Public Library books were in 50 area schools
The Montague Branch Library was dedicated on 05/24/1923. The architect was Chester E. Wolfley. Montague was established in large part due to the St. Angel family
In 1925, the library opened the Fine Arts Room
By 1925, the Main Library was joined by five branches: Southeast, Highland, Montague, Rowland and West End
In 1929, circulation had risen to more than 500,000 items a year
Source: “Nuggets of History”, Volume 44, December 2006, No. 4
Illinois Central Railroad
Illinois Central Railroad
The wages were $1.25 a day to build the railroad
It was completed September 27, 1856, taking five years to construct
705 mile railroad
Connected the northern, southern and central parts of the State
The city of Centralia was named after the Illinois Central Railroad
Later, four additional railroads were built east to west
It expanded the social, political, and economic climate of the State
The 1836 legislature granted a charter to build a railroad from Cairo to Galena
$3.5 million was set aside from the State for the building of a central railroad
The work was halted by the financial panic of 1837
The concept was kept alive by Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas
The 1850 Douglas Act was signed by President Fillmore
The bill called for Illinois to receive Federal land to build a central railroad
4000+ miles were made available
The State granted the charter to the Illinois Central Railroad Company
2.5 million acres were transferred to the company
The railroad would have to pay 7% shipping tax
The groundbreaking was at Cairo, IL on 12/23/1851
By 1852 funds were raised via bond sales in England to build the railroad
The chief Construction Engineer was Col. Roswell Mason
Hundreds of German and Irish immigrants were recruited from Europe to work on the railroad
Iron rails at $45 per ton were floated from England via New Orleans and Chicago
The line crossed the Great Western Railroad
The state hired Andrew Carnegie’s company to build a bridge across the Mississippi River
The state of Illinois’ population grew 2.5 million from 1850-1880
Illinois Central’s income in 1861 was $4 million, and in 1865 it was $8 million
Illinois Central hauled 291 million tons of goods in 1870, and 1,302 million tons in 1890
In 1877, Illinois Central bought the Chicago, St. Louis and New Orleans Line
Illinois Central purchased the Havana, Rantoul and Eastern Railroad and the Iowa Line in 1887
In 1888, Illinois Central built a line from Chicago to Freeport
Illinois Central built a huge bridge at Cairo over the Ohio River; it was completed in 1889
The Illinois Central headquarters was in Chicago, IL
Illinois Central installed telegraph lines, and the telegraph operators could signal station masters up and down the line
Illinois Central built the first sleeping cars, three years before Pullman
They were the first railroad to establish Post Office cars
Illinois Central was the first railroad to develop refrigerated freight cars
They were one of the five largest railroads in the U. S. by 1900
By 1926 the suburban line trains converted from steam to electricity
Source: “Historic Illinois”, Vol. 29, No. 4, December 2006, Pages 3 – 7, Rockford Public Library’s Local History Collection