A Digital Collection of Rockford, Illinois History
This building is the bottom half of what was the Sunset Park shelter house, as identified by Jean Lythgoe. Compare with the 1917 photograph of Sunset Park and the partial photo of this one Note the concession window, the door, and the smaller window. The two other photos mentioned can be found in the Local History database.
Source: Rockford Magazine, November 1995, pages 20 – 27; by Pamela Prescott; All photos courtesy of Rockford Park District
Source: Rockford 1917, page 9
Located in Rockford’s NW side, bounded by Central Ave., Ashland Ave., Sunset Ave. and Arthur Ave.
Source:Â Rockford Daily Republic June 19, 1929Â Article Continues Below
General public attendance in seven supervised playgrounds up 6,000: Beattie, Churchill, Southeast, Brown, Sunset, and South. Sharp decrease at Fairgrounds Park and at 10th Ave.
Source: Rockford Morning Star 9/8/1944
Source: Rockford Republic May 15, 1913
Article on Nov. 14, 1999 in conjunction with Pat Cunningham’s book release “Big Town Little City.”
“Highs and Lows; The drug scourge took a toll on Rockford”
“A Rockford City Worker stands by as a former drug house on School Street is toppled by a bulldozer. The arrival of crack cocaine to the local scene was especially destructive to the city’s poorer neighborhoods. It also strained the criminal justice system almost to the breaking point.”
“Rockford Police Capt. John Weeks holds of cash in one hand and a brick of marijuana in the other after a local drug bust. But it was cocaine that took the greater social toll.”
“The rise of the drug culture in the 1970s spawned violence among Rockford street gangs who vied for control of the local drug market. At one point, the two biggest gangs had a combined membership of more than 600 people. A youngster is shown here sledding past a building marked by gang graffiti.” The building was the remaining lower level of the Sunset Park shelter house.
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