Rockford, Illinois

Rockford was first settled in 1834–1835 by Germanicus Kent, Thatcher Blake, and Lewis Lemon. Halfway between Chicago and Galena, the community was briefly known as Midway, but quickly became known as Rockford, because of the excellent ford across the Rock River.

The settlement was incorporated as a village in 1839, and chartered as a city in 1852.

City Montage