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70-531: Sydney J. Yard was born on November 5, 1855, in Rockford, Illinois . He was the son of William K. Yard and Mary Ann Jones. Yard was first married to Carrie E. Millard in 1877 but she died on August 27, 1894. After the death of his wife, Yard moved to San Jose, California with his daughter, Bessie. He remarried to Fannie M. Estabrook on July 18, 1898, in Santa Clara, California. Yard was married twice. Yard

140-617: A Carnegie library in 1902, which became the first building of Rockford's public library system. 1903 saw the dedication of the Winnebago County Veterans Memorial Hall in the presence of sitting President Theodore Roosevelt . Roosevelt returned to Rockford during his campaign in 1912 and again to address the soldiers at Camp Grant , a training site for World War I soldiers. The twentieth century saw demographic changes to Rockford. An influx of Italians, Poles, Lithuanians, and African Americans replaced

210-690: A MRO facility at the Rockford airport with a hangar large enough to fit a Boeing 747-8 . During the 2010s, all three major health care providers in Rockford underwent major expansions of their facilities. SwedishAmerican, in partnership with the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center , opened a $ 39 million Regional Cancer Center in 2013. In 2014, MercyHealth (based in Janesville, Wisconsin ) acquired Rockford Health System,

280-675: A $ 20 million renovation (renamed the BMO Harris Bank Center in 2011). In 2009, the downtown pedestrian mall was removed as part of a street refurbishment project, restoring Main Street (Illinois Route 2) to two-lane traffic for the first time in nearly 45 years. Prior to the onset of the Great Recession , housing in Rockford was affected by catastrophic weather events. In 2006 and 2007, Keith Creek underwent 100-year flooding events , damaging hundreds of older homes on

350-723: A children's museum featuring over 250 hands-on exhibits including a planetarium. The Burpee Museum and the Discovery Center Museum, along with the Rockford Art Museum and the bases for Northern Public Radio , the Rockford Dance Company, and the Rockford Symphony Orchestra make up the downtown Riverfront Museum Park complex. The last museum under the park district's authority is Midway Village and Museum Center ,

420-406: A city border with Cherry Valley. While growth at the eastern end of Rockford undersaw favorable conditions for growth, established neighborhoods began to suffer irrevocable decline. In the 1970s, efforts commenced to revitalize downtown Rockford, once the primary shopping district. In a highly criticized decision, the city reconfigured several blocks of downtown into a pedestrian mall , closing off

490-492: A decision that continues to affect Rockford to the present day, in 1989, Rockford Public School District 205 closed several schools across the city in a cost-cutting decision. In the aftermath of the decision, the school district was found guilty in federal court of discrimination against minority students. From 1993 to 2001, the school district was under federal oversight to desegregate its schools, costing over $ 250 million. With its economy predominately based on manufacturing,

560-977: A heart attack on the steps of the Carmel Post Office. After his death, his works were exhibited at the American Art Gallery in New York and the Alaska–Yukon–Pacific Exposition in Seattle . His watercolors continued to display at Vickery's, the Oakland's Orpheum Theatre, and the Gump's Gallery in San Francisco. The Rabjohn & Morcom gallery in San Francisco showed a group of his watercolors in his memory as did Vickery, Atkins & Torrey. Yard's artworks form part of

630-428: A line of severe storms and their associated high winds caused widespread damage on both the east and west sides of Rockford. Approximately 70,000 people were without power, with many on the west side suffering in the heat without electricity for a week. It took months to clear the damage, but because the storm struck so early in the morning there were no injuries or fatalities. However, these sometimes violent storms bring

700-476: A median income of $ 37,098 versus $ 25,421 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 19,781. 14.0% of the population and 10.5% of families were below the poverty line . 19.6% of those under the age of 18 and 8.0% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. In the late 1950s, Rockford surpassed Peoria as the second largest city in Illinois by population, holding onto that position into

770-592: A passport. He traveled to London and sketched landscapes in Scotland . Shortly after his return, in April 1900, Yard had a solo exhibition at the Vickery, Atkins & Torrey gallery in San Francisco. The San Francisco Call gave the following review: "Yard has included in the present exhibition pictures done at home and abroad. A few show the coloring with which those who know anything of his work are familiar, but of

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840-633: A private foundation from its commissioners, it was renovated into a museum in 2014. The Rockford Area has two additional places named by the American Institute of Architects in the 150 Great Places, Anderson Japanese Gardens in Rockford, Illinois and Poplar Grove United Methodist Church in Poplar Grove, Illinois. Anderson Japanese Gardens , modeled after the Portland Japanese Garden and landscaped by Hoichi Kurisu ,

910-691: A recreation of a Victorian-era village. The eastern riverwalk of Rockford is maintained by the park district, featuring the Nicholas Conservatory and Gardens . Located on the bank of the Rock River, the conservatory is the third-largest in the state of Illinois. Just north of the gardens is Symbol , an Alexander Liberman sculpture moved from downtown during the 1980s and now one of Rockford's most recognizable features. In 2021, artist Rafael Blanco painted "Thinking of you Rockford" in Rockford, Illinois. The 22-foot by 77-foot piece featured

980-550: A small portion of the city located in Ogle County ). The population was 148,655 at the 2020 census , making Rockford the fifth-most populous city in Illinois, as well as the state's most populous city outside of the Chicago metropolitan area . It anchors the Rockford metropolitan area , which had 338,798 residents in 2020. Settled in the mid-1830s as Midway due to its location roughly equidistant between Lake Michigan and

1050-638: A young Black female dreaming alongside math and science illustrations. From 1943 to 1954, the Rockford Peaches were an inaugural team of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League . Playing home games at Beyer Stadium , the Peaches won league championships in 1945, 1948, 1949, and 1950; the four championships are the most of any league member. The team and the league itself were portrayed in

1120-406: Is 10 acres in size and features a teahouse and guesthouse in the sukiya-zukuri style. Klehm Arboretum and Botanic Garden is 155 acres in size and is noted for its selection of both indigenous and foreign plant species. The Burpee Museum of Natural History is home to the world's most complete juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex , Jane , as well as a Triceratops , Homer. The Discovery Center Museum ,

1190-919: Is a notable example of Gothic Revival . Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, it is used for the School of Medical Technology of the Rockford-based Swedish American Hospital . Further Swedish influence on Rockford during the Victorian era is represented in the Erlander Home Museum, the base of the Swedish Historical Society. Swiss influence can be seen in the Tinker Swiss Cottage , which

1260-652: Is served by a synagogue, the Muslim community by a mosque, the Sikhs by a temple, and its Buddhist community is served by two houses of worship. As of January 2017, the ten largest employers in Rockford, Illinois are: Mrs. Fisher's , a regional manufacturer of potato chips, was founded in Rockford. Compared to Katowice by writer Leopold Tyrmand , Rockford possesses a wealth of notable architecture. The Lake-Peterson House , constructed by alderman John Lake in 1873 and preserved by Swedish industrialist Pehr August Peterson,

1330-497: Is the driest. During a typical year, Rockford receives 37.24 in (946 mm) of precipitation. Rockford and surrounding areas are prone to violent thunderstorms during March, April, May, and June. On April 21, 1967 , a violent F4 tornado struck the neighboring town of Belvidere , killing twenty-four people and injuring hundreds more at Belvidere's High School. Other severe weather events, such as hail and strong winds are common in these storms. On July 5, 2003, at 04:13,

1400-659: The BMO Harris Bank Center , the Coronado Theatre , the Laurent House , and the Burpee Museum of Natural History . Its contributions to music are noted in the Mendelssohn Club, the oldest music club in the U.S., and performers such as Cheap Trick and Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps . Rockford traces its roots to 1834, as the combined settlements of Midway were founded on both banks of

1470-593: The Free Soil Party and the later Republican Party . In 1848, 42 percent of voters in Winnebago County (where Rockford dominated as the county seat) voted for Martin Van Buren . In 1852, Free Soil candidate John P. Hale became the first presidential candidate to visit Rockford, although he would only receive 28 percent of the vote. In 1860, Abraham Lincoln won 3,985 votes in Winnebago County to

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1540-500: The Kishwaukee River , joins the Rock River at the southern end of the city near the Rockford airport. Since the 1946 closure of Camp Grant, much of the length of Kishwaukee has been redeveloped into parkland and forest preserves, effectively forming the southern border of the city. Other waterways that feed into the Rock River include Spring Creek (northeast region), Keith Creek (east region), and Kent Creek (west region). Of

1610-524: The Marx Brothers , Frank Sinatra , and Bob Dylan . The 186-foot tall Faust Hotel complements the Coronado; constructed in 1929, it endures as Rockford's tallest building, albeit as apartments for the elderly and disabled. The Laurent House , a single-story Usonian home constructed in 1952 by Frank Lloyd Wright , is the only Wright building designed for a person with disabilities. Acquired by

1680-532: The Mississippi River , Rockford became strategic for industrial development. During the second half of the 19th century, it became notable for its production of heavy machinery, hardware, and tools. At the beginning of the 20th century, the city was the second leading center of furniture manufacturing in the U.S. During the second half of the 20th century, Rockford struggled alongside many Rust Belt cities to maintain its previous industrial presence. Since

1750-522: The 16th Congressional District in Illinois which includes Rockford, ran for President of the United States. Further attracting commercial growth, the MetroCentre 10,000-seat multi-purpose arena, was opened in 1981. Rockford was hit hard by the early 1980s recession and became one of the highest-unemployed cities in the United States. In 1981, rail service to the city ended as Amtrak ended

1820-522: The 1992 motion picture A League of Their Own . Rockford Park District operates Aldeen Golf Club, a municipal golf course. Since the creation of Winnebago County in 1836, Rockford has served as its county seat. Rockford is the largest Dillon's Rule municipality in Illinois, having revoked home rule in 1983. Along with a mayor (elected every four years), the Rockford City Council consists of 14 alderman (elected every 4 years), with

1890-461: The 2010 census, Rockford has an area of 61.949 square miles (160.45 km ), of which 61.08 square miles (158.20 km ) (or 98.6%) is land and 0.869 square miles (2.25 km ) (or 1.4%) is water. Rockford is approximately 90 miles west-northwest of downtown Chicago , and 70 miles south-southeast of Madison . The Rock River forms the traditional center of Rockford and is its most recognizable natural feature. One of its largest tributaries,

1960-676: The 21st century. In 2003, the status was changed as it was overtaken by Aurora after the results of a special census held by the latter city (as the two cities were not counted together, a direct comparison was not possible until the national census in 2010). According to 2010 figures, 20% of Winnebago County residents were Catholic, 19% Evangelical, 10% Mainline Protestant and 48% belonged to another faith or had no religion. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockford , several large evangelical and non-denominational churches, and several Lutheran and other Mainline Protestant congregations serve Rockford's Christian community. Rockford's Jewish community

2030-582: The 8 Illinois dams of the Rock River, the Fordham dam is located south of downtown. Summers are usually hot and humid with the average high temperature in July (the hottest month) being 83.9 °F (28.8 °C). The winter months can bring bitterly cold Arctic air masses. The average high temperature in January (the coldest month) is 29.1 °F (−1.6 °C). June is Rockford's wettest month while January

2100-483: The 817 votes of Stephen A. Douglas . The 1850s brought industry that would change Rockford forever. In 1853, inventor John Henry Manny moved to Rockford to produce horse-drawn mechanical reapers for farmers and transport the finished products by rail. Chicago implement manufacturer Cyrus McCormick (whose company became International Harvester ) took Manny to court after he produced nearly 6,000 machines; Manny would prevail on both judgement and an appeal. Along with

2170-987: The Del Monte Art Gallery between 1907 and 1909. In 1908, Yard exhibited at the Hotel Del Monte , the Oakland Free Library and the Berkley Art Association.name="Shields"/> He was a member and curator for annual exhibitions at the Carmel Arts and Crafts Club . Yard's last major show was at the Vickery, Atkins & Torrey in San Francisco in 1908. Critics said it was "the most important collection of Yard's work ever presented at one time." Yard died on January 2, 1909, at age 54, in Carmel-by-the-Sea, from

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2240-714: The Dubuque-to-Chicago Black Hawk route. After struggling to compete with more modern facilities, the Coronado Theatre showed its last movie in 1984, shifting solely to stage performances. To expand passenger service, the Greater Rockford Airport rebuilt its passenger terminal in 1987, although the access of Rockford to the Northwest Tollway (to the much larger O'Hare Airport) became a popular alternative. In

2310-526: The Main Street/West State Street intersection to traffic. In 1975, what the local press characterized as one of the most well-known and haunting crimes took place when newspaper delivery boy Joey Didier was kidnapped and murdered by Robert Lower. In the late 1970s, Symbol , a 47-foot tall Alexander Liberman abstract sculpture was placed in the center of the pedestrian mall. In 1980, then Congressman John B. Anderson , representing

2380-561: The Midway/Rockford population was similar to much of the rest of northern Illinois and nearly all of Wisconsin during the mid-19th century. After the Black Hawk War , additional immigrants moved to northern Illinois; during the 1830s and 1840s, Rockford and Winnebago County were considered a cultural extension of New England. During the antebellum period, Rockford shared abolitionist leanings, lending considerable support to

2450-718: The Mission Church. Yard's disestablish his partnership with Hill along with career as a professional photographer as he became more successful in exhibiting his watercolors and oil paintings in San Francisco. In 1883, he had a showing at the San Francisco Art Association 's spring and winter exhibitions. In 1897 and 1898 his work showed at the winter exhibitions at the Mark Hoppkins Institute of Art in San Francisco. That show included his watercolors, Coast Near Pacific Grove and In

2520-629: The Oakland Art Fund, Yard displayed six paintings. In 1905, Yard relocated to the art colony of Carmel-by-the-Sea where he purchased a cottage. He survived the 1906 San Francisco earthquake . Yard's decision to move his studio in Carmel influenced artists like Laura W. Maxwell to follow suit. In 1908, Yard designed a larger house on Lincoln Street and 7th Avenue in Carmel. Michael J. Murphy (builder) built it. He later added an art studio, where he had regular showings. He showed his work at

2590-433: The Rock River. As the 20th century progressed, growth in western Rockford (and established neighborhoods in eastern areas of the city) struggled to compete with economic development that moved further east. From the late 1950s, downtown Rockford (centered around the intersection of IL 2 and US 20; Main Street and West State Street) began to decline as the primary shopping district of the city. In 1956, North Towne Mall opened on

2660-514: The Rock River. On the west bank, Germanicus Kent and Thatcher Blake (with his slave Lewis Lemon) founded Kentville; the east bank was settled by Daniel Shaw Haight. With the location of the Rock River equidistant between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River, the combined settlement derived the name "Midway". In 1836, Winnebago County was created (from both Jo Daviess and LaSalle counties), with Midway named as its county seat, as it

2730-656: The Rockford area was selected by Chrysler Corporation to construct an assembly plant; the final site of what is now the Belvidere Assembly Plant is southwest of Belvidere, between US 20 and Interstate 90. While not located directly in the city, the Chrysler assembly plant has served as one of the largest employers of the region since its 1965 opening. The growth of Rockford led to many changes to its educational systems. In 1955, Rockford College – now Rockford University – became co-educational for

2800-764: The Santa Cruz Mountains. Critic Lucy B. Jerome reviewed his work and said, "The delicate vernal greens and pale tints of the quiet pastorla scene impress one with the mellowness and ripeness of the painter's conception." Yard sold some of his works at the Schussler Galleries in San Francisco. While in San Francisco, Yard taught painters like Laura W. Maxwell , who later followed him to Carmel after he settled there. By 1895, Yard had dissolved his partnership with Hill. In 1897, he opened his own art studio in San Jose. In June 1899, Yard applied for

2870-406: The aerospace industry ( Woodward and Collins Aerospace ; the latter, tracing its roots to Sundstrand Corporation ). In 2012, Woodward selected suburban Loves Park for a $ 200 million manufacturing campus toward its energy control and optimization systems. Boeing included Rockford in a list of five finalists to manufacture the 777X during union disputes in 2014. In 2016, AAR Corporation opened

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2940-762: The city divided into 14 wards. Charles Chapel Judson Charles Chapel Judson (October 15, 1864 – November 4, 1946) was an American painter and educator. He taught in the art department at the University of California, Berkeley for two decades. Judson was born on October 15, 1864, in Detroit, Michigan, and he grew up in Kansas City, Missouri . He was trained as a painter at the San Francisco School of Design , as well as in Paris and Munich. In Paris, he studied under Paul-Louis Delance . Judson

3010-535: The city has been affected by the deindustrialization of the Rust Belt. There has been an emphasis on services, especially medicine and education. During the 2000s, a movement began to reverse urban blight of downtown Rockford, which had begun in the 1960s. After an 18-month multi-million dollar renovation and expansion, the Coronado Theatre was reopened in 2001. In 2008, the MetroCentre downtown arena completed

3080-399: The city was 65.1% White (58.4% Non-Hispanic white ), 20.5% African American , 0.4% Native American , 2.9% Asian , 0.01% Pacific Islander , 7.5% from other races , and 3.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 15.8% of the population. The median income for a household in the city was $ 55,667, and the median income for a family was $ 65,465. Males had

3150-606: The city was a target of the Palmer Raids . While its congressional district favored Republicans, Rockford continuously elected former socialists as mayor between 1921 and 1955. One of its contemporary attractions, the Coronado Theatre , opened in 1927. Noted for its atmospheric styling , the Coronado rivaled its counterparts in Chicago and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Camp Grant

3220-471: The city. The Rockford Female Seminary became the alma mater of Jane Addams in 1881. The move accompanied the Seminary's transition into a more complete curriculum, which was represented by its renaming to Rockford College in 1892. Culture flourished with the founding of the Mendelssohn Club in 1884, which became the oldest operating music club in the United States. It was complemented by the construction of

3290-647: The collections at the San Diego Museum of Art and Stanford University . Additionally, his piece titled "Hills and Clouds" and will be displayed at the U.S. Embassy in Sweden. Rockford, Illinois Rockford is a city in Winnebago County, Illinois , United States. Located in far northern Illinois on the banks of the Rock River , Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County (with

3360-435: The downtown routing of the highway, the bypass established much of the southern border of the city (which remains to this day). In 1958, Interstate 90 was completed in Illinois, becoming the Northwest Tollway; in a decision that would change Rockford forever, the interstate highway was not routed through the city, but near the Winnebago-Boone county line, with the eastern terminus of the US 20 bypass in Cherry Valley. In 1963,

3430-458: The eucalyptus, oaks, and the cypress trees. In 1882, Yard moved to California and joined a partnership with photographer Andrew Putman Hill (1853-1922). They had portrait studios in San Jose, California and Palo Alto, California . In 1892, the two men exhibited photographs of Santa Clara County, California at the California State Fair in Sacramento, California , including views of the Santa Clara Valley region, Santa Cruz Mountains , and

3500-405: The far northwest side of the city, with Colonial Village opening on the (then) far east side in 1962, both of which were partially enclosed (some stores had exterior entrances). In 1973, Cherryvale Mall was opened as the first fully enclosed shopping mall in the city; nearly 6 miles from the city center, the mall was located at the intersection of the US-20 bypass and the Northwest Tollway, sharing

3570-459: The fifth-largest city in Illinois. From 2014 to 2018, the unemployment rate in Rockford has fallen from 12.9 percent to 4.4 percent (the lowest since 2000). While predominately a manufacturing community since World War II, Rockford has struggled to diversify its industrial base. Shifting from agricultural machinery and furniture, manufacturing in the city remains dominated by fasteners, automotive suppliers (representing FCA Belvidere Assembly), and

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3640-443: The first Illinois regiments to be mobilized, the Zouaves, were from Rockford. The city also served as the site for Camp Fuller, a training site for four other infantry regiments. In 1884, Rockford established its first city-wide public school district, constructing Rockford Central High School in 1885; following the construction of the high school, the district began construction of brick multi-story multigrade school buildings across

3710-485: The first time. Coinciding with the expansion of the student body, the college outgrew its near-east side campus in use since the 1840s. After the acquisition of land in 1957, construction began on its present-day campus location, opening in 1964. In 1964, Rock Valley College was founded as a two-year community college, with construction on its campus commencing in 1965. Prior to the 1960s, neighborhood and economic growth in Rockford largely mirrored itself on both sides of

3780-454: The history of the city was the winter of 1978–1979, when 74.5 inches (189 cm) of snow fell. The record high temperature is 112 °F (44 °C), set on July 14, 1936 during the Dust Bowl , and the record low temperature is −31 °F (−35 °C), set on January 31, 2019 . As of the 2010 census , there were 152,871 people and 66,700 households. Rockford is in the center of its namesake metropolitan area . The racial makeup of

3850-475: The late 1990s, efforts in economic diversification have led to the growth of automotive, aerospace, and healthcare industries, as well as the undertaking of various tourism and downtown revitalization efforts. Nicknamed "the Forest City" for its heavily forested residential neighborhoods during the 20th century, Rockford is known for various venues of cultural or historical significance, including Anderson Japanese Gardens , Klehm Arboretum , Tinker Swiss Cottage ,

3920-438: The majority of summer rainfall. The city is also prone to severe snowstorms in winter, and blizzards are frequent winter occurrences. On January 13, 1979, over 9 inches (23 cm) of snow fell on Rockford in just a few hours during one of the strongest blizzards in the city's history. The city averages approximately 36 inches (91.4 cm) of snowfall in a normal winter, but greater amounts are common. The snowiest winter in

3990-415: The majority one has to make sure by looking at the signature, so far has Yard gotten from the path in which he had been traveling. It was a good one, but straight and a little narrow. His new pictures are simpler and broader and express the poetry of nature in some of her most cheerful and refreshing moods. This is so true of the bits of English and Welsh scenery he has done. One delicious stretch in Devonshire

4060-559: The near east side of the city. In response, the city secured FEMA grants, demolishing over 100 homes; to reduce the severity of future flooding events, the creek is being reconstructed (through 2019) and left as greenspace. As an effect of the recession, by 2013, thirty-two percent of mortgages in the city were upside-down . While remaining the largest city in Illinois outside Chicago and its suburbs, estimated population decline from 2010 to 2017 led Rockford to be overtaken by Joliet and Naperville (the latter, slightly), effectively making it

4130-428: The necessity to "understand the realities of their system." In the late 1950s, Rockford lost over 50,000 trees to Dutch elm disease , thinning the tree canopy of the "Forest City" for decades. From 1955 to 1965, several events would take place that would shape the development of Rockford into the 21st century. In 1956, construction was approved for a four-lane US 20 bypass; along with shifting truck traffic away from

4200-453: The operator of Rockford Memorial Hospital. In 2019, MercyHealth opened Javon Bea Hospital-Riverside (named after the MercyHealth CEO and its Riverside Boulevard/Interstate 90 location); its second hospital in Rockford, the $ 505 million complex was the largest construction project in the history of the city. In July of 2024, a 200-year flooding event overwhelmed the city's stormwater management systems, killing at least one. According to

4270-435: The previously dominant Irish and Swedes. The city was also no stranger to contemporary political issues. Electorally divided between wets and drys on the subject of prohibition , Rockford featured a coalition of labor unionists and socialists that elected numerous aldermen and carried 25 to 40 percent in mayoral elections. During World War I, an antiwar protest by the Industrial Workers of the World led to 118 arrests. In 1920,

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4340-415: The production of agricultural machines, Swedish furniture cooperatives established the city as a manufacturing base. The Rockford Union Furniture Company, under John Erlander , spearheaded these cooperatives. Today, Erlander's home is a Rockford museum that shows his efforts in elevating Rockford to second in furniture manufacturing in the United States, behind Grand Rapids . During the Civil War , one of

4410-409: The rocky shores. In Pacific Grove, California he painted a scene of pine trees in shadows and sunlight. Yard continued to live and paint in San Jose until he moved to Oakland in 1904, and opened a studio in the Montgomery Block in San Francisco and began teaching. In Oakland he exhibited at the Oakland Art Fund in 1904. There he became friends with Mary DeNeale Morgan and Charles Chapel Judson . At

4480-447: Was "halfway between Galena and Chicago on a line of four-horse coaches." In 1837, the village of Midway was renamed Rockford, highlighting a rocky river ford across the Rock River in the village. In the same year, Rockford established its first post office, with Daniel Shaw Haight as the first postmaster. In 1840, the first weekly newspaper began circulation. In 1847, Rockford Female Seminary – today Rockford University –

4550-455: Was founded. On January 3, 1852, Rockford was officially chartered as a city; a year later the long-running "Forest City" nickname first appeared, used by the New York Tribune . Also in 1852, the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad connected Rockford to Chicago by railroad. At the time of its founding, many of the village's residents were transplants from the Northeastern United States and upstate New York . Descended from English Puritans,

4620-519: Was opened as a museum under the park district in 1943 and was featured in an episode of Ghost Hunters in 2012. Modern architectural movements, like Art Deco and Prairie School , are also integral to Rockford. Most renowned is the Coronado Theatre , a civic and entertainment center named one of 150 Great Places in Illinois by the American Institute of Architects . The theater is known for its blend of Art Deco with Spanish Baroque Revival and has hosted numerous performers over its lifetime, including

4690-404: Was scarcely hung until it was sold. Yard has taken for one subject “The Chalk Cliffs of Albion.” In it from the heights, which look as if they had been sculpted, stretches the ocean until it is lost in a blue haze. In several places he has used effectively this hazy perspective, which is so full of meaning." Yard moved to Monterey, California in 1900. He did watercolors of the sea, pine trees, and

4760-428: Was the founder of the art department at the University of California, Berkeley (U.C. Berkeley); where he taught from 1902 to 1923, and he was the department chair from 1921 to 1923. Since the 1890s Judson made visits to the Monterey Peninsula . He was the president of the Carmel Art Association and the Monterey History and Art Association , and a member of the Bohemian Club . On April 2, 1904, Judson married

4830-403: Was trained as a painter in Chicago and New York and then in England with artist Harold Sutton Palmer (1853-1933). He became a master of English watercolor technique. He was also an oil painter. His works were in the Tonalist tradition of George Inness and William Keith , where the emphasis was on painting modest, Barbizon influenced scenes, rendered in warm tones. Yard's watercolors were of

4900-467: Was turned over to the Illinois National Guard. During World War II, it reopened as an induction center and POW detention camp. The USS Rockford , a Tacoma-class frigate named for the city, was commissioned in March 1944 and earned two service stars. In the September 1949 issue of Life magazine, postwar Rockford was described as "nearly typical of the U.S. as any city can be." Due to this archetypal nature, sociologists like W. Lloyd Warner warned of

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