Rockford City Map Poster

About Rockford

Rockford traces its roots to 1834, as the combined settlements of Midway and Rockford were called Pecatonica. In 1835, they merged into a single community that was then named Rockford. The name "Rock River" derives from the river's rocky course as it flows through the city; however, it could also have been named for an adjacent sandstone rock formation along its banks in downtown Rockford (the formation is now located within Roscoe Village). Today, most of this sandstone has been obscured by development and converted into pavement for sidewalks and streets; however there are still several large boulders visible today on Main Street at State Street near Fulton Avenue. The first known inhabitants of what would eventually become northern Illinois were Mound Builders who lived in scattered villages along both sides of Lake Michigan between 800 C.E.-1000 C.E.. They disappeared from the region by 1500 C.