FUN FACT: How Did the City of Rockford, Illinois Get It’s Name?
Rockford was first settled in the early 1830s by three individuals who had traveled from Galena. It was the midway point between Galena and Chicago.
Illinois Constitution Test
My daughter, who just graduated high school, came home during her last week of school and shared (with a laugh) that she was glad to have passed the constitution test and another similar test about Illinois.
I'm guessing that my phone heard that conversation because the next time I was online, I saw several things pertaining to Illinois's history, specifically Rockford, where I live. Guess what fundamental question about Rockford I couldn't answer?
Let me give you the tiny bit of knowledge that I wish I would've had before reading how Rockford got its name. You're going to need to know that a 'ford' is not just a vehicle manufacturer
What is a 'ford' across a river?
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As a verb - ford - describes crossing a body of water on foot at a shallow point or driving across it in a vehicle. The idea is that you're not using a bridge or a boat to cross the water.
As a noun - ford - means a shallow point in a river or stream.
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So...
How did Rockford, Illinois get its name?
GoRockford.com had the answer I was seeking. As I mentioned earlier, the city of Rockford was settled in the early 1830s by three individuals. Rockford was settled in 1834-1835 by Germanicus Kent, Thatcher Blake, and Lewis Lemon.
Rockford was the halfway point between Galena and Chicago, and for a little while, the area was referred to as, "Midway." That name didn't last long as the area became well-known for having an excellent FORD across the ROCK River.