Follow local historian and “Ghost Lady” Kathi Kresol as she researches the spirits, curses, and curiosities from the Forest City’s shadowy past. Just beneath the glossy surface of Rockford’s rich heritage lies a dark history of tragedy, a troubled and turbulent past leaving scars that still resonate today. Geraldine Bourbon’s final struggle echoes throughout the farmhouse where her estranged husband pursued her with a pistol from room to room before gently laying her corpse on the bed. The sobs of society darling Carrie Spafford still keep vigil over the family plot of the cemetery where she sowed the heartbreak of her twilight years. From the vengeance of Chief Big Thunder to the Witch of McGregor Road, author Kathi Kresol shares the legends and lore of Rockford’s haunted history. Includes photos! “There are reasons why Kathi Kresol believes Rockford is so haunted. The tour guide said there are good ‘conductors’ for the supernatural in the city’s downtown area. These factors include being near a body of water, having limestone in the area and the area having a Native American influence.” —Beloit Daily News

During the early decades of the 20th century, communication by postcard was an inexpensive and popular means of exchanging travel stories, news, and gossip across the United States. For just a few cents each, postcards connected friends and family separated by hundreds of miles. Rockford: 1900-World War I, with a collection of nearly 240 vintage postcard images, captures the details of this dynamic era and documents the Forest City's coming of age.Inside are views of Rockford's bustling downtown, including rare glimpses of long-gone landmarks like the Grand Opera House and Orpheum Theater. Witness history in the making with Rockford's first recorded airplane flights in 1911 and experience U.S. Army "doughboy" life at Rockford's Camp Grant. Be there for Teddy Roosevelt's historic visits to Rockford, and marvel at the intrepid companies that turned Rockford into a national manufacturing power.

Frequently described as "the typical American city, " Rockford, Illinois' evolution mirrors that of middle-class America. This is the story of independent and self-reliant people, including its many inventors and entrepreneurs who make the area unique. It is the definitive chronicle of Rockford's colorful and intriguing past.

A 20th anniversary tribute to the classic James Garner Private Eye series.

Railroads were key to Rockfords rise as a thriving manufacturing and commercial center. With an area population of over 200,000 residents and a reputation for manufactured goods, Rockford had a critical need for railroads into the bust years of the 1970s. Eventually four railroads rose to prominence in Rockford, all of them Class 1 carriers: the Chicago and North Western; Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy; the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Pau,l and Pacific (the Milwaukee Road); and Illinois Central. For nearly a century, these four roadsall of them esteemed Midwestern railroadscarried the bulk of freight and passengers arriving and departing Rockford, Davis Junction, and Loves Park by rail. Two other smaller railways, the Chicago, Milwaukee, and Gary and the Rockford and Interurban, also played a part in Rockfords railroad history and are spotlighted in this volume.

One of the first settlers to build a mill on the Rogue River was Smith Lapham. The village that developed by the millpond was called Laphamville. After the Civil War, the townas name was changed to Rockford. The picturesque Rogue River and the city are symbiotic entities. The river was first dammed to provide power for lumber mills and gristmills. Later it supplied electricity for families, commerce, and manufacturing. For many years, Rockford has been known as the home of shoe manufacturer Wolverine World Wide. The sad-eyed canine logo for Hush Puppies footwear is instantly recognizable throughout the world. Many residents continue to be employed there.