ROCKFORD, rok'ford, Ill., city, county. seat of Winnebago County, on the Rock River, and on the Chicago and Northwestern, the Chicago, Milwaukee and Saint Paul, Chicago, Burlington and Quincy and the Illinois Central railroads, 81 miles northwest of Chicago. It was settled in 1834, being the first settlement in the county, and was incorporated as a city in 1853. In 1890 it obtained a considerable increase of territory by annexation, and now has an area of ten and one-half square miles. It is built on both sides of the river, which is here crossed by three railroad and four highway bridges. A dam 800 feet long across the river secures excellent water power for manufacturing, and the city is one of the most important industrial centres of northern Illinois. The chief manu factures are agricultural implements and furni ture; others are pumps, watches, silver-plated ware, leather goods, sewing machines, clothing, knitting wool, paper, flour and grape sugar. There are about 600 manufacturing establish ments, with over 20,000 employees and an an nual production of $25,000,000. The assessed valuation, which is one-third of the actual, was $25,102,470 in 1918; while the city debt was $477,100. The tax rate of $6.52 is equivalent
to $2.17 on the actual valuation. There are numerous banks, trust companies and news papers. Rockford is surrounded by a fertile agricultural region, and with its railroad ties is an important shipping point for the products of this district. The city is well built with wide regular streets; among its notable public buildings are the Memorial Hall for Soldiers, the city hall, the courthouse, muni cipal tuberculosis sanitarium, three hospitals and the public library; the library contains over 80,000 volumes. The public school sys tem is of the best, and includes a high school, organized in 1857; there is also a Roman Cath olic parish school; and the city is the seat of Rockford College (for women) and of Brown's Rockford Business College. The government is vested in a mayor and council, elected bi ennially; the council has the power of appoint ing the city officers. There is an excellent water supply from five artesian wells, and the waterworks are owned and operated by the municipality. Pop. 75,000. Consult Church, C. A., 'History of Rockford and Winnebago County, Illinois' (1900).