The City of Rockford
Rockford
is a four-season city with a diverse population.
It is located in the center of northern Illinois,
a stone’s throw from the Wisconsin state
line. With a metropolitan population of nearly
300,000, Rockford also has convenient access to
Chicago, Milwaukee and Madison. Rockford has a
large service and industrial base and a strong
ethnic heritage. It is a world leader in the
manufacturing of machine tools and auto parts,
and is gaining recognition as an important
aerospace center.
Downtown
Rockford is the seat of both city and county
government. The regional state office building is
located in the downtown area, as is a U.S.
Federal Courthouse. Currently, plans are underway
to build a new federal courthouse as well as a
new county jail. Downtown is also host to public
agencies, private company headquarters and
numerous professional offices.
The
arts flourish in Rockford, with many arts
organizations and performance venues including
the Riverfront Museum Park, The Rockford Symphony
Orchestra, the Rockford Dance Company and the
Rockford Art Museum. The Discovery Center offers
an award-winning children’s science museum.
Rockford
has a large private and public school system,
with the public schools offering both traditional
and magnet-school programs. There are a variety
of religiously based schools as well as a private
K-12 day school. Northern Illinois University,
located approximately 35 miles southeast of
Rockford, has a Rockford site; Rockford College,
a private four-year liberal arts college is on
the city’s northeast side; and Rock Valley
College, a two-year community college, is on the
city’s far east side. Also located in
Rockford is the University of Illinois School of
Medicine.
Bordered
by four rivers, the Rock, Kishwaukee, Pecatonica
and Sugar, Rockford has a system of beautiful
parks that offers opportunities for canoeing,
tubing, nature hikes, sailing, swimming, camping
and fishing. Rockford also is site of Rock Cut
State Park – the second largest state park
in Illinois. Rockford golf courses have been
acclaimed for their excellence and affordability.
Housing
is plentiful: Rockford ranks in the top five
among metropolitan areas in the U.S. for
affordability. Rockford boasts of three health
care systems and is the regional hub for health
care in the 10-county area of northern Illinois
and southern Wisconsin.
This
page prepared by St. Anskar's,
Rockford
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