Rockford, Illinois
Rockford, Illinois has a large base of hospitals, doctors and health care organizations; the variety can be confusing. Health Grades lists all of the hospitals in Illinois with ratings for specific procedures. The United Cerebral Palsy of Illinois website provides a wealth of information on health care, disabilities, and prevention of certain disabilities. Individual doctors in Rockford can be found and evaluated with UCompare Health Care, a free online database service. You can also refer to the Illinois Hospital Directory for contact and medical information.
The Winnebago County Health Department provides services designed to protect, promote, and maintain the health of residents in every area of the county. They handle public health emergency preparedness, immunizations, STD screenings, well-child clinics, flu shots, and neighborhood environment complaints.
There’s nothing like exercise to promote good overall health. Bicycle riding is a good example, and there is no safer place to ride than an off-road, bike-specific trail. The Pecatonica Prairie Path & Bike Trail is an 18-mile long biking, hiking, and nature trail that extends from Illinois Route 75 and River Road, east of Freeport, to the Village of Winnebago.
Rockford, Illinois is the county seat of Winnebago County. Just before the turn of the last century, Rockford became Illinois’ second largest city. As of the 2006 estimated U.S. Census, the population swelled to 155,138 people within its 56 square miles. The city is on both sides of the Rock River in the far northern part of Illinois. Rockford, often called “The Forest City,” just wouldn’t be Rockford without the interaction of the communities surrounding it. In fact, when people speak of being from Rockford or something happening in Rockford, it could very well be in one of the surrounding towns or villages, as opposed to Rockford proper. With Rock River running down the middle of the group, here you’ll find the communities of Loves Park, Machesney Park, and Belvidere, and the villages of Winnebago, Roscoe, Rockton, and Cherry Valley.
New York and New England settlers first established Rockford in 1834-1835. Lying halfway between Chicago and Galena, the community was briefly known as Midway, but quickly became known as Rockford because of the excellent flat rock ford across the Rock River. A post office was established in 1837. The settlement was incorporated as a village in 1839, and chartered as a city in 1852.
Due to its geography, between March and June Rockford and surrounding areas are prone to violent thunderstorms and tornadoes. Even though Rockford is far from Lake Michigan’s lake-effect snow, it experiences severe winter snowstorms and sudden blizzards. Over 10 inches of snow fell in less than two hours during a record-setting blizzard in 1979. As if Rockford didn’t get enough of Mother Nature, the area is also prone to flooding. Many streets, including major thoroughfares like North Alpine Road and East State Street, are known to flood during any prolonged rain, and after a few hours, residents start watching the Alpine Dams.
With severe weather and possible isolation, doctors, hospitals, and other health care and emergency services agencies become of real importance. Rockford is serviced by three major hospital facilities: Rockford Memorial Hospital, Saint Anthony Medical Center, and the Swedish American Hospital.
Looking for family fun in Rockford? Pack a picnic basket, get some exercise, take a dip in the lake, fish, ride a horse, explore the environment, shoot hoops, enjoy a game of softball, soccer or tennis, or just relax under a shady tree. The Rockford Parks offer something for everyone. It won’t be crowded with 175 park sites within the Rockford Park District, containing specialty parks like the BMX track at Searls Park or the Canine Corners Dog Parks, where dogs can play together and be let loose to run off-leash in a safe, fenced environment.
The MetroCentre has been Rockford’s home to world-class entertainment and sporting events since 1981. With events such as Walking with Dinosaurs, Disney on Ice, the Harlem Globetrotters, monster trucks rallies, rodeos, concerts by Toby Keith, Cher, and Motley Crue, sporting events for AHL IceHogs Hockey and Raptors Indoor Football, the MetroCentre has something for everyone!
