cultureshockshop

Rockford rightly prizes its prosperous heritage, earned by manufacturing concerns like the Rockford Watch Factory and the Manny Reaper Company. But the town once named Midway also harbors a history of crime and calamity.

Gunfire broke out in the streets when networks of Prohibition informants slid sideways. In 1893, John Hart forced his own sisters to drink poison. Three years later, James French shot down his wife in the street. Over the years, a courthouse collapsed, a factory exploded and trains collided. Join local historian Kathi Kresol as she explores the mayhem milling about in Rockford's past.

Kathi Kresol has been researching Rockford's history for the past ten years. She shares the fascinating stories she uncovers through her website at www.hauntedrockford.com, her "Voices from the Grave" column in the Rock River Times weekly newspaper and through her Haunted Rockford tours. Kathi is a member of Rockford Historical Society and has worked at the Rockford Public Library for years and loves sharing her enthusiasm for history and reading in any way possible.