North End Square History
The five maps below provide topographic snapshots of change in and near the North End Square neighborhood between 1853 and 1905. The maps are in "thumbnail" format to enable faster loading of this page. To enlarge a map, click on it. (Thanks to Gertrude Smith Klimek, mother of Village Green's owner, for the first three maps!)
|
|
| Northwest Rockford, 1853. The only current landmarks visible are Auburn and Main Streets. Notice the school near the southeast corner of Halsted and Main. This eventually became the Westview School and was located on the site of the former Keide's Restaurant, currently a self-storage business. The Regan plot at the SW corner of Main & Halsted was purchased by Jonathan B. Halsted and he built a farmhouse on the property at 3318 N. Main in 1859. The farmhouse, with original wrought-iron fence, is still there today. |
|
|
| Northwest Rockford, 1871. Changes from the (previous) 1853 map: (1) Otis Eddy (for whom Eddy Avenue, next to the present Eagle's Supermarket, was named) is shown as the owner of a plot of land west of Main and, further north, east of Main, (2) A cemetery has emerged at Auburn and Main Streets, (3) Willoughby (for whom Willoughby Avenue is named, and whose daughter would subsequently marry the son of Otis Eddy) is shown as the owner of land on the east side of N. Main. This farm would eventually become the current Rockford Country Club, and (4) WestView School is shown approximately at the SE corner of N. Main and Halsted. |
|
|
| Northwest Rockford, 1886. Changes from the (previous) 1871 map: Railroad tracks have been installed. This probably was a reflection of railroad expansion, following the railroads coming to Rockford in the 1850's. Latter resulted in the creation of Greenwood Cemetery in 1852, when the former cemetery (under the present Winnebago Viaduct) was converted to a rail yard. |
|
|
| Northwest Rockford, 1892. Changes from (previous) 1886 map: (1) Cemetery name has been changed from Rockford Cemetery to West Side Cemetery, (2) former Willoughby farm has been subdivided into a neighborhood known as "Edgewater," and (3) the current North End Square neighborhood (although not yet within the City Limits) is visible. This may have resulted from Edward H. Marsh's purchase of land in 1890, including what is now the Edgewater Neighborhood. Also, in 1891 Winthrop Ingersoll brought his company to Rockford from Cleveland, building a plant on Fulton Avenue. The Schumann Piano Factory was also built on Fulton, next door to Ingersoll. Also, the Rockford Chair Company and Van Wie Stove Company were founded about this time. The combination of E. H. Marsh's development efforts, northward expansion of Rockford, industrialized growth in the area, and the installation of trolley lines (enabling citizens to live in the "suburbs" and work downtown) contributed to expanded housing. |
|
|
| Northwest Rockford, 1905. Notice "Thomas Street" (currently Ridge Avenue) and "Oakley Street" (currently Hecker Avenue, one block west of N. Main). Except for these, the streets in 1905 were the same as they are today. Notice that the current Welsh School (Custer & Huffman Blvd) was part of the Palmer & Kings subdivision and was subdivided into plats, with Price and Bruner running north to Brown (currently these two streets end at Custer). In 1905 the northern boundary of the City of Rockford was still Auburn Street. The area north of Auburn (current North End Square) was annexed into the City on May 23, 1911. |