People and Places from the Past

Today, it is not that hard to find stories of strange lights in the sky or even of people experiencing with what they believe to be aircraft from another world. One can find documentaries or television shows about these sightings at almost any hour of the day. It isn’t even hard to find these stories closer to home.

People who live in the Rock River valley might be surprised to hear the history that has taken place practically in their backyards. Luckily these places have begun to gain exposure through research and hard work by people dedicated to preserving the unique history of our region. One such place is the Nature at the

According to the Civil War trust website, there are over 400 documented cases of women disguising themselves as men in order to fight in the Civil War. The man known as Albert Cashier was really Jennie Irene Hodgers and became the most famous of these brave women. Jennie Hodgers was born on Christmas Day in

My partner and I have traveled all over the United States in a quest to see as much of this country as we can. We love nothing better than to visit scenic, historic and yes, haunted sites on our travels. We have literally driven for hours out of the way to glimpse old abandoned places

Joseph Bush was killed in what the May 14, 1926 edition of the Daily Register Gazette newspaper called the “strangest accident” in the annals of the police. Prohibition was the law of the land from 1920 until 1933 but it was a tough law to enforce. Bootlegging was a very lucrative business in the big

Little Bohemia Lodge is located in Manitowish Waters in Northern Wisconsin. It is a nice little supper club that claims “fine dining with a Northwoods touch!” That is not its only claim to fame, however. Little Bohemia’s main claim to fame is that it was the location of the Dillinger gang’s shootout with the F.B.I.

The Grinnell Senior Center sits on one of the most historic streets in Beloit, Wisconsin. According to the Historic Preservation Booklet : A Guide for Property Owners published in 1997, Bluff Street is one of first residential streets in the city. The neighborhood was formed shortly after the building of the first bridge crossing the

Traveling the backroads in any state is one of my favorite past times and the last trip was no different. I had a long weekend so my partner and I threw a couple of things in a bag and ran out the door. It has long been a dream of mine to travel the entire

Traveling the backroads in any state is one of my favorite past times and the last trip was no different. I had a long weekend so my partner and I threw a couple of things in a bag and ran out the door. It has long been a dream of mine to travel the entire

The Rockford Public Library is celebrating one hundred-fifty years of service to the Rockford Community this year. This seems like good time to share some of the tales of its history. One of the favorite stories is about the beautifully carved wooden dog that was part of the Rockton Centre Branch for decades. This work

John Travis served in the Rockford Rifles as a part of the Illinois 45th Regiment. It was Travis’s job as the Commissary Sergeant to make sure the soldiers had enough rations and supplies. But Travis took his job further and would run food and coffee to the men on the front lines. He also assisted

Rockford has been fortunate to have many men and women whose names have put the Forest City on the map. One of these extraordinary people, named Sammy Mandell, came to light in the 1920s and ’30s. Though most people won’t recognize the name, Sammy was once the Boxing Lightweight Champion of the World. Sammy’s story