Rockford, industrial city (1990 pop. 139,426), seat of Winnebago co., N Ill., on the Rock River near the Wis. line; inc. 1839 with the merger of two settlements on opposite sides of the river. It is the trade, processing, and shipping hub of an extensive agricultural region as well as an important manufacturing center. Agricultural products include corn, wheat, soybeans, cattle, and hogs. Transportation equipment, machinery, electronics, furniture, and food products are produced. The city's furniture business dates from the 1860s. Rockford was founded (1834) on the site of a battlefield of the Black Hawk War. It is the seat of Rockford College and the Univ. of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford. The city has an extensive park and recreational system, a symphony orchestra, and several museums, including the notable Time Museum with its antique clocks and watches.
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