Rockford, city in northern Illinois and seat of Winnebago County, on the Rock River. The center of a retail trading region, Rockford is a manufacturing and industrial city in which screws and other hardware, machine tools, aerospace equipment, machinery, and electronic equipment are produced. Local suppliers also provide parts to the automotive industry. The city is served by the Greater Rockford Airport.
Rockford is known as Forest City because of its numerous trees and extensive park system. The city is home to Rockford College (1847), Saint Anthony College of Nursing (1915), and a large community college. Museums include the Time Museum, housing one of the world's most comprehensive collection of clocks and other timepieces; the Discovery Center, an interactive science and art museum; the Rockford Art Museum; the Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum, originally built in 1869 as a residence; the Burpee Museum of Natural History; and the Rockford Museum Center at Midway Village, a re-created village depicting Rockford of the late 19th century. The city's largest annual event is On the Waterfront Festival, which draws thousands of people to the Rockford riverfront each Labor Day weekend.
