Director

Mr. 4th of July, the
local man behind Rockford's annual 4th of July fireworks display. Installed on
July 4, 2010

Funds raised by
private donations, 200 donors contributed approximately $38,000 for the statue,
Weight - 400 lbs

Artist – David
Seagraves of Elizabeth, IL

Statue Casting – In
Bronze, Mt. Morris, IL

A life-sized bronze
statue honoring Mr. Fourth of July, Joe Marino, was unveiled today Jul 04,
2010. Planning has been going on for several months, and Mr. Marino had no
idea. His family also surprised him and flew in from California. During today's
celebration, a remote controlled plane wowed the crowd with stunts in the air.
As the statue's new home, Waterside Park, which is located across the street
from the Register Star, was renamed Joe Marino Park.

&nbsp;Joe Marino was born and raised in Rockford,
IL.&nbsp; He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II in the South Pacific
on the Destroyer U.S.S. Henderson.&nbsp; After returning home Joe took an
interest in organizing community events, which Rockford had been lacking at the
time. 

In 1963, at the
request of Mayor Ben Schleicher,&nbsp;he created the Rockford 4th of July
Committee.&nbsp; With community donations Joe purchased fireworks and provided
Rockford with it's first downtown&nbsp;fireworks show.&nbsp; Today Rockford's
July 4th events entertain hundreds of thousands of people each year.&nbsp; 

In 1989&nbsp;Joe
organized the Holiday Festival of Lights, which enthralls carloads of Stateline
citizens with a one-mile loop &nbsp;thru
Rockford's historic Sinnissippi Park,&nbsp;adorned with colorful lighted
displays. The annually-changing displays are&nbsp;sponsored by local businesses
and community groups.

Joe continues to be
the Chairman of the Rockford 4th of July and Holiday Festival of Lights
Committees to this day, which are non-profit entities, solely supported by
private donations, not tax dollars.

Joe has received
numerous recognitions and awards including...

The Key to the City
of Rockford

Rockford&nbsp;Man of
the Year Award

Mr. 4th of July
Award

Rockford Park
District Distinguished Service Award

Vice President
George Bush Excellence Award

President Ronald
Reagan Award

President's Service Award
from Bill Clinton

Joe Marino Park. Dedicated in 2010. In honor of Joe Marino also known as Mr. 4th of July, the local man behind Rockford's annual 4th of July fireworks display. 


Joe Marino Park

Rockford has a rich history of honoring those who have contributed to our Nation. Take a walk of approximately a mile through downtown Rockford's Main Street and River Districts to pay homage to our veterans and other local heroes. Take a selfie, share for our fans on Facebook and Clio. Brought to you by the staff at Veterans Memorial Hall and Museum, honoring Winnebago County veterans since 1903.

Dedicated on Veterans Day 2016, it honors the end of war, and serves as a remembrance of the veterans that have called Veterans Memorial Hall home for over 100 years.The center piece of the memorial, a Soldier, was originally placed downtown in courthouse square in 1877 by the Grand Army of the Republic Auxualliry. It once stood atop a fountain in front of the old County courthouse until the building was torn down in 1967. From its place there various accounts say it guarded a cannon and a pile of shells at one time in a Rockford Park. It was placed in the lower level Church Street Foyer of the present courthouse in 1970. It was encased in glass by the Rockford Colony, National Society of New England Women, to protect it from vandals in 1975.In 1984, in a collaborative effort by the Winnebago County board, the Rockford Park District, Greenwood Cemetery, and the North End Businessmen’s Association, the statue was moved to the Auburn and Main intersection. There it was placed on a pillar that was once part of the façade of the original Carnegie Library on Wyman Street. After construction of the round-about it was difficult to visit the monument.It was brought to its final location here on Wyman Street at Veterans Memorial Hall and Museum in 2016. Here in it's final resting place it pays tribute to the Soldiers and sailors that have graced the Hall and to the location of the original Carnegie Library that was located directly across Wyman Street.

Armistice - Memorial to Peace. Dedicated in 2016, honoring the end of war, placed here in remembrance of the veterans that have called Veterans Memorial Hall home for over 100 years. 


Armistice - Memorial to Peace

A memorial dedicated
to Winnebago County veterans who served honorably in the Naval Forces in
Beattie Park includes an anchor [2000 pounds], jackstaff, and anchor chain [90
feet] from USS Tuscaloosa, sometimes known as “Black Warrior”, is compliments
of the local Navy Club. Volunteers and members of the Reserve Construction
Battalion at the Navy-Marine Training Center constructed the memorial.

The
Navy-Marines-Coast Guard Memorial on a circular granite slab [15 ft diameter]
at the south end of Beattie Park. The mounted anchor, jackstaff and anchor
chain from the cruiser USS Tuscaloosa were dedicated in Oct 1966 by the Navy
Club of Rockford to honor all Winnebago County Naval personnel. It was
rededicated when it was paid for in 1972. 

The Navy Club maintains the
monument and commemorates all those lost at sea by floating a wreath from the
park during Memorial Day services.&nbsp;

Dedicated in 1966, to Winnebago County veterans who served honorably in the Naval Forces includes an anchor, flagstaff, and anchor chain from USS Tuscaloosa, project of the Navy Club Ship #1.


Navy Club Anchor

This Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall stands due to the vision of Winnebago County residents who wished to honor the memory of their 3,178 veterans for their service and sacrifice to the Union in the War of the Rebellion. Its purpose was to provide a building where records and relics of different wars could be preserved and to be used for other civic purposes. The idea was first proposed by Reverend M. P. Kinney, of the Second Congregational Church of Rockford on May 20, 1866. However it would take thirty-seven years for this memorial to become a reality. Construction began late 1901 and took just over eighteen months to complete with the building commission accepting the building on June 2, 1903.                                                                                 On the morning of June 3, 1903 the 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt dedicated this new structure to a crowd of over 50,000 stating that, “No more fitting memorial could be erected to the memory of the men who fought, than a hall such as this – a hall beautiful because of the uses to which it is consecrated.” On that day Memorial Hall was officially opened to the public. Over the hundred plus years of its existence, Memorial Hall has hosted over 60 different veterans or associated military groups for various events and meetings.The Hall was threatened with demolition in the 1960s when the County Board proposed to demolish the hall in favor of building a parking ramp. In 1966 a large stone marker commemorating the Hall’s dedication was placed on the west side of the building in front of the entrance. The Hall's future was secured when in 1974 the building was named an Illinois Historical Landmark and in 1976, Memorial Hall was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. In the 1980s, to help offset the costs of its upkeep, the Winnebago County Board rented the first floor offices to the Rockford Convention and Visitor's Bureau. In 1988 a four year, $1.5 million restoration project began in response the fact the building had started to deteriorate due to lack of maintenance.In November 2001 the Memorial Hall Board of Trustees was formed to oversee the Hall, its maintenance and its exhibits as well as to author a report on future operations. In January 2005 Memorial Hall was officially reopened to the public for guided tours.Current exhibits include the 18 bronze plaques containing the names of those from Winnebago County who fought and died in the Civil War, memorabilia extending from the Revolutionary War to the current Iraq War. Some unique artifacts in the collection include a World War One Chauchat light machine gun, a commemorative plaque cast of metal from the wreck of the USS Maine, items from the Spanish-American War, the Civil War and other artifacts from 20th &amp; 21st century wars.

Memorial Hall, also known as Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall or Veterans Memorial Hall, is located in Rockford, Illinois. It was built from 1901 to 1903, and originally dedicated to those Winnebago County veterans who served in the Civil War and the Spanish American War. Today the building is administered by the Winnebago County Board and is open to the public. The museum exhibits showcase artifacts from our veterans dating back to the Civil War. It is home to multiple Veterans organizations and available for rental.

Veterans Memorial Hall

Dedicated on May 11,
1976, sponsored by the Green Thumb Garden Club and Winnebago County Board
[there was a Garden Club - Green Thumb Garden Club of Rockford that was dropped
from Garden Clubs of Illinois, Inc. on 9/13/1993]. Violet Dawson GCI president
at that time and now deceased, provided a photograph, on the back of the
picture, it is written, Military members, Blue Star Marker dedication,
Rockford, Il, 11/11/1976.

On November 4, 1970,
Illinois Route 2 was designated a Blue Star Memorial Highway.&nbsp; IL Route 2 located between Byron, IL and
Rockford, IL follows along the Rock River. It is a scenic 10.5 mile stretch of
roadway that winds along the Rock River. Blue Star Memorial Highways are
highways in the United States that are marked to pay tribute to the U.S. armed
forces. The National Council of State Garden Clubs, now known as National Garden
Clubs, Inc., started the program in 1945 after World War II. The blue star was
used on service flags to denote a service member fighting in the war. The Blue
Star became an icon in World War II and was seen on flags and banners in homes
for sons and daughters away at war, as well as in churches and businesses. This
program has been active all through the years and has since been expanded to
include Memorial Markers and Memorial By-ways (since 1994). These markers are
used in National Cemeteries, parks, veterans’ facilities, and gardens. 

Information on the
Veterans Hall marker was found in the Garden Cub of Illinois 50th Anniversary
book, published in 1977.&nbsp; The marker was listed as: Special Community,
Memorial Hall, by the Green Thumb Garden Club of Winnebago County, May 24,
1976. &nbsp; Since it was a "Special Community" marker, I imagine the
veterans groups or the Veterans Hall contributed to the cost of the
marker.&nbsp; Sometimes the dedication dates were changed after the markers
were ordered.

Re-installed at its present
location in July of 2017.

Information on the Veterans Hall marker was found in the Garden Cub of Illinois 50th Anniversary book, published in 1977.  The marker was listed as: Special Community, Memorial Hall, by the Green Thumb Garden Club of Winnebago County, May 24, 1976.   Since it was a "Special Community" marker, the veterans groups or the Veterans Hall contributed to the cost of the marker.  Sometimes the dedication dates were changed after the markers were ordered.
Re-installed at its present location in July of 2017.


Blue Star Highway Marker

At the time of his
death April 14, 1995, Gene Horvath’s portfolio included sculptures grounded in
locations from Rockford to Rock Island and from Dallas to Chandler, Ariz. A
sampling of Horvath’s local public creations include “Pulling Together,” a
bronze sculpture featuring Rockford’s three founders, Germanicus Kent, Lewis
Lemon and Thatcher Blake, which is located near the old post office downtown;
“Olympic Sphere,” a tribute to Rockford’s Olympic contenders, which is located
at Valkommen Plaza ; and “Victory,” a bronze piece honoring veterans near
Memorial Hall. The Rockford Victory Monument honors veterans from World War II,
and those of Korea, Vietnam and the Persian Gulf. That bronze sculpture
features life-sized statues of six American soldiers from different wars. The
figures are placed on an inclined base and framed by an abstract “V”.

&nbsp;“To all Veterans, to our neighbors and
friends, to the men and women who served in every branch of the Armed Forces in
time of war or peace, we dedicate this memorial. Remembered here before us are
brave veterans from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf
conflicts. United by love of country and service to each other we celebrate our
ethnic diversity as we salute each individual’s victory of courage over fear
and hardship. We will not forget our comrades who died. “

Monument Committee, Col.
Joseph T. Vecchio, Chairman, Kurt Bell, Alderman Victory Bell, John H. Berg,
Alderman Patrick D. Curran, Daniel A. Lindberg, Joseph Media, Jim Reid, David
F. Winters; Sculptor, Gene Horvath, who donated the greater part of his time;
His last public sculpture was “Victory,” dedicated on Memorial Day 1994.; Funds
for the monument came from the Veterans’ War Memorial Fund established through
sale of Camp Grant land at the end of World War II (1946)

Dedicated May 30, 1994, with funds from the Veterans’ War Memorial Fund established through sale of Camp Grant land at the end of World War II. The sculptor, Gene Horvath, donated the greater part of his time.


Victory Memorial

Dedicated in 2009,
Courthouse Square at the corner of Church and Elm streets in downtown Rockford
is now Abraham Lincoln courthouse square.&nbsp; The center piece of the 5,000
sq ft square is “Iron Determination,” a 5-foot sculpture of Lincoln, the 16th
President by Sculpture, John McClarey, and bronze tablets relating the history
of Lincoln.

The statue was a gift from
John and Suzanne Brubaker.&nbsp; The rest of the courthouse square was paid for
through private donations.&nbsp;

Abraham Lincoln Courthouse Square
Dedicated in 2009. A portion of the historic courthouse square is now a lasting tribute to Abraham Lincoln. 


Abraham Lincoln Courthouse Square

American Gold Star Mothers, Inc is an organization of mothers whose sons or daughters have made the supreme sacrifice while in any branch of the Military or Naval Service of the United States of America, or died as a result of such service.Replacement of the old steel bridge had to wait until after WWII because materials were needed for the war effort.The bridge was built in 1948 (has been rebuilt since then) with state, county and city funds. It was dedicated by the Gold Star Mothers of WWII, Unit 74. This dedication is memorialized by matching plaques at the east and west ends of the bridge. After the dedication there was a meal served at Veterans Memorial Hall.The Purposes of the Gold Star Mothers1. Keep alive and develop the spirit that promoted world services.2. Maintain the ties of fellowship born of that service, and to assist and further all patriotic work.3. Inculcate a sense of individual obligation to community, State and Nation.4. Assist veterans of World War I, World War II, the Korean Conflict, Vietnam and other strategic areas and their dependents in the presentation of claims to the Veteran’s Administration, and to aid in any way in their power the men and women who served and died or were wounded or incapacitated during hostilities.5. Perpetuate the memory of those whose lives were sacrificed in our wars.6. Maintain true allegiance to the United States of America.7. Inculcate lessons of patriotism and love of country in the communities in which we live.8. Inspire respect for the Stars and Stripes in the youth of America.9. Extend needful assistance to all Gold Star Mothers and, when possible, to their descendents.10. To promote peace and good will for the United States and all other Nations.

Replacement of the old steel bridge had to wait until after WWII because materials were needed for the war effort. 
The bridge was built in 1948 (has been rebuilt since then) with state, county and city funds. It was dedicated by the Gold Star Mothers of WWII, Unit 74. This dedication is memorialized by matching plaques at the east and west ends of the bridge.  

American Gold Star Mothers of WWII, State Street Bridge

More than 100
communities have installed similar angel statues, which are inspired by the
book “The Christmas Box” by Richard Paul Evans. In the book, a woman mourns the
loss of her child at the base of an angel monument.

Christine Tillou had
been a fan of Evans’ work and first contacted the Rockford Memorial Development
Foundation about erecting a statue in Rockford.

The city’s statue —
the 37th to be erected — was installed May 04, 2003. Angel of Hope statue is in
Waterside Park near State and Water streets. The sculpture provides a place for
families to honor children who have died, lost in miscarriage or still born. 

The angel, Hope
stands over four feet tall and at the base Forever in our Hearts is inscribed.
Rockford Memorial Development Foundation gave the statue to the Rockford Park
District and families to have a peaceful place to remember. 

“We liked that it was
centrally located, and it’s accessible, yet it has an air about it that’s very
private,” Tillou said. “People are continually visiting it. I’m very grateful
that it still exists.”

The angel, Hope stands over four feet tall and at the base Forever in our Hearts is inscribed. Rockford Memorial Development Foundation gave the statue to the Rockford Park District and families to have a peaceful place to remember children they have lost. 

Rockford Monuments and Memorials Walking Tour

Joe Marino Park

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context