An Introduction and A Beginning

Rockford gets a bad name.  Some of it is deserved.  Some of it is exaggerated.  Even in a struggling city, there are stories worth telling and images worth sharing.  I want to bring some of those stories together in one place.  I know a few to start with right here in my own neighborhood and will branch out from there.  I really hope to find some lesser known and neighborhood stories to tell.  We'll start with some stories from right here in my own neck of the woods, the Highland South Neighborhood and just across East State State Street in Highland North.

I am always open to suggestion.  Below are a few thing I find really interesting, but feel free to challenge me.

Re-purposed space or buildings:  Maybe someplace started out as a gas station and is now a retail store, maybe a building was formerly a grocery store and is now a home, I find these kind of transformations fascinating and I have always enjoyed meeting the people who have the vision to make this possible.

Downtown Rockford:  Anything that makes Rockford's downtown a more viable destination is high on my list.  Cities that are successful in the 21st century MUST have safe, vibrant, destination downtowns. Rockford needs to commit to this.

Great houses and fun, quirky people who own them:  When I am out walking and I see an interesting, or particularly well-maintained property, I really make an effort to let the owner or tenant know how much I appreciate their work.  Nice neighborhoods don't just happen.  It takes hard work and dedication from the people who live there and a kind word goes a long way toward keeping them motivated.  I would LOVE to be able to share some of their stories.

Local businesses and entrepreneurs:  It saddens me that so much of Rockford's food and retail scene is dominated by chains and franchises.  I make every effort to shop and eat local as often as possible and this blog will do the same.

Thanks for joining me on this journey!