East Rockford Historic District
The East Rockford Historic District is a historic commercial area of Rockford, Illinois, United States. History Rockford, Illinois was first settled around 1834. As Rockford grew, the east side of the Rock River developed into a commercial district, featuring the post office and the first two hotels. State Street, which runs through the district, became an important transportation corridor between Belvidere and Galena. The first bridge in Rockford was built on State Street across the river in 1852; it was the only crossing until 1890. Also that year, the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad reached the east side of Rockford, built along the eastern riverfront, providing economic stimulus. By 1860, the entirety of State Street from the tracks to Second Street was commercial development. The commercial building at 324–30 East State Street is the lone remnant from this era that has not been substantially altered. The Civil War and Panic of 1873 halted construction for the next two decades. Prosperity returned in the late 1870s, prompting the construction of the Nash–Superior–Van Zandt Block. The paving of State Street in 1889 brought another wave of construction, including a building for the YMCA and the Germania Hall. The ornate, Romanesque Revival YMCA