Come join us as the Rockford Historical Society brings to WCHS the newly updated book: Rockford: The Way it Really Was, by Mouraine Baker Hubler. The publisher and historical society will be on hand to read excerpts, talk about some personal stories, and more. Books will be on site for sale. Refreshments will be served. No registration necessary.

“In October 1855, three men left St. Paul, traveling upstream on the Mississippi River in search of a new beginning. Their journey led them to the Crow River and into what was known as "The Big Woods." More than two years before Minnesota became a state, the area had no roads, only footpaths used by Native Americans. This book documents the settling of the Rockford area and its growth into a village. The community faced numerous hardships, including the grasshopper plague of 1856, the Wright County War, the economic crashes of 1857 and 1873, and multiple floods of the Crow River. Yet, by 1900, Rockford had become a flourishing community with three profitable mills and several other successful businesses. Originally published in 1985, this book has been republished by the Rockford Area Historical Society and the Elmwood Cemetery Association. The new edition includes more than three times the original number of photographs, offering readers a firsthand look at Rockford's historic past.”