Rockford, Ohio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rockford, Ohio
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Village
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Main Street downtown
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| Motto(s):
"Oldest Village in Mercer County"
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Location in Mercer County and the state of Ohio.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Ohio |
| County | Mercer |
| Township | Dublin |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.88 sq mi (2.28 km2) |
| • Land | 0.86 sq mi (2.24 km2) |
| • Water | 0.008 sq mi (0.02 km2) |
| Elevation | 807 ft (246 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,051 |
| • Density | 1,216.44/sq mi (469.43/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
45882
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| Area code(s) | 419 |
| FIPS code | 39-67874 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2399105 |
Rockford is a small village in Mercer County, Ohio. It is located by the St. Mary's River, close to Ohio's western border. In 2020, about 1,051 people lived there.
A French-Indian trader named Anthony Madore started the village in 1815. It was first called Shanesville.
Contents
How Rockford Got Its Name
Anthony Shane's Role
Anthony Shane, also known as Antoine Chene, was a French-Indian trader. He lived with his wife in a log cabin north of where Rockford is now. He ran a trading post there. Shane was given a large piece of land, called the Shanes Grant. This was because he helped General Anthony Wayne's army as a scout. The grant included 640 acres (2.6 km2) north of the town and 320 acres (1.3 km2) at the town site.
On June 23, 1820, Shane officially planned the town of Shanesville. It had 42 lots on the south side of the river. Shane lived in Shanesville until 1832. Then, he went with the Shawnee Indians to Kansas as a government agent. It is not known if he ever came back to Shanesville.
Name Changes Over Time
Shanesville was later renamed Shane's Crossing. Finally, the Post Office Department changed its name again to Rockford.
History of Rockford Village
Before Europeans arrived, Native American tribes used the high ground near the St. Marys River in Rockford as a camping and village site. People have found old items like weapons and tools there.
Early traders and adventurers used the St. Marys River as a path. They also used trails along the riverbanks. One important trail was the Piqua-Fort Wayne Trail. This trail connected the Great Lakes to the Ohio River. It crossed the river to the north bank at Rockford.
During the Indian Wars in the late 1700s, many armies passed through Rockford. General Josiah Harmar, for example, marched through on his way to a defeat at Kekionga. General Anthony Wayne built Fort Adams near Rockford in August 1794. This fort was a temporary stop and supply place. Fort Adams had 100 soldiers at first. It was left empty in 1796. Today, it is an archaeological site. There are no buildings left from the fort.
The first records of Rockford come from Anthony Madore, a French-Indian trader. He had a trading post north of the town, on the south side of the St. Marys River. We don't know how long Madore owned the post. He died around 1815.
During the War of 1812, General William Henry Harrison camped in Rockford. He was on his way to fight the British and their Native American allies. About 200 mounted Ohio volunteers and 800 foot soldiers joined him at the camp.
Rockford's Geography
Rockford covers about 0.84 square miles (2.18 km2). Most of this area is land, about 0.82 square miles (2.12 km2). A small part, about 0.02 square miles (0.05 km2), is water.
Population Information
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 993 | — | |
| 1900 | 1,207 | 21.6% | |
| 1910 | 1,186 | −1.7% | |
| 1920 | 1,075 | −9.4% | |
| 1930 | 887 | −17.5% | |
| 1940 | 1,066 | 20.2% | |
| 1950 | 1,112 | 4.3% | |
| 1960 | 1,155 | 3.9% | |
| 1970 | 1,207 | 4.5% | |
| 1980 | 1,245 | 3.1% | |
| 1990 | 1,119 | −10.1% | |
| 2000 | 1,126 | 0.6% | |
| 2010 | 1,120 | −0.5% | |
| 2020 | 1,051 | −6.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Rockford's Population in 2010
In 2010, there were 1,120 people living in Rockford. These people lived in 454 households, with 301 being families. The village had about 1,366 people per square mile (527.4/km2).
Most people in Rockford were White (96.3%). A small number were African American (0.5%), Native American (0.2%), or Asian (0.3%). Some people were from other races (1.1%) or from two or more races (1.7%). About 2.5% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
About 30.4% of households had children under 18. Many households (48.5%) were married couples. About 14.5% had a female head of household with no husband. The average household had 2.41 people, and the average family had 2.96 people.
The average age in the village was 41.5 years. About 24.3% of residents were under 18. About 18.8% were 65 or older. The population was 47.0% male and 53.0% female.
Education in Rockford
Students in Rockford attend Parkway Local Schools.
Local Media
The community has a local radio station, WRKD-LP 101.3 FM.
Famous People from Rockford
- Jordan Thompson, an American football player.
- Earl Wilson, a famous New York gossip columnist.
See also
In Spanish: Rockford (Ohio) para niños
