Southwest Rockford has been named among 5 new state-designated cultural districts

Designation makes $3M in funding available for economic development, cultural preservation

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A swath of the city’s southwest side has been designated as one of the state’s newest cultural districts, a classification that will open up new state funding to foster economic development and cultural preservation in the area.

Gov. JB Pritzker announced on Tuesday five recipients of the designation, including what will now be called Rockford’s heritage district. The area spans from roughly Knowlton Street near La Chiquita & Taqueria on the south to Chestnut Street on the north. It then goes from the Rock River on the east to Winnebago Street on the west, according to Mayor Tom McNamara.

The city worked hand-in-hand with Region 1 Planning Council, La Onda, the Ethnic Heritage Museum, SWIFTT, Comprehensive Community Solutions, the Rockford Area Arts Council, and numerous residents and businesses to apply for the designation.

“This is celebrating what has always been true and that’s that the southwest side is incredible and full of culture,” said Cat Valdez, treasurer of La Onda, which is a nonprofit that celebrates Latino culture most notably with the annual South Main Mercado. “It’s the heart of our modern city. It’s where everyone showed up initially, and it’s always been that entry gate for the community and for immigrant groups in Rockford.”

It was the second time the city has pursued the designation. Winning the honor shows the state recognizes the hard work the community has been doing, said Jocelyn McLaughlin, president of the Ethnic Heritage Museum.

“Southwest Rockford is where Rockford began. All of our history started there,” McLaughlin said. “It really brings a lot of pride to the work that we’ve done and will be able to continue to do and really showcase the history of our community. It’s not just about southwest Rockford, but it’s really to bring light to all of Rockford and there definitely could be more to come.”

Each designee is eligible to apply for up to $3 million in funding that can be used to foster economic development and help preserve the area’s unique cultural identity.

There’s no specific plan for utilizing those funds now, but it could go to anything from supporting cultural festivals such as the South Main Mercado to helping support small business that add to the character of the area.

“We’re going to continue to do what we did to win this grant, which is engage the entire community,” McNamara said. That could include “economic development initiatives to help with those vacant storefronts that are along there, bringing more life and vitality to the area and building off the huge number of wins that are already existing. With all the major projects going on, there are a lot of wins that we could get with mom and pop shops, supporting those that are existing as well as new.”

Related: What’s next for transforming the former Rockford Armory after winning a key grant

The State-Designated Cultural Districts program is intended to support the preservation of history and culturally significant structures, traditions and languages while fostering cultural development and education. It’s also meant to provide a focal point for celebrating unique cultural identities and promote growth without displacement of the residents who have lived there for years. Eligible applicants had to be historically impacted and at risk of losing their cultural identity due to gentrification.

“I am proud that the city of Rockford is being recognized amongst this esteemed group of cultural district designations around the state,” state Rep. Maurice West said in a news release issued by the governor’s office. “We are always eager to celebrate the cultural contributions of our most historic cities and towns throughout Illinois.” ​

Ten recipients were designated through the program in 2023 and 2024. An additional five were named this week. The others were: Soul City in northeast Chicago, Bloomington’s downtown cultural district, Ukrainian Village in northeast Chicago and the historic district of the city of Vienna.

“Cultural Districts reflect the diversity of our great state, and Illinois is proud to recognize their cultural significance while empowering them to expand their reach and share their culture with Illinoisans and visitors alike,” Pritzker said in a news release.

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas