Rockford is home to many solemn memorial sites to honor those who have served in the military and the fallen. Downtown Rockford has a wide selection of monuments and memorials, each with its own story. Veterans Memorial Hall has a Self-Guided Walking Tours of Memorials & Monuments all located in the Rockford Main Street District. There are plenty of memorials and monuments honoring service men and women all throughout the Rockford area, I encourage you to go see each one in person to fully appreciate them!

Veterans Memorial Hall and Museum

211 N. Main St. (Rockford)

Veterans Memorial Hall interior

Veterans Memorial Hall is the first war memorial building in the United States. It was dedicated in 1903 which included ceremonies attended by none other than President Theodore Roosevelt. The building is a tribute to Rockford citizens who have served in the Armed Forces. Inside the building are several display cases showcasing uniforms and artifacts from the Civil War, World War I, World War II and Camp Grant. In 1976, the building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Armistice 

211 N. Main St. (Rockford)

Civil War Memorial

You won't have to go far at all to see this second memorial. Just on the east side of the Veterans Memorial Hall building, this sculpture has recently found a new home in this location. The sculpture depicts a Civil War infantryman on top of a stone Corinthian column. The sculpture originally stood in the foyer of the old Winnebago County Courthouse and was a gift from the G.A.R. Auxiliary in 1877. After several location changes, it's current home outside Veterans Memorial Hall seems like a fitting place for this sculpture.

Victory

Corner of Mulberry and N. Main St. (Rockford)

Victory Statue

Located just south of Veterans Memorial Hall, this sculpture shows six figures of men and women of diverse ethnic groups from all branches of the Armed Services. They represent veterans of World War II, Korea, Vietnam and the Persian Gulf. No element of the sculpture was cast. Thousands of individual pieces were cut, hammered and welded together for this bronze and aluminum sculpture. 

Field of Honor

100 Heart Blvd. (Loves Park)

Field of Honor

This Field of Honor memorial honors veterans who served in the five wars of the 20th century: World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam and Persian Gulf. There are 5 vertical columns for each of the 5 wars, and 8 life-size statues of men and women from a variety of military branches. Behind the columns and statues are a series of 40 American flags, and there is also a small column honoring civilian contributions to the war efforts. This memorial is a little more special to me because in high school, I attended a Veterans Day ceremony each year at Loves Park City Hall when our high school band would perform at the ceremony. The ceremony was always moving because a war veteran would be the keynote speaker. Afterwards, there would be a short program outside where Taps would play out by the memorial.

LZ Peace Memorial

6799 Guilford Rd. (Rockford)

LZ Peace Memorial

The LZ Peace Memorial on the grounds of Midway Village Museum is a little more unique than others in Rockford in that there is a real helicopter on display. A Huey helicopter is part of the memorial because helicopters like that played a huge role for people in the military in Vietnam at the time. Food, supplies, ammunition and communication with loved ones back home all came from helicopters. The memorial also features a black granite wall engraved with the 73 names of Winnebago County residents who died in Vietnam or later due to war injuries. One of the newer memorials includes the LZ Agent Orange Memorial located near the helicopter. This memorial lists the names of local veterans who survived the Vietnam war but died years later from the effects of being exposed to the deadly chemical dioxin, otherwise known as Agent Orange.

Keeling-Puri Peace Plaza

Perryville Rd. just south of Riverside Blvd. (Rockford)

Keeling-Puri Peace Plaza

Although this is not technically a veteran memorial, this site does depict the hope for peace for all veterans and citizens alike. The Keeling-Puri Peace Plaza shows a large, metal map of the world in the center of a paved area. The outside area is surrounded by several flagpoles flying the flags of the major native countries of Rockford's first-generation immigrants. Among the flagpoles are a series of peace poles and a timeline of immigration in Rockford. There is a special area of this site showcasing the flags of all of Rockford's Sister Cities as well.

Armistice - Memorial to Peace.

200 block Wyman St. (Rockford)

Armistice- Memorial to Peace.

Dedicated in 2016, Armistice- A Memorial to Peace honors the end of the war. It was placed here in the remembrance of the veterans that have called Veterans Memorial Hall and Museum home for over 100 years. 

Navy Club Anchor

401 N. Main St. (Rockford)

Navy Club Anchor

Dedicated in 1966, to Winnebago County Veterans who served honorably in the Naval Forces, Includes an anchor, flagstaff, and anchor chain from USS Tuscaloosa, project of the Navy Club Ship #1. 

Blue Star Highway

211 N. Main St. (Rockford)

Blue Star Highway

Blue Star Highway Marker is located at Veterans Memorial Hall and Museum. Highways in the United States are marked to pay tribute to the U.S. Armed Forces.

Winnebago County 9/11 Emergency Responders Memorial 

W. State St and Kilburn Ave. (Rockford)

911 Emergency Responders

Dedicated in 2016, this monument honors the citizens and emergency responders who lost their lives on that tragic day and to the lives of all the emergency responders in our own community. 

Lincoln Courthouse Square

Elm St. and Church St. (Rockford)

Lincoln Courthouse Square

The Abraham Lincoln Courthouse Square was dedicated in 2009. This portion of the historic courthouse square is a lasting tribute to Abraham Lincoln. 

Gold Star Memorial Bridge 

State St (Rockford)

Gold Star Memorial Bridge

The bridge was built in 1948 (has since been rebuilt) with state, city and county funds. It was dedicated by the Gold Star Mothers of WWII, Unit 74. This dedication is memorialized by matching plaques at the east and west ends.