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History · Rockford

Rockford dates to 1832, and 17% of its homes were built before 1940

Its Register listing is the Coosa County Jail. Below: maps from 1901 on and the census since 1850.

1832founded
1on the National Register
17%homes built before 1940
3famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Rockford began

When was Rockford founded?

1832

Rockford dates its founding to 1832 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1850.

First census: 171 in 18502020 census: 349194 years
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1834.The full story ↓

What stands out about Rockford’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Rockford are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 19013 editions of the USGS map, 1901 to 1986. Watch Rockford change.Boom and bustPeaked at 603 in 1970; 349 people lived here in 2020.Deep rootsEstablished in 1832: 194 years of Rockford.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Rockford’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Rockford’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Rockford on the map, 1901 to 1986

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Rockford. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Rockford on the 1901 USGS mapRockford on the 1971 USGS mapRockford on the 1986 USGS map1901Wetumpka sheet · 1:125,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Rockford.

People over time

Rockford, census by census

01002003004005006001850190019502000Peak: 603

Peaked at 603 in 1970; 349 people lived here in 2020.

13 censuses, 1850–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Rockford’s Wikipedia page.

The story

How Rockford came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Rockford.

Read it all →

Coosa County was created by an act of the Alabama State Legislature on December 18, 1832, and a site on Hatchet Creek was chosen as the county seat and given the name Lexington. In 1835 the name was changed to Rockford.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Rockford, 1832 to 1970

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1832
    FoundingRockford is established
  3. 1834Post officeThe Rockford post office opens
  4. 1873Born hereMit Simms is born here
  5. 1877Born hereJames K. Parsons is born here
  6. 1882Born hereGeorge Penton is born here
  7. 20th century
  8. 1901On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  9. 1970CensusPopulation peaks at 603
By decade

Rockford, decade by decade

Today5 recent
Main Street Rockford, Alabama 2024-08-22 32024Main Street Rockford, Alabama 2024-08-22 3Main Street Rockford, Alabama 2024-08-22 22024Main Street Rockford, Alabama 2024-08-22 2Main Street Rockford, Alabama 2024-08-22 12024Main Street Rockford, Alabama 2024-08-22 1Rockford Alabama2011Rockford AlabamaRockford Alabama Downtown2011Rockford Alabama Downtown
On the National Register

1 historic place in Rockford

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
1
each building in a district counts
first listed
1974
Coosa County Jail
Coosa County Jail
Buildings
Coosa County JailBuilding

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Famous people

3 famous people were born in Rockford

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
James K. ParsonsU.S. Army officer · b. 1877
George PentonAmerican gridiron football player · b. 1882
Mit SimmsPolitician · b. 1873

Questions about Rockford’s history

What year was Rockford founded?

In 1832, according to Wikidata. Rockford’s post office opened in 1834, and the census of 1850 counted 171 people here.

What is on the National Register in Rockford?

One place: the Coosa County Jail (listed 1974).

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (5), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.