Northside, Rockford, Illinois 5K.

[@ChrisHarden]

Rockford Playlist: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a6qXaZ1tpr11eM0 Illinois Playlist: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ep6bYqykjNuIqa8 ==================================================================== EVERYTHING THAT I USE IN THE FIELD: Main Camera: amzn.to/3iS4vvF Side Cameras: amzn.to/2WuCYIs Media Mod for Camera: amzn.to/3j7CMGF Lav Mic: amzn.to/3lsMkz9 Drone: amzn.to/3ITcKBV SD Cards: amzn.to/3C2co9O Camera Mounts: amzn.to/2UXVR6p Cables Required for Longer Recordings: amzn.to/3BYnr3Q Computer: amzn.to/3787b2j External Hard Drive: amzn.to/3lb23Tf WHAT I USE AT HOME: Computer: amzn.to/3rKIdiN Sound Mixer: amzn.to/3C15Ubx Microphone: amzn.to/2VaCjvo Microphone Accessories: amzn.to/3v7A35Z INTERACTIVE MAP that shows you all of the places that I've made videos on: (Doesn't always work on mobile devices. Will always work on PC.) www.google.com/maps/d/u/2/edit?hl=en&mid=1Lhzf04ocimPu-ROkg4cfXEYEvKMNnlI5&ll=43.06219876674538%2C-83.82163216337808&z=10 SOCIAL MEDIA & CONTACT INFO: Email: [e-mail] On Twitter: twitter.com/Chris_Harden55 On Instagram: instagram.com/c_harden7/?... On Facebook: facebook.com/ChrisHardenYT/ DISCLAIMER: Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you. As an Amazon Associate I do earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. As always, thank you for supporting my channel!

[@cristianvega5235]

Hey can you do Chicago Heights, Crete

[@cristianvega5235]

Steger

[@Foxx.0409]

I am so excited to watch through all of your Rockford videos. I've lived here my entire life and don't think anything of most areas, but watching your video is indeed bringing a lot of nostalgia. Not to mention how seeing the area you grew up and live in on TV is such a weird feeling. This town is getting worse each year and we all notice it, but it was so nice to have someone come in and highlight every part of it, not just the bad. To show people the small beautiful areas and interesting buildings that make up this old town. So much history surrounding this place has gotten covered up with the crime. Thank you so much for making this. When I move away one day I'll have your videos to preserve the details and memories of my hometown. I hope you have a good week, because this certainly made mine better.

[@ChrisHarden]

I would like to thank you for acknowledging that I highlight more than just the bad. Not my fault that KZbin mostly promotes the “negative” videos as those are more popular lol. I’m glad that I made your week! I have two more Rockford videos yet to upload, plus I have videos coming on all of the decently sized surrounding cities/suburbs.

[@annettesonneson3468]

Some of NW Rockford is absolutely beautiful. I had a lovely home at 1618 Huffman Blvd before a divorce. It is sad how blight has taken over some of these areas. Thank you!

[@zane8789]

Huffman is gorgeous now with the trees and flower beds they put in the median

[@gregoryrosengren2544]

There was a HYLANDER on the corner of HWY2&River side a Logli on north Rockton AVE. Eagle on North main. All were lager grocery stores.

[@thrasherx2k1]

Hilander*

[@ronaldronald42421]

To add, logli and Hilander were the two local grocery chains in the city well into the early 2000s. In 1998 both companies were bought out. Logli by Schnucks and Hilander by Kroger. In the early 2010s, Kroger sold Hilander to Schnucks, who subsequently rebranded all stores and closed down the West side almost immediately. The Logli on Rockton was the original Logli location until it's closure in the mid 2010s.

[@ronaldronald42421]

He actually passes the vacant Logli at around 12:40

[@paterpull]

Was watching this and saw places I will be driving to tomorrow. You went right near my cousin's house and past the factory home of the world's greatest potato chips "Mrs. Fishers". (Trust me on that.) I applaud you and the effort put in to make these videos. As an amateur videographer who has been documenting his life since Beta, I can almost understand the time put in to making these. Thanks again for the ride along.

[@antoniowashington6148]

Keep up the good work with your project. You're making stateline proud by showing nice local areas in the neighborhoods above and beyond.

[@antoniowashington6148]

Who sings this song called, "I'll Never Let You Go?" The track you play on the scene your driving sounds nice.

[@ChrisHarden]

Thanks! And it’s Lightning by Benjamin Love.

[@ozone1414]

Thank you for this video. I grew up in this area of Rockford. You actually drove past my parents house which was nice to see. I haven't been back to Rockford since I moved to Wisconsin in late 2008.

[@karenbaxter5402]

I personally love my home town. So much focus is on the bad things about Rockford in the news but I can testify Rockford is a beautiful city. There is beauty every where. And with that beauty are beautiful people. The most wonderful people I know come from Rockford. They are what holds the town together. I thank you for not focusing on our troubles only .well done videos. Bless you for showcasing Rockford in a mostly good light. If you ever get a chance to take a boat ride on the Rock River i highly suggest it. It's a beautiful scenic ride on both sides of the river to downtown Rockford. Also thankful it was a beautiful sunny blue sky with white clouds . You picked a great day to video record 🌞Again thank you ❤

[@ChrisHarden]

Thank you for noticing that I don’t always just talk about the bad! The negative videos always get more promotion from KZbin, even though I upload more positive videos than negative. You’ll probably like my upcoming Monday upload as well!

[@karenbaxter5402]

Thank you I'm sure I will 🌞❤🙏

[@lsanderson40]

Thank you for the video. Rockford appears to have gone through a lot of changes. The northwest side has some very nice real estate. Videos brought back some fond memories.

[@drivingjapan2191]

Great quality video, very nice tour😊👍 Thank you for sharing!! Have a nice weekend.

[@AdamFalkenhayn]

Just a charming part of town. I can’t get enough. Great video!

[@dyvannyahoffman9514]

Thank you so much for exploring rockford and then taking time to organized the information you gathered so we can enjoy and understand in the most efficient way

[@matts8012]

You are lucky to have gotten that green arrow coming out of the no left turn from Harlem to Auburn and back onto Harlem. It's green for a few seconds and red for a few minutes LOL. Great video again. I haven't gotten to see much of the NW side though it is a pretty area. I'm glad you went all the way through Searls Park so I could reminisce on the miles and pain ran through it (LOL again). The Auburn XC team always ran down there for practice as it was only about 2 miles away from the school and had a few meets there during the season. Lockwood is a nice park right across the street from the BMX track, though not as worth going through. It is definitely concerning the amount of retail on the west side though. I had no idea there weren't more stores.

[@coreylanskin5017]

Nice video and great info. Had to wait until the end to see my old hood near Boylan off Latham St. I had to pause it a few times to remember good memories I had with friends. My dad eventually lost the house to the banks after the divorce. The next family, years later, burnt it to the ground. I left in '86 and have lived in CO, NV, and now AZ. Haven't been back since 2010.

[@jasonludewig4126]

I'm bingeing the Rockford stuff now and was a bit giddy to see you drive right by my home at around 46:25! I have to say it is a shame you didn't wait another month or two, Harlem Blvd is absolutely stunning when the spring time flowers and trees begin to blossom. Keep up the great content!

[@DrakeUniverse]

Aaa born and raised on this side of town. Much love from rockford ❤

[@austinstiefel8578]

Ahhh I miss it there. Haven't been home to Rockford since Christmas 2019, being stationed overseas. Hoping to come back in June to see it again. 🤞

[@PantheonEltz]

Thank you for your service Austin. Not much has changed here :)

[@ColtsHouse]

Left in 2013 . Went to Florida and haven't looked back till now . (Home is where the heart is)

[@MarcIsTheAnswer]

Good videos, great narration, I watched all of your videos before moving to the Northside, lookin forward to your videos of even more cities throughout the Midwest.

[@karlenapeckham530]

Stillman Valley and Byron are great little towns! I grew up in Rockford in the 60's but moved out to Stillman for the small town school vibe! Loved it!

[@docilemania]

Visit Costas Ristorante in Byron...my uncle owns it

[@aps125]

I have to comment on your background sound tracks. They are pretty dope. Crazy by Byron Juane really stuck in my head.

[@ChrisHarden]

Thanks! It’s not always easy but I try to pick tracks that fit the scene of wherever I am without using the same ones too many times.

[@dylanmurphy4194]

Should of stopped by Pinnons while you were over there

[@adriandelgado8739]

I agree went to school and graduated with the owners son. He should have visited at mrs. fishers as well.

[@ohyoga6905]

@@adriandelgado8739 I went to school with the son too. But I was in middle school at the time

[@russell4788]

Love their bratwurst, miss them so much, when my parents come to visit they always bring a pack and some Mrs. Fishers.

[@TheElpepeduerme]

They just killed somebody there. So sad

[@junbug1029]

Should have….

[@jamesr.5513]

Great videos, can't wait to see the other parts.

[@ThyHolyNickel94]

Just here to comment and boost your metrics on KZbin. 100k subs here we come 😎

[@ChrisHarden]

One day hopefully!

[@getx1265]

Great place to grow up during the 50s/60s!

[@tallswede80]

yes it was great then because there was alot of industry. Now it is a post industrial shithole

[@sheilademus1169]

I was born and raised here and live on the south east side. I have friends from all over Rockford and am happy to be a Rockfordian! We have many hospitals and colleges here and church's. East State St and Alpine Rd. use to be the center of Rockford. Amenities basically went north east. I totally agree west side should be built up. I'm sure at some point that will happen. Rockford has expanded a lot since I was a child.

[@Marcel_Audubon]

W. State and Main was the traditional center of Rockford, E. State and Alpine was never more than a busy intersection. Exactly what colleges are you talking about? calling Rockford College Rockford University ain't fooling anyone. Rock Valley? it's nice, but it's a Junior College. Rockford ain't an educational mecca.

[@johnsutton9218]

Pretty wild to see you drive by locations I used to know so well. You went by Roosevelt,which was a middle school when my Mom went there. Grew up on the West side and it's sad to see it go downhill like it has. Been out of Rockford since 1982.

[@ChrisHarden]

Even wilder how fast I responded to your comment on a video that’s a couple years old. Glad you enjoyed the vid!

[@MarkListon13]

Proud to be from the West side of the river and a Rockford West grad. We "get life" We understand the value of hard work, we understand that being racial is a catch phrase for journalists - not something how we were - we lived, worked and were friends with each other - regardless of color, we understand how to be successful in life. So proud this is where I grew up!

[@lawrencehamilton2345]

Love your videos. Really enjoy your background music.

[@ChrisHarden]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@sally-annchanonhouse7583]

Really nice video’s great job love it!! Be safe

[@night7505]

im still waiting to see if you release Loves Park, Machesney Park, Roscoe, Rockton video im pretty sure you said you were going too my wife and i stream your videos to the tv and watch ya during dinner thanks for all the effort you put in. You are Appreciated.

[@ChrisHarden]

Appreciate that! And yes I’ll be uploading videos on those places that you mentioned, presumably the first week of May.

[@johnnylammersfeld5745]

More Rockford content please

[@TannerMontana69]

Born in raised off camp and douglas in churchill’s grove. Man, I wouldn’t trade my childhood for the world. Best place to grow up ever. The neighborhood, the people. The food choices. Sad it’s gone downhill

[@angelalarson1457]

I'm surprised when you went into Lockwood Park you didn't mention to the right is Lockwood Park Trailside Equestrian Center and children's Farm.

[@handyprofessionals4589]

3 toll plaza? Seem more like 5-6 tolls! Love the Video 📸

[@joejonas3684]

It is is 3. Devon Ave Toll Plaza, Elgin Toll Plaza, and the Belvidere Toll Plaza. They’re dirt cheap though with iPass, like 75 cents except the Belvidere one which I believe is 95 cents or like a buck 50

[@jonlohrenz5446]

Ah yes the I-uh-Toll-uh.

[@brianarbenz7206]

I love how alter ego interrupts your narration, with those distorting visuals. And of course, your come back responses to it!

[@emmacat3202]

The northside is pretty.

[@mitchwinder1204]

Having lived at the corner of N. Main St. and Riverside Blvd. (regarded as one of the top 5 busiest intersections in Rockford) from 1967 - 1971 I can confirm there were large grocery stores serving that area of town that ultimately went away. One was at N. Main & Riverside, another was farther down on N. Main a couple miles north of Auburn St., and one on Rockton Ave., just south of Halsted. The semi-rural area you’re driving around arguing with yourself in (LOL) was all farmland as late as the early ‘80s. EDIT: You just drove by where the grocery on Rockton Ave one stood as you approached the former Rockford Memorial Hospital.

[@ericalmberg9022]

Love your videos. Maybe do one on rockton, roscoe, loves park, machesney part too.

[@ChrisHarden]

Stay tuned

[@tanman999]

Should have driven around the edgewater neighborhood more. There are a couple roads still paved with brick with some really charming houses.

[@bobdusing8937]

river front museum ,was the original sears long before cherryvalle mall

[@SherieBenoit]

Grew up on Ridge Ave. It was a great neighborhood back in the 50-60's.

[@richardwolfe4051]

Sorry, at my age, it's hard to keep up at 20 mph !! Enjoy your videos as I spent most of my life in Rockford.

[@emmacat3202]

You should go to DeKalb, IL next. It's so lovely there.

[@ChrisHarden]

Did. Stay tuned.

[@emmacat3202]

@@ChrisHarden fantastic.

[@nicholasdean3467]

I mean personally, I would say Carbondale is better than Dekalb.

[@emmacat3202]

@@nicholasdean3467 both are pretty nice.

[@glennso47]

@@ChrisHarden Ever do,a video on Carroll County?

[@junbug1029]

My mom grew up here and I grew up here. I moved out in 1975. My mom’s family is still there.

[@captainclasher6459]

You should travel along 72, there's nice small towns along the way

[@damxn7303]

9:02 is my childhood home 🥲, I stuck around the city, I work as a counselor for young children and run a recording studio for high school kids

[@thrasherx2k1]

The end of the video shows the new Amazon distribution center at 41:00 which will be opening soon. It used to serve as the Bergners, Carson Prairie Scott distribution center before that company folded.

[@lifesadventureskeepingitre1180]

im a youtuber from rockford. and i appreciate a difference of opinion on rockford.

[@antoniobonebeatz]

North main st had a bowling alley a Kmart and eagles grocery store a movie theater and was on the rise to looking like a mini east state and I come back from college and didn't recognize anything not sure what happened.

[@Marcel_Audubon]

You musta taken a looooong time in college. N. Main's decline started in the '70s and never looked back.

[@davidtallentrpo]

BTW, The watertower on Riverside was recently done.

[@ChrisHarden]

Interesting

[@adriandelgado8739]

Man you passed my neighborhood I live in Boylans neighborhood

[@SadieKruseFablous]

Im surprised you didn't go over the fire that happened at the rumbled that you passed on main street. Random arsons on abandoned builds are normal over on this side. I was driving home from Beloit and saw that all thought miles away. when I saw the ghast of smoke in the air from that rumble for a building

[@glennso47]

There is Jefferson High School in the far southeast. And Guilford High on Spring Creek Road.

[@russell4788]

I think he got his info from the late 40s and 50s when the high-school was new there were only 3 at the time. Central has been closed for a while and he mentioned it.

[@Marcel_Audubon]

@@russell4788 "for a while"? It closed *over 80 years ago* when East and West opened!!

[@donthespotter6550]

Was born at Rockford memorial live in loves park but you can say I am from north west Rockford

[@Marcel_Audubon]

he showed a nice view of the Rockford Memorial loading docks for some reason ... skipped the front

[@sandydean8312]

You should check out Loves Park .. Zip.. 61111 Machesney Park.. Zip... 61115..as well:-) that is far north of Rockford towards Wisconsin border we are all considered Winnebago county.. and on the map we are all.. Rockford. Thank you for your awesome videos:-)

[@ChrisHarden]

I’ll have videos coming soon on Loves Park, Machesney Park, Roscoe, Rockton, South Beloit and Beloit. Stay tuned!

[@Marcel_Audubon]

Loves Parkansas? why bother?

[@ricardovargas8905]

Yo viví en Rockford Illinois muy lindo el lago sus parques su jente muy amables

[@russell4788]

Back in the 70s to the 90s there were great areas of shopping on the northwest side of Rockford. The Mall on main and riverside was a nice mall with clothing stores a movie theater and resteraunts. The strip of main st. From Fulton Ave to riverside had shopping entertainment and restaurants. And rocton Ave had a nice large grocery store and a packed strip mall. There was little to no reason to head to the east side and deal with traffic, unless you wanted to hit up bigger stores. The west side of Rockford was ignored from late 1990s to 2015 or so. Crime was a large factor in businesses leaving but also leadership in the city caused the west side to be ignored. It wasn't until the crime started to spill east that the city took notice on the West side to try and clean it up. But then it was too late Rockford already had its reputation, businesses and industry were moving out, the mass exodus had begun. In 2000 the Rockford population was around 250,000 in 20 years we lost half our population, it is sad.

[@ChrisHarden]

Data shows that the city of Rockford’s population reached it’s highest in 2010 actually, with a population of 152k. Winnebago County as a whole also hit it’s peak in 2010 at 295k. It might be hard to believe but the population loss for the city as a whole, and region as a whole only recently started.

[@russell4788]

@@ChrisHarden you are right going back to my source and it was the Rockford Metro area, which included Loves Park Machesney Park and Cherry Valley

[@sarahawkins1917]

Chris I've been a Rockford resident all my life and so these streets are very familiar. That being said, next time you come to town you should pick me up and I can tell you more about the neighborhoods. Past and present. Also, I'm not quite certain of your goal in doing these videos, But if you're going to show the bad parts you should show the good parts of interest as well. Having said that the westside has been abandoned by developers. And when major grocery stores and other amenities move out, there's nothing coming to replace them. While as you said, the East State Street corridor has everything you need. In later years Machesney Park which is a Rockford suburb, Has taken the previous highway 173 and turned it into shopping mecca beginning at North 2nd Street and continuing East to Perryville. They also put a Showplace 14 movie plex just North of Perryville and 173. I have a lot more to say but, I Don't want to hog up all the comments section.

[@tdt2300]

My immigrant parents and relatives worked at the factories here at Elco, Barber Coleman, Atwood in the 90's. They were able to buy homes and raise families in Rockford. Small incidents of racism but mostly a good experience.

[@maharper100]

Did you make a video of Dixon, Illinois?

[@ChrisHarden]

It’s not uploaded but yeah I went there and filmed.

[@jacor653]

I really think you should revisit Davenport, IA at some point. In your video, you only focused on the southern and western portions of the city. You could go gack and showcase the northern and eastern portions of the city, maybe including northern Bettendorf and the town of Le Claire as well.

[@ChrisHarden]

You should make a video on Davenport, Jacob!

[@jacor653]

@@ChrisHarden You know, I could do that; however, I am not going to. I don't think it's a bad idea, it's just that it's something I am not interested in doing. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, I am not interested in establishing or running a KZbin channel or anything like that. Secondly, it would be more interesting for me to see someone else driving in and talking about my home city of Davenport. If I were to make a video about Davenport similar to your videos, I would have to start by driving around town myself. I do enjoy doing that, and I do it quite often, obviously. The thing is that, like I said, seeing a video of someone else such as yourself would be more appealing to me. I know you have a busy schedule, making many trips to various states and regions. I am not hoping to see a second Davenport video at any particular time; I don't need to see such a video soon. It's just something that I was thinking you could add in to one of your future trips. Maybe you could plan a trip from, say, the Quad Cities to Iowa City to Des Moines and so on? Obviously, you aren't required to do any of this just because one person asks you to, but I can't imagine I am the only person who would find such a series of videos interesting.

[@artburkhalter8291]

Lots of familiar sites... not much has changes since the 60's.

[@Marcel_Audubon]

Your sarcasm is delightful. There is almost *nothing* that hasn't changed on the NW side of Rockford since the '60s. Hell, they even tore the North End down to install that laughable roundabout

[@AddieDirectsTV]

Heh. That’s the part of Rockford I lived in when I worked at WREX.

[@groofoot]

Did you even Go on the east side? .... I thought there were 5 videos ... but I've only found 3

[@ChrisHarden]

Yeah there will be 5 when it’s all said and done... The other two videos will be coming next week!

[@rosepink2773]

Is it safe to live there with family? I’m thinking to move there because it’s cheap price housing there!! Any advice please, I appreciate it! 🙏🏻

[@ChrisHarden]

I would look to live in Roscoe, Loves Park, Belvidere, Maschesney Park or Rockton. The safest part of Rockford would be the northeast side of town

[@rosepink2773]

@@ChrisHarden Thank you 🙏🏻

[@Marcel_Audubon]

why do they have those crazy window coverings at BCCHS? Makes it look like a prison

[@AdamWiemers]

When I heard someone made a video about Rockford, my first question was..........why?

[@Bladeoceanic]

Caught a house mid demolition at 2:51.

[@ColtsHouse]

17:33 Hello home 🤘 long time , this liberty boy is loooong gone , one day I'll be back . .

[@johnruhl5186]

Not true......when Central closed as a high school there was only West & East......in 1940

[@AdamWiemers]

11:30 Loves Park, making a sad face...."What about me?"

[@angelalarson1457]

I'd like to see the 61114 zip code area of Rockford

[@Andr3sG]

U should visit the eastside

[@zappa19666]

19.10 my dads weed dealer lived in this white crib lmfao i was in middle school an hung out at this crib hahaha

[@bigiron8831]

Lived here in Rockford all my life and I can recommend better places in Hellinois to visit,such as Galena or Savanna......you're lucky you got out of Rockford alive.😁

[@paulstange717]

17:37 that’s my dads shop lol 😂😂😂

[@johnetheridge5833]

Where’s the so called hood at ?

[@ChrisHarden]

In my so called video titled as the worst parts of Rockford

[@zappa19666]

2239 omg my first grade school conklin kindergarden an 1st grade then on to welsh 2nd thru 5th

[@cynthiaj.simmons870]

Oh you should have made a right turn instead of a left turn when you were on Winnebago Street be2cause if you would have made a right turn my house is a blue house with an enclosed front porch and also when you were on Nort Court is my twin son's wife's parents house at the corner of North Court Street and Custer Avenue. you drove right past it in the video. Because my son's wife parents live there and my son has been in the us army for 6 years now and they had their first child in September of 2019 making my husband and I first time grandparents and they live onnthe base in Fort Polk, Louisiana their son was born in 2019 when they lived in Columbus, Georgia My son's twin brother has a learning disability and he lives at the Park Terrance Apartment Complex by the Rock Valley Blood Center off of 6th Street and he streams video games on Twitch. I mentioned in your first video we moved here 14 years ago from Elgin, Illinois and Rockford is way different from Elgin and from Chicago where I grew up and I still kinda of miss Elgin justva little bit. 🤔🤔🤔

[@The88katana600]

High taxes even higher crime rate. Rockford..

[@groofoot]

Not that anyone cares, but No one says 'south side' of Rockford or 'north side' .... only 'the east side' and 'the west side' ....

[@kingdomofgarvin3432]

That's what's real

[@benjaminfiege1819]

Since you’re here... watch “crackhouse USA.” Now that will show you what Rockford is. Everyone hates this place, those who are stuck here won’t admit how bad it really is. Good work however

[@zachhogan6287]

It can be bad.. it is what you make it however. Good low priced golf, nice parks and trails/paths, a river to boat on, local food is good, dive bars and small pubs with a music scene can be fun too.

[@SherieBenoit]

I will and I left yrs and yrs ago.

[@Rusty_Nickle]

I drive 25 miles just to get to s store

[@johnetheridge5833]

Affluent meaning white neighborhoods with big expensive houses and apartments.

[@davidtallentrpo]

Rockford is bad all over. I work for the property off of N Main, and Riverside in the 61103, and there's always bad situations going on there. I'm not sure how to spell this, but the projects Caprini Green in Chicago, when it was leveled, a lot of residents flocked to Rockford, because it was affordable to live here, and brought more crime.

[@cc12300]

It is Safford, not Stafford

[@ChrisHarden]

Good catch

[@richardwolfe4051]

Driving way too fast. Can't keep up.

[@ChrisHarden]

Just go drink some Mountain Dew that should help.

[@princecharles3267]

West state don’t even look like that no more ..so make a new video

[@docilemania]

I moved away, but intend on moving back in a couple years. Rockford will always be home

[@marybuenaventura7871]

Why do u not respond to people when thay want to discuss rockford i need help with some real bad neighbors from hell nite mare and I'm not the only 1 here on the west side of rockford il please contact me