Seventh Street Commercial Historic District

Seventh Street in Rockford, Illinois, was the commercial spine of the city's Swedish community, and the district around it holds 92 properties, 83 of which contribute to its character. Located southeast of the twin downtowns on either side of the Rock River, it is almost entirely commercial, with a few houses and a cluster of industrial and warehouse buildings at the south end near Keith Creek. Buildings date from about 1870 to 1956 and are mostly brick, with terra cotta, stone and tile detailing. Styles move from Italianate in the south to Romanesque Revival in the middle and Beaux-Arts, Classical Revival and Tudor Revival toward the north. Storefront alterations are common, but upper-story window patterns largely survive. The area grew alongside the furniture factories on Railroad Avenue, where Swedish immigrants founded and staffed many firms. Its shops, banks and meeting halls served that community and influenced commerce across the city. Two later buildings by architect Gilbert A. Johnson were included for showing continued Swedish enterprise.