Did you know that Loves Park was once home to a thriving pickle empire that supplied the Midwest with some of the tastiest pickles around?
A Trip Down Rockford’s Memory Lane
I have lived in the Rockford area my entire life, and my partner Sweet Lenny has lived here for several decades, so this morning we decided to take a trip down memory lane by asking this question;
We quickly discovered that roller skating and backroad/parking lot hangs were THE things to do in the Rockford area back in the day, but it also had me feeling nostalgic.
👇 Do You Remember These Old Rockford Music Venues? 👇
Whenever I want to take a fun trip into the Stateline area’s past, I always hop on Rockford Rocked’s Facebook to learn something new about my hometown.
Today I learned that Loves Park was once home to a popular pickle factory, called Rockford Pickle Factory, and that many other long time Rockford area residents never knew this place existed.
The History of Rockford Pickle Factory
Rockford Pickle Factory was located at 4700 North Second Street and was originally called Spring Garden Pickle Works. It was started by a man named Hiriam Snow who moved to Rockford from Chicago in 1881 and purchased 160 acres of land in Loves Park where he built a home, barn, warehouse, and planted many acres of cucumbers.
A month before Hiriam’s death in 1903, the business was transferred to his son Junius, and for several years Rockford Pickle Works was thriving. Then World War 1 began and ruined it all…