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Murder & Mayhem in Rockford, Illinois
Rockford rightly prizes its prosperous heritage, earned by manufacturing concerns like the Rockford Watch Factory and the Manny Reaper Company. But the town once named Midway also harbors a history of crime and calamity.
Gunfire broke out in the streets when networks of Prohibition informants slid sideways. In 1893, John Hart forced his own sisters to drink poison. Three years later, James French shot down his wife in the street. Over the years, a courthouse collapsed, a factory exploded and trains collided. Join local historian Kathi Kresol as she explores the mayhem milling about in Rockford's past.
Gunfire broke out in the streets when networks of Prohibition informants slid sideways. In 1893, John Hart forced his own sisters to drink poison. Three years later, James French shot down his wife in the street. Over the years, a courthouse collapsed, a factory exploded and trains collided. Join local historian Kathi Kresol as she explores the mayhem milling about in Rockford's past.
128 pages, Paperback
First published November 9, 2015
About the author
Kathi Kresol
7 books16 followersKathi Kresol’s obsession is history and she has been feeding this passion while researching Rockford’s history for over ten years. Kathi loves the opportunity to share this passion through the stories she writes for her column, “Voices from the Grave” in the Rock River Times and the stories she tells on her Haunted Rockford Tours. She serves on the Board of the Rockford Historical Society, has worked at the Rockford Public Library for years and loves sharing her enthusiasm for history and reading in any way possible.
Along with researching and writing about history, Kathi has given presentations on true crime cases, paranormal encounters and Rockford History. She has also been interviewed for several radio shows, local newscasts and newspapers and always considers it an honor to share the stories of the men, women and children who have called this area home.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
October 22, 2016
Enjoyable read.
Anyone from Rockford would enjoy theses stories. They were well written and easy to read. I learned a lot about our past tragedies.
Anyone from Rockford would enjoy theses stories. They were well written and easy to read. I learned a lot about our past tragedies.
August 13, 2018
Murder & Mayhem in Rockford by Kathi Kresol was published by the History Press (Arcadia Publishing) in November 2015. As a librarian and proprietor of Haunted Rockford Tours, Kresol is intimately familiar with the darker side of her city’s history. Now she has compiled some of those stories, both infamous and lesser-known, into a beautifully designed book sure to be enjoyed by readers interested in both history and true crime.
Murder & Mayhem in Rockford is divided into two parts, aptly named Murder and Mayhem. In part 1, Kresol examines nine murder cases, ranging from the death of a county sheriff to a man who murdered his own sisters. In part 2, she recounts five disasters, accidents, and fires, and ends with three chapters on Prohibition and the Mafia in Rockford from 1920 to 1933.
The events in the book take place in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, with a few from the 1960s and ’70s. Kresol shows that Rockford has always been an immigrant melting pot, and despite its early industrial prosperity, has always been a violent place. The participants, victims and perpetrators alike, come to life on the pages.
Kresol heavily relies on newspaper articles, which were known for being “colorful” during that time period. It is difficult, however, to find records verifying the details of these events. Kresol does an admirable job filling in the blanks and being as accurate as possible while still being entertaining.
From its cover, to its paper quality, font, photos, and layout, Murder & Mayhem in Rockford is a beautifully designed book. Its organization is simple and easy to follow, with short, entertaining chapters and a thorough bibliography for each chapter. The only thing it lacks is an index, but with such a well-designed book, finding specific information is not difficult.
If Murder & Mayhem in Rockford has one flaw, it is the length-to-price ratio. At 128 pages, it retails for a staggering $21.99, which is not uncommon for History Press books. At that price, the book is more of a collector’s item for people interested in Rockford history. Unfortunately, there is no Kindle edition for readers looking for a bargain, as of the date of this review.
Readers interested in both history and true crime will enjoy Murder & Mayhem in Rockford. It is a titillating and informative read, with many little-known historical anecdotes about this industrial city in northern Illinois.
Murder & Mayhem in Rockford is divided into two parts, aptly named Murder and Mayhem. In part 1, Kresol examines nine murder cases, ranging from the death of a county sheriff to a man who murdered his own sisters. In part 2, she recounts five disasters, accidents, and fires, and ends with three chapters on Prohibition and the Mafia in Rockford from 1920 to 1933.
The events in the book take place in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, with a few from the 1960s and ’70s. Kresol shows that Rockford has always been an immigrant melting pot, and despite its early industrial prosperity, has always been a violent place. The participants, victims and perpetrators alike, come to life on the pages.
Kresol heavily relies on newspaper articles, which were known for being “colorful” during that time period. It is difficult, however, to find records verifying the details of these events. Kresol does an admirable job filling in the blanks and being as accurate as possible while still being entertaining.
From its cover, to its paper quality, font, photos, and layout, Murder & Mayhem in Rockford is a beautifully designed book. Its organization is simple and easy to follow, with short, entertaining chapters and a thorough bibliography for each chapter. The only thing it lacks is an index, but with such a well-designed book, finding specific information is not difficult.
If Murder & Mayhem in Rockford has one flaw, it is the length-to-price ratio. At 128 pages, it retails for a staggering $21.99, which is not uncommon for History Press books. At that price, the book is more of a collector’s item for people interested in Rockford history. Unfortunately, there is no Kindle edition for readers looking for a bargain, as of the date of this review.
Readers interested in both history and true crime will enjoy Murder & Mayhem in Rockford. It is a titillating and informative read, with many little-known historical anecdotes about this industrial city in northern Illinois.
August 3, 2020
An okay collection; pretty much average for this series.
November 7, 2015
A quick, great, and a very interesting read! If you love history, you'll love the cool spin this book takes to provide Rockford history: through true crime and tragedies.
August 9, 2019
This was a very fascinating book that chronicled some of the early murders and mayhem/disasters from Rockford’s early years!
February 11, 2021
This book is where my interest in true crime and my hometown collide!
Kathi Kresol is a great person and writer. She writes about horrible tragedies, but does so in a way that's respectful to the victims.
If you're from Rockford, or want to know about some of the madness that has happened in this Midwestern city, grab this book. It's a quick, interesting read.
5/5 stars
Kathi Kresol is a great person and writer. She writes about horrible tragedies, but does so in a way that's respectful to the victims.
If you're from Rockford, or want to know about some of the madness that has happened in this Midwestern city, grab this book. It's a quick, interesting read.
5/5 stars
January 28, 2019
Fascinating book!
This book was very interesting. It gave accounts of various murders as well as natural disasters that occurred in Rockford, Illinois. For those interested in true crime and history, this book is a must read.
This book was very interesting. It gave accounts of various murders as well as natural disasters that occurred in Rockford, Illinois. For those interested in true crime and history, this book is a must read.
August 26, 2026
Loved it! I’m not from the area but have lived here a long time. I was never curious about local history but the more I read, the more I want to know. Great storytelling, especially when there’s not always much to go off. I need more!
July 26, 2018
Well written and great to learn more about Rockford and see my town Freeport mentioned.
December 25, 2018
Fun read
If you lo e history and true crime this book is worth the time to read. Very informative and an easy read.
If you lo e history and true crime this book is worth the time to read. Very informative and an easy read.
March 15, 2019
Really good book on the bad history that happened in Rockford. Like this better than the 'haunted' books that are really historical stories.
September 3, 2019
Never knew most of this stuff, and this is my home town.
January 13, 2026
Interesting to see the history of this town. All the places that have been shady, haven't known anything different.
February 20, 2026
A very informative history of Rockford, Illinois.
Read
March 28, 2026Found some interesting Rockford history.
April 26, 2016
This book tells of early murders in Rockford Illinois. The latest murder was in 1967. It covers the crimes during Prohibition. The murders among rival gang members almost wiped each other out. There are many old Rockford family names in this book.
November 1, 2016
There are some interesting, tragic and shocking historical stories included in this book. A good read if you're from Rockford (and even if you aren't)!
February 11, 2020
Great stories. I feel like there could be an additional book. Easy read.
Read
February 6, 2018Hoping for part 2
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews