Loves Park

A connective force flows between Rockford and nearby Loves Park: the Rock River, a major tributary known for its water sports. The City of Rockford has made the most of its waterfront by building up parks up and down its banks. In Martin Shorewood, residents live east of two of these popular recreational spaces--Martin Park on the north end, and Shorewood Park on the south. Though close to nature, these homes maintain an urban feel with the sounds of the city not far off. Traffic on North 2nd Street runs to the east of the community, meets the riverbanks at a point and the two move together toward downtown Rockford offices, museums and restaurants. Shorewood Park has been home to the Ski Broncs—Rockford’s premier waterborne performance act— since 1967. Cheering fans fill the bleachers at the stage area to watch the team stand on each other’s shoulders and skirt the top of the river. “It’s a great option for families looking for something to do on a weeknight, they’re out there putting on a good show for the community,” says Jared Corey, lifelong Rockford resident. In 2024, the city allocated $800,000 towards stabilizing the shoreline, building a new-and-improved stage and reinforcing a flood wall to prevent erosion of the shore. Some homes here are at greater risk of damage during heavy rains and storm surges, according to risk data analysis firm First Street. Besides the Broncs, the 10-mile paved Rock River Recreation Path also traces through Shorewood and travels north to Martin Park, a favorite for swimming, fishing, boating and afternoons on the playground. The trail continues over the Riverside Bridge alongside car traffic and leads all the way north to Mercyhealth Sportscore One. With 18 soccer fields and 8 lighted softball/baseball diamonds, it’s a key spot for YMCA leagues and athletic associations. Established waterfront properties with boat docks line the Rock River; however, these tend to stay in Rockford families for generations and rarely hit the market, according to Sully Cadengo, Stateline Real Estate agent and longtime Rockford resident. Most homebuyers in Martin Shorewood scope out properties farther inland, though boat owners still have close access to the public launch at Martin Park. The area is mostly single-family homes, save for a few townhouse-style apartment communities like Bennett Street Townhomes and Shorewood Townhouse Apartments. Cape Cods, ranch-style homes, and bungalows with 3-season porches line the wide streets, most built in the early- to mid-1900s. The majority include two to three bedrooms and 1 to 1.5 bathrooms, with tiny one-bed, one-bath cottages at the lowest price point. Unlike the rehab-ready homes in downtown and southeast Rockford, many of these homes have already been renovated and may even have fully fenced backyards and sheds from previous owners. Their Loves Park location poses another benefit, too: no municipal property tax. Some blocks have long backyards extending back up to one-third of an acre. The blocks farthest north and south are more tight knit, with still enough room for an above-ground pool or garden. Narrow sidewalks thread the grid for walkers, and the neighborhood holds a CAP crime score of 3 out of 10, one point below the national average of 4. Prices throughout Martin Shorewood range from $70,000 to $190,000 depending on the number of remaining upgrades needed before move-in. Martin Shorewood is just west of North 2nd Street, the main north-south road through Loves Park to Rockford. Chain restaurants like Beef-A-Roo and McDonald’s line this stretch, alongside family-owned businesses. Striking red walls, cream tablecloths and a scenic mural of the Italian countryside set the scene at Nunzio's Restaurant, which serves large plates of Italian classics with enough food to take home after. Hot summer nights mean a trip to Dairy Depot, where visitors are awarded after a long line with a towering chocolate or vanilla soft serve cone or a limited edition flavor, such as Georgia Peach in the summer. Locals travel farther into Loves Park for big-box shopping at Walmart Supercenter, Aldi and more chain options, and into downtown Rockford for a night out before a show at the historic Coronado Theater. The Ski Broncs hit the water each Wednesday evening throughout the summer, save for cancellations from flood warnings. The team has a continued impact on Rockford and Loves Park, teaching amateur skiers of all ages and even extending lessons to disabled members of the community with their inclusive program, Adaptive Adventures. Beyond the Broncs, residents will want to explore everything Rockford has in the works. “The city’s got so many different parks and music events going on,” Corey says. “There’s great shows at Sinnissippi [Park], little food truck carousels, the Anderson Japanese Gardens, and now they’ve got the Hard Rock Casino coming soon. Downtown’s really been redeveloping too.” Like most of Loves Park, public school students in Martin Shorewood are zoned for the Harlem Consolidated School District. Kindergarten attendance is optional in Illinois, but locals can choose to send their tots to Windsor Lake KinderCare or preschool programs like Grace Lutheran Preschool before heading up to Loves Park Elementary School for first through sixth grade. The school is right within the community on Grand Avenue and scores a B-minus from Niche. Harlem Middle School teaches seventh and eighth grade and gets a C-plus, and Harlem High School scores a B. In addition to Advanced Placement courses, students can take early college credit courses through nearby Rock Valley College. Private, tuition-based schools are also popular in the Rockford region. Residents live about a mile from St. Bridget School, a Catholic option for prekindergarten through eighth grade. Kids can graduate from here to Boylan Catholic High School, which gets an A-minus from Niche. Keith Country Day School—which gets an A-plus—offers a tight-knit environment with a 7-to-1 student-teacher ratio from prekindergarten through 12th grade. Save for short walks to nearby parks and restaurants, residents hit North 2nd Street or head across the river to Main Street to reach downtown Rockford in 4 to 5 miles by car. Those taking Rockford Mass Transit District (RMTD) buses head into the city from stops along North 2nd, but for the return trip home, they’ll be heading up the opposite side of the Rock River via Rockton Avenue. With busy Interstate 90 as the only connecting thread to Chicago for over 50 years, current residents have a long commute ahead if they work outside of the Illinois Northern Stateline Region. In 2023, city and state officials announced the return of Metra to Rockford for the first time since 1981. The station is projected for completion in 2027, with two roundtrips per day totaling about 2 hours each way. Until then, drivers take East Riverside Boulevard all the way down to Interstate 90 for the rest of the 92-mile drive. As for medical care, the closest emergency room is about 5 miles away at UW Health SwedishAmerican Hospital

Newcomers to Argyle know exactly what they’re getting. A sign staked in a cornfield along the area’s main roadway promises ‘about 90 good people, one old grouch and a darn good museum.’ “There’s not much in Argyle. When you drive through, you blink, and you miss it,” says John Peterson, a broker with Re/Max Valley Realtors. “It’s one of those stop sign communities and is definitely small-town living.” Despite moving at a slower pace, Argyle provides proximity to many of Rockford’s most popular amenities. “It’s out in the country, but it’s close to Interstate 90 and Rock Cut State Park, which is one of the largest parks in northern Illinois and a great spot for mountain biking, hiking and fishing,” says Toni Vanderheyden, a Realtor with Keller Williams Signature Realty. Narrow, curvy backroads are lined with farmhouse-inspired contemporary homes, new traditionals, and ranch homes. Small front patios and one- to two-car garages are common exterior features. The houses are perched on spacious, well-landscaped yards, typically ranging from a half-acre to 3 acres, adorned with mature trees and small gardens. The extra elbow room allows homeowners to make the space their own, with some adding an outdoor basketball court and in-ground pools. Prices here typically hover between $250,000 and $400,000. Nearby Rock Cut State Park is a hub for recreation, primarily hiking and biking. The trails are canopied by hardwood trees and surrounded by more than 100 types of wildflowers that add some color to the park during the spring and summer. Spanning more than 3,000 acres, the expansive green space provides respite from surrounding commercial pockets, with two lakes for kayaking and swimming. There are also several docks and boat ramps to fish or get out on the water. During the winter, locals venture to the park for cross-country skiing. Nearly 3.5 miles south of Argyle is Mercyhealth Sportscore Two, a go-to spot for people to play soccer and volleyball. The large campus also features an indoor golf practice center. “There are a lot of events there, too,” Valle says. “The Rockford Rivets, a minor league baseball team, plays their games there, and they’ve also had concerts. We’ve gone there to see Cheap Trick, a popular rock-and-roll band from the 1980s.” Highlighting the area’s farming history, Paulson’s Agriculture Museum of Argyle opened its doors in 2010 with several displays of antique tractors, windmills, wagons and planters. It also claims to have the largest collection of Rockford-made Emerson-Brantingham equipment. The artifacts were donated by local farmer Warren Paulson, who collected the equipment over 40 years. The museum is only open to the public on the second Saturday of each month, from April through October. Otherwise, people can schedule tours by appointment. Chain and local eateries are dotted along East Riverside Boulevard, which sits to the south of Argyle. The options are diverse, ranging from Vietnamese to Italian and classic pub fare. GreenFire stays open late night, serving locally sourced steaks and wood-fired pizza until midnight. Locals line up at the counter at Hachi Sushi to order maki rolls or hibachi, while Fozzy’s Bar & Grill is a bustling sports bar known for its cocktails and Tuesday trivia nights. A 4.5-mile drive along West Lane Road, which edges Argyle’s northern end, leads to several big box stores, including Meijer, Target and Kohl’s. Rockford School District 205 serves students living in Argyle. They’ll attend Spring Creek Elementary School and Eisenhower Middle School, which earn C-plus and C ratings from Niche, respectively. Students later filter into B-rated Guilford High School where they can enroll in one of several academies with centralized focuses in business, health, production or service. In 2024, the school implemented a Military Wall of Honor to recognize graduates who are serving or have served. The project was 5 years in the making, and the school plans to host inductions twice a year – one around Memorial Day, the other around Veterans Day. Although Argyle provides prime access to Interstate 90 and State Route 173, locals can avoid the major highways to access medical care. Javon Bea Hospital—Riverside sits 4 miles south via Argyle Road. Downtown Rockford’s riverside amenities, including restaurants, museums and performing arts centers, can be reached by taking Forest Hills and Harlem roads for nearly 12 miles. Locals take I-90 for almost 19 miles to get to Chicago Rockford International Airport. The freeway also connects them to downtown Chicago, about 92 miles away.