The ABC Book of Rockton, Illinois

By

Rockton Grade School1050 East Union StreetRockton, Illinois 61072

Sponsored by the Illinois Council for Affective Reading Education

(ICARE) of the Illinois Reading Council

AUTHOR PAGE

The following individuals participated in the creation of this manuscript:

Authors: Bottom row: Emily Lopata, Audryahna Vanderheyden, Maiya Johnson, Rachel Rivers, Brook TitusMiddle Row: Annika Weber, Zach Connel, Katherine Foster, Caitlin Fordel, Korey Yarc, Corey HaseltonTop Row: Mrs. Austin (Library assistant), Bobby Lewandowski, Yaeli Colon, Kaitlynn Alt, James Hall (Technology assistant), Josie Foss, Collin Moist, Mrs. Eischeid (Library teacher)

Illustrators: Bottom row: Emily Lopata, Audryahna Vanderheyden, Sarah RoseMiddle Row: Madison Barr, Adam Bohn, Caitlin Fordell, Korey YarcTop Row: Mr. Enderle (Art teacher), Ashley Graves, Ryan VanShelven, Kaitlynn Alt, Allison Keinz, Julia Dayton

is for the Awesome Antique and specialty shops.

There are many different shops in downtown Rockton. Some of the things you can buy at these shops are old furniture, clothes, old coins, old glass stuff, and books. You can eat at a lot of different restaurants. It is fun to go downtown Rockton.

is for the Beautiful Bike path.

The bike path is a good place to ride bikes with your family. The bike path is also good to ride your scooter and walk your dog. The bike path goes from Rockton to Roscoe, IL.

is for the Colorful Christmas Walk.

The Christmas Walk is in December for a full weekend. It is a lot of fun walking. You get to see your friends and people all dressed up. There may be elves, snowmen, and reindeer in the parade. You walk for a long time and it is cold!

is for how Different Don’s Coin Shop is.

Don’s Coin Shop is a fun place to visit. It has a lot of different coins in it. It has old coins and new coins. It also has stuffed animals, books, and coin books for sale. It is a great place to look and buy things!

is for Excellent Education.

Rockton Grade School has very good education. You learn math, spelling, reading, and science. We play games that help us learn how to spell and learn. We have fun runs and field trips to interesting places. RGS is the Best!

is for Fantastic Fishing on the Rock and Pecatonica Rivers.

Fishing on these two rivers is fun. You can catch a lot of different fish. Many people have picnics by the rivers and they love to go boating on them. There are lots of things to see and do by the rivers.

is for the Gorgeous Golf courses.

Rockton has three golf courses, Red Barn, Barwood, and Macktown. They are very green. The greens and fairways are very green and great to play. You have to watch out for the water and the sand!

is for the Honorable Princess Hononegah.

Hononegah means “dear little one.” Princess Hononegah was an Indian and she had the power to heal things. She married Stephen Mack. The high school in Rockton was named after Princess Hononegah.

is for the Incredible Ice cream from Dairy Haus.

Dairy Haus ice cream is really tasty. They have a lot of different flavors and it is all homemade ice cream. We love to go there in the hot summer. We think it is the best ice cream in the world!

is for the Journey in June 1851, when a flood

destroyed the Stephen Mack Bridge.

Before Stephen Mack Bridge was destroyed, people thought Rockton was going to become a big town. The flood deterred many people from moving to Rockton. This changed the history of Rockton because we are still a small town today.

is for Knowledge that the PeKatonic River means crooked river or muddy stream.

PeKatonic was the original name of the town of Rockton. Lots of people fish in this river. It has lots of trees on the shores. There are also many birds and small animals that live there. It is a great place to walk along the bank or have a picnic.

is for the Long, Lighted Parade for the Christmas Walk.

It is a beautiful parade, with lots of cars, fire trucks, and police cars. It has floats that are all covered with Christmas lights. It is cold out, but it is worth seeing this awesome parade!

is for Magnificent Macktown Forest Preserve.

It is fun to go fishing and camping there. There are woods and trails to go hiking and bike riding. You may see some birds and animals while you are there.

is for Native Nygren Wetlands.

It is preserved for our native plants and animals. There are lots of birds, bugs, small and large animals that live here. It is a beautiful place to visit with your family.

is for Obviously the Old Stone Church.

The Old Stone Church is very, very old. It has beautiful, colored windows in it. It used to have singing birds in cages in the church. The Old Stone Church is the oldest church in the county.

is for Playful times at Walt Williamson Pool.

It is fun to play at the pool with your family and friends. It has a diving board and you can jump in, or race your friends. You can take swimming lessons and learn how to swim at the pool.

is for the Quiet, Quaint town of Rockton.

Rockton is a small community of about 5,500 people. It is away from the bustle and hustle of bigger cities. At night you can hear the crickets sing. You can also see the moon and the stars on a clear night. I feel safe living in Rockton, IL.

is for the Radiant Rockton Grade School.

Rockton Grade School is a very good school. The teachers and principal are nice. We learn about a lot of different things! It is fun to go to school here!

is for the Super Stephen Mack.

Stephen Mack was a fur trader in the 1800’s. He was friends with the Winnebago Indians. He had a trading post here and would trade with the Indians. Stephen Mack Middle School is named in his honor. He arrived here in 1829 and he married an Indian named Hononegah.

is for the Terrific Talcott Free Library.

You can check out all kinds of books. There are children’s books and color books and movies. If you do not have a library card, you need to get one to check out books.

is for the Useful Unsettled prairie land before 1829.

It was a great open place to have a picnic. It had long grasses and many different plants and animals. It also had rivers and lakes that had frogs and fish. It was very beautiful.

is for the Valuable, Village Green Park.

Village Green Park is very colorful in the fall. It has a lot of acorns. It has many trees that make it very shady and it is a great place for a picnic. The park is busy with children playing on the swings and playing tag. It is a fun place to visit!

is for the Wonderful Wagon Wheel.

The Wagon Wheel was a famous hotel and restaurant in the old days. Bob Hope and other famous entertainers visited the Wagon Wheel. It is no longer here, but it was the vacation place to be a long time ago!

is for the eXcellent luXurious Stephen Mack home.

The Stephen Mack home was built in 1935. It was one of Rockton’s first houses. It was the best house in Rockton. It had windows, real floors, and as indoor toilet. You can take a tour of his home today.

is for the communitY and ferrY to help you.

The ferry helped people get across the rivers in the old days. We do not have a ferry any longer in Rockton. The community of Rockton is a helpful group of people. We have police and fireman that come to our school to help us.

is for the daZZling Chicago JaZZ ensemble that performed at Hononegah High School in Rockton.

The Chicago Jazz ensemble came to Rockton to share with this town about jazz. It was exciting to have the famous Chicago Jazz ensemble in our high school. It was fun to hear them play their instruments!