12 things people from the Rockford area remember about the 1990s

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — The 1990s were marked by things like economic recovery, political shifts and technology, each leaving an indelible mark on the Rockford area.

Here are 12 things stateline residents remember about the ’90s.

12. Rockford Lightning Professional Basketball: Rockford’s own CBA basketball team played at the MetroCentre (BMO Center) from 1986 to 2006. Stars like Ronnie Fields and Howard Eisley brought thrilling action to the city throughout the 1990s.

11. Lollapalooza 1996: Held at the Winnebago County Fairgrounds, this iconic music festival featured Metallica as a headliner, but the event turned chaotic as fences were destroyed, proving the venue was too small for the massive crowds.

10. The arrival of the Rockford IceHogs: While the team didn’t exist for just about all of the ’90s, the Rockford IceHogs’ debut in fall 1999 at the MetroCentre brought UHL hockey excitement to the stateline. The team won the Colonial Cup in 2007, their last year in the United Hockey League, before joining the American Hockey League as the top affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks.

9. Shopping at CherryVale and Machesney Park malls: These malls were teen hangouts, with CherryVale featuring stores like Sears, JCPenney and Spencer’s while Machesney Park Mall also provided social hub for hanging out and grabbing treats. Both malls boasted popular movie theaters.

8. Media Play: This entertainment superstore in Rockford’s Forest Plaza was a haven for CDs, DVDs, and video games. Teens often spent hours exploring the latest releases and flipping through magazines.

7. Dial-Up internet: The screeching sound of connecting to AOL or Prodigy on family computers marked the dawn of online gaming, chat rooms and “surfing the Web.”

6. “A League of Their Own”: The 1992 film honored the Rockford Peaches, a trailblazing team in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL), putting the squad, the league, and the city on the map for those who previously only knew Rockford as a manufacturing hub and the home of rock band Cheap Trick.

5. The People Who Care lawsuit: This landmark 1990s civil rights complaint against Rockford Public Schools over educational equity highlighted community concerns, leaving a lasting impact on local education discussions.

4. On the Waterfront festival: By the 1990s, this Labor Day weekend event was featuring live music on multiple stages from local, regional, and national acts. At its peak in the ’90s, On the Waterfront—or OTW—was the largest outdoor music festival in Illinois.

3. East-side retail boom: The 1990s saw massive development on the east side, namely the East State Street corridor from Alpine Road east toward I-90. By decade’s end, the area was lined with nearly every national retail chain of the time.

2. Landlines: The constant ring of corded phones and busy signals from sharing lines with siblings or parents was a daily norm, connecting Rockford families in a time when cellphones were just starting to become accessible to the masses.

1. Video rentals: Renting movies at Blockbuster, Family Video, and numerous local movie-rental stores, where the aisles were filled with VHS tapes and DVDs like “The Lion King,” “Home Alone” and thousands of other titles, was a common practice in the 1990s. Blockbuster was also known for its concessions, theater-esque decor and signature popcorn scent, which defined a quintessential ’90s experience.

What do you remember about the 1990s? Let us know!