Machesney Park, Illinois
Machesney Park is a village of 22,630 people in Winnebago County, Illinois, founded in February 24, 1981.
Why visit Machesney Park
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 35 parks and trails, 48 places to eat, 6 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include AMC ShowPlace Machesney Park 14, Frank E. Bauer Bridge, Chicago & North Western Railway Stone Arch Bridge and Kenneth and Phyllis Laurent House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 80°F; January lows average 11°F, and about 36 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Machesney Park
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Machesney Park
Machesney Park is a village located in Winnebago County, Illinois, United States. The population was 22,950 at the 2020 census. Machesney Park is part of the Rockford metropolitan area.
From the Wikipedia article Machesney Park, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks3
Chicago & North Western Railway Stone Arch Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 3.6 mi
Building in Roscoe, Illinois, United States
Kenneth and Phyllis Laurent House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.7 mi
Usonian house
Parks, trails and playgrounds35
Peter Olson Park
Park · 2.2 mi
Ball Diamond removed in 2024 by City of Loves Park. TBD Future use. Open Field Currently.
1815 Maple Avenue
sunrise-20:00
23 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes48
Plaza Los Planchos
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.6 mi
9032 North 2nd Street, Machesney Park
Toni's Pizza & Italian food
Restaurant · Pizza · 3.2 mi
6941 North 2nd Street, Machesney Park
36 more on the map.
History
The name Machesney Park has its roots in Machesney Airport, a rural airfield on North Second Street where Machesney Mall stands today. It was established in the 1920s by Fred "Mac" Machesney, a barnstorming aviator who went on to train more than 4,000 pilots there; the nearby Machesney Elementary School was also named for him. The airfield served as Rockford's main airport until the 1950s, when the Greater Rockford Airport opened, and it was used by fighter aircraft as a stopover during World War II before closing in the 1970s.
In August 1928, aviators Bert "Fish" Hassell and Parker "Shorty" Cramer took off from the field in the Stinson monoplane Greater Rockford attempting to fly the Great Circle route to Stockholm, Sweden. Running low on fuel over Greenland, they made a forced landing on the Maniitsoq ice cap and walked for two weeks before reaching safety.
This area of unincorporated Winnebago County saw growth pick up after World War II, leading to the formation of North Park, a public water district and volunteer firefighting company that gave the area its unofficial name. Residents began a grass-roots incorporation movement in 1980, and in the winter of 1981 voters approved a referendum to form the Village of Machesney Park, officially incorporated on February 24, 1981; the first village officers were elected the following spring.
From the History section of Machesney Park, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay6
Churches and places of worship23
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses - Machesney Park, Riverside
Church · Jehovahs Witness · 1.0 mi
9511 N 2nd St, Machesney Park
Living Christ Lutheran Church
Church · Lutheran · 2.2 mi
North Alpine Road, Loves Park
Shopping10
Gas and EV charging13
Schools, colleges and libraries46
Donald C. Parker Early Childhood Center
School · 2.2 mi
808 Harlem Road, Machesney Park
Healthcare8
OSF Center for Health Rockcut
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.7 mi
9951 Rock Cut Crossing, Loves Park
Map of Machesney Park
194 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25°F | 11°F | 1.6 in | 9.8 in |
| Feb | 29°F | 14°F | 1.5 in | 7.3 in |
| Mar | 42°F | 24°F | 2.1 in | 4.3 in |
| Apr | 55°F | 34°F | 3.7 in | 1.1 in |
| May | 66°F | 46°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 76°F | 56°F | 5.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 80°F | 60°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 78°F | 58°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 71°F | 50°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 58°F | 39°F | 2.8 in | 0.2 in |
| Nov | 43°F | 27°F | 2.4 in | 2.7 in |
| Dec | 30°F | 17°F | 2.0 in | 10.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Beloit (9 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Winnebago County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for snowstorms.
- 2024-09-20: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Floodng (Flood)
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2013-05-10: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2011-03-17: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2010-08-19: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 12 miles away.
- Loves Park 2 mi southeast, about 4 min by car
- Rockford 8 mi south, about 12 min by car
- Belvidere 10 mi southeast, about 16 min by car
- Freeport 32 mi west, about 51 min by car
- Huntley 33 mi southeast, about 54 min by car
- DeKalb 34 mi southeast, about 54 min by car
- Crystal Lake 36 mi east, about 59 min by car
- Lake in the Hills 39 mi east, about 1 h by car
- Algonquin 39 mi east, about 1 h by car
- Elgin 42 mi southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Gateway Commuity Church, Gateway Community Church, CC BY-SA 3.0
- C&NW Stone Arch Bridge, Roscoe, IL, TheCatalyst31, CC0
- Kenneth and Phyllis Laurent House, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- City First Church worship 2015, Rockfordmark, CC BY-SA 4.0
- American Ethanol Truck Series -85 Camden Murphy, Royal Broil, CC BY-SA 2.0
- RockfordSpeedwayTicketBooth, Royal Broil, CC BY-SA 2.0
- RockfordSpeedwayArc, Royal Broil from East Central, Wisconsin, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Metallurgy Theory and Prictice, Ivangrebenyuk, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Стр.279, Ivangrebenyuk, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Книжная справка, Ivangrebenyuk, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Katydid, Jeremy Hill, CC BY 3.0
- ISS047-E-57755 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS015-E-25963 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS017-E-21531 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS006-E-15863 - View of Illinois, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
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