Rock Falls, Illinois
Rock Falls is a city of 8,587 people in Whiteside County, Illinois.
Why visit Rock Falls
Townapedia lists 9 museums and landmarks, 31 parks and trails, 16 places to eat, 4 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Sterling Theatre, Dillon Home Museum and Fulton Commercial Historic District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; January lows average 14°F, and about 31 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Rock Falls
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Rock Falls
Rock Falls is a city in Whiteside County, Illinois, United States. The recorded population was 8,606 at the 2020 census, down 7.12% from 9,266 in 2010. The city is located on the Rock River, directly opposite its twin city of Sterling.
From the Wikipedia article Rock Falls, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Museums and landmarks9
Fulton Commercial Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Historic district in Illinois, United States
Paul W. Dillon Home
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Building in Illinois, United States
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Sinnissippi Mounds
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
Archaeological site in Illinois, United States
Sterling Masonic Temple
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Historic building in Sterling, Illinois, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds31
19 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes16
Angelo's Pizzeria
Restaurant · Pizza, Pasta, Italian · 0.6 mi
608 12th Avenue, Rock Falls
Su-Th 14:00-22:00; Fr,Sa 14:00-23:00
El Jacalito
Restaurant · 1.1 mi
14 East 3rd Street, Sterling
Tu-Sa 10:00-21:00; Su 10:00-16:00
Rock Falls Candlelight
Restaurant · Fine Dining, Chicken · 0.8 mi
2200 1st Avenue, Rock Falls
Taco Bell
Fast food · Tex-Mex · 1.2 mi
405 Locust Street, Sterling
Mo-Th 06:00-02:00; Fr-Sa 06:00-03:00; Su 06:00-02:00
4 more on the map.
History
Rock Falls was initially part of the Town of Sterling, created in 1838. In 1867, Augustus P. Smith purchased the rights to use the Rock River's hydroelectric power on the south bank, along with 65 acres of land on the river. Smith hired John Arey to survey the land, who soon platted the town in 1868. Rock Falls was incorporated into a village on January 26, 1869, and then incorporated into a city on April 16, 1889.
Due to low water levels in the Hennepin Canal, Illinois planners constructed a feeder canal with its mouth on the south bank of the Rock River. Initially, Dixon was proposed to be the location of the mouth, but surveyor Frank E. Andrews argued that the canal would be 11 miles shorter if the mouth were to be in Rock Falls, which was soon accepted. The canal officially opened on October 24, 1907, with an accompanying ceremony of almost 25,000 attendants, a 2 ½ mile long street parade, and a large aquatic parade to commemorate the opening, with Governor Charles S. Deneen in attendance.
From the History section of Rock Falls, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay4
Holiday Inn Express & Suites
Motel and hotel · 0.9 mi
301 East 2nd Street, Rock Falls
Churches and places of worship34
First Congregational Church of Sterling
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
311 2nd Avenue, Sterling
First United Methodist Church
Church · Methodist · 1.6 mi
501 Broadway Avenue, Sterling
Shopping5
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries39
Healthcare3
Rock Falls Medical Clinic
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.5 mi
1315 Dixon Avenue, Rock Falls
Whiteside County Health Department
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.8 mi
1300 West 2nd Street, Rock Falls
Map of Rock Falls
147 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29°F | 14°F | 2.0 in | 13.0 in |
| Feb | 34°F | 17°F | 1.8 in | 5.7 in |
| Mar | 46°F | 28°F | 2.6 in | 4.5 in |
| Apr | 60°F | 39°F | 4.0 in | 0.6 in |
| May | 71°F | 51°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 61°F | 5.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 64°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 81°F | 62°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 75°F | 54°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 63°F | 42°F | 3.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 48°F | 30°F | 2.4 in | 1.8 in |
| Dec | 34°F | 20°F | 2.2 in | 5.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Dixon 1W Hcn (10 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
Whiteside County has had 8 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-09-19: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2013-05-10: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2011-03-17: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2008-06-24: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Whiteside County Airport (SQI) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 2 miles away.
- Sterling 2 mi north, about 3 min by car
- Dixon 12 mi northeast, about 20 min by car
- Morrison 14 mi west, about 23 min by car
- Prophetstown 14 mi southwest, about 23 min by car
- Milledgeville 14 mi north, about 22 min by car
- Polo 16 mi north, about 25 min by car
- Amboy 19 mi east, about 30 min by car
- Mount Morris 23 mi northeast, about 38 min by car
- Oregon 25 mi northeast, about 40 min by car
- Fulton 25 mi west, about 40 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
- SterlingIllinois, KWayne1, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Greetings from Sterling and Rock Falls, Illinois - Large Letter Postcard (5274387696), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Hennepin Canal, from the bridge on East 2nd Street in Rock Falls, Illinois, MalcolmSlaney, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sterling Il First Congregational Church6, IvoShandor, CC BY 2.5
- Sterling Il Sinnissippi Site5, IvoShandor, CC BY 2.5
- Sterling Il Dillon Home1, IvoShandor, CC BY 2.5
- Sterling Masonic Temple, Nyttend, Public domain
- Image Downtown Fulton, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Jack Delano, The end of the trip, 1943, Jack Delano, Public domain
- Recycle, Sterling, Illinois (7821589816), Wayne Wilkinson, CC BY 2.0
- El Vaquero, Sterling, Illinois (7821608814), Wayne Wilkinson, CC BY 2.0
- Standing Guard in Sterling, Illinois (7821461328), Wayne Wilkinson, CC BY 2.0
- El Vaquero Signage and Billiard Balls, Sterling, Illinois (7821622968), Wayne Wilkinson, CC BY 2.0
- ISS050-E-61132 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS036-E-21179 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS023-E-37095 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
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