Secret Rockford

What do you really know about Rockford, Illinois? Secret Rockford pulls back the curtain to reveal the hidden side of life in the Forest City. Join us as we go behind the headlines to explore the interesting people, places, and events that make our city unique. On these pages you will find the unconventional, gritty, and sometimes shocking truth. This anthology contains many snapshots of life in Rockford: A history of Mattison Machine Works. The battle over a mural in Roosevelt Middle School. The story of a simple basketball game with a shoeless youth. The truth about local connections to organized crime. Infamous murders. The day Santa Claus fell from the sky. All are merely a peek behind the curtain, but each contains meaningful truths about our Rockford experience. Men and women from all walks of life have come together to share their stories in this anthology. They are journalists, teachers, writers, photographers, entrepreneurs, or just average citizens who are being published for the first time. All have a deep and abiding interest in their community. Contributors include Jeff Havens, Brandon Reid, Kathi Kresol, Jim Phelps, Kevin Rilott, Dan Creviston, Ted Biondo, D.B. Lane, Ernie Fuhr, Heath Alberts, Nicole Lindsay, Stanley Campbell, Karen Mahieu Lyddon, Scott Farrell, Jami Beck, and Michael Kleen. This is our story. This is Secret Rockford.

An exposure of the war of Light and Darkness being waged on planet Earth at the turning of the age. A handbook for soul survival.

-Too many books are published today with too little rigor. This is a book that has been rigorously researched and written. In a world that often seems full of the shallow and superficial, it is deep and filled with important insights. It is not for everyone, but those that make the effort will be richly rewarded. Matthew Kelly, New York Times bestselling author of Rediscover Catholicism -Mark Kyriakos has written a book on Bible prophecy that is most unique among Catholic scholars today. It is thoroughly biblical and Catholic. It is both scholarly and approachable to read for a serious student of Scripture. I welcome it as a fresh offering at a time when we usually read treatments of this topic from a predominantly non-Catholic perspective. John Michael Talbot, Founder and Minister General of the Brothers and Sisters of Charity -It’s impossible to understand the whole range of God’s plan – and indeed, the Gospel message itself – without an understanding of the Second Coming and Final Judgment. I am grateful for the immense work that Mark Kyriakos has put into this book and for his effort to make these valuable resources available to a wider audience. Ralph Martin, S.T.D. President, Renewal Ministries

The sixth and final edition of Tales of Coles County, Illinois combines the original Tales of Coles County, the Legends and Lore of Coles County, and a new third section on the Hidden History of Coles County with updated pictures, additional legends, and new stories. First published in 2004, Tales of Coles County, Illinois takes an entertaining look at local history through vivid historical fiction. When four students from Eastern Illinois University are stranded during a violent storm, they seek shelter with an elderly couple who give them more than they bargain for. After one night, the four will never look at Coles County the same way. With each story, they learn more about the place they've come to call home. The Second Battle of the Ambraw, the Charleston Riot of 1864, the Coles County Poor Farm, events surrounding the Airtight Bridge Murder, and the Blair Hall Fire of 2004, all are told. In the Legends and Lore of Coles County, Michael Kleen reveals over a dozen hidden stories from the from the area’s past and present, including ghost stories, folk tales, and other legends and lore. When did a poltergeist terrorize one rural family in Pleasant Grove Township? What is the real story behind the “Mad Gasser of Mattoon”? Why do they call one stretch of road "Dead Man's Curve"? The answers to these questions and more can be found in this definitive volume. In part three, Hidden History, Michael Kleen examines events some believe are better left unremembered. What is the history of Coles County’s ghost towns? What were some of its most infamous murders? What happened in the Tornado of 1917? Never-before published information about Mattoon's battle with Prohibition and even a local chapter of the KKK is inside.

The hidden history of witchcraft in the Land of Lincoln is revealed in this unique study by the author of Haunting Illinois. Although the Salem Witch Trials have drawn focus to New England as the center of witchcraft in American history, the practice was widespread across the Midwest. In Illinois, witchcraft—and witch persecution—have been part of local culture since French explorers arrived in the 17th century. In Witchcraft in Illinois, historian Michael Kleen presents the full story of the Prairie State's dalliance with the dark arts. On the Illinois frontier, pioneers pressed silver dimes into musket balls to ward off witches, while farmers dutifully erected fence posts according to phases of the moon. In 1904, the quiet town of Quincy was shocked to learn of Bessie Bement's suicide, after the young woman sought help from a witch doctor to break a hex. In turn-of-the-century Chicago, Lauron William de Laurence's occult publishing house churned out manuals for performing bizarre rituals intended to attract love and exact revenge.

Through the centuries, the Virgin Mary has appeared to ordinary people of every race and culture, bringing forth her messages of love, peace, and comfort. In these trying times, Mary's protection is needed more than ever. In The Secrets of Mary, Janice T. Connell chronicles messages Mary has brought from God, drawn from scripture, experts, and eyewitness accounts. Mary's voice provides a guiding light for modern times, as she explains how to solve problems that are surfacing throughout the world. Janice T. Connell's newest collection of stories includes: • Saint Augustine's discovery of Mary's power • Insight from the world-famous children of Medjugorje in Bosnia • A famous Washington, D.C. media anchor's touching encounter with the Blessed Mother • The author's own awe-inspiring experience with Mary in Japan • And much more. Filled with beauty, wonder, and joy, The Secrets of Mary provides comfort and inspiration to all those who desire Mary's gifts.