The City of Loves Park is located along the Rock River about 80 miles Northwest of Chicago , 15 miles South of the Wisconsin border and adjacent to the City of Rockford, Illinois. The City was named after Malcolm Love, a Rockford industrialist and civic leader, who in 1901 purchased a 236 acre tract of land along the Rock River located 3 miles North of Rockford. Love's property served as a gathering place for social events for several of Mr. Love's industrialist friends and eventually became known as Love's Park. In the early 1900's, with the expansion of the railroad through the area known as Love's Park, came residential and commercial development. This development has continued until present day through strong political leadership and economic planning.Loves Park has a population of over 20,000 residents. We are a full service city served by our own Police and Fire departments while we maintain a zero municipal property tax. Our city is located in two counties in northern Illinois, Winnebago and Boone. Loves Park neighbors Rockford to the South and Machesney Park to the North. The Rock River holds Loves Park’s Western boundary while our growth increases further to the East into Boone County.
In 1947, the City was incorporated and has continued to grow ever since. With a current population of 18,730 residents, the City of Loves Park is one of only two municipalities in the State of Illinois to not levy a municipal property tax. Through careful economic planning the City is able to provide all city services to it's residents through the collection of sales tax. The City of Loves Park has a vast variety of housing styles and a strong commercial and industrial base to provide it's residents with many employment and shopping activities. The City also has several recreational opportunities, such as boating and fishing on the Rock River, ice skating at the newly constructed Carlson Arctic Ice Arena, soccer at the Indoor Soccer Complex, organized sports at the Harlem Community Center and Nascar Winston Cup Racing at the Rockford Speedway. In addition, Loves Park is home to one of the largest state parks in Illinois, Rock Cut State Park. Rock Cut State Park consists of two lakes, Pierce Lake and Olson Lake, which provide camping, boating, fishing, hiking and swimming for visitors to the area.
The first record of ownership of the land that is now Loves Park shows Widow Strawn as having purchased 470 acres for $1800.
In 1877 she sold 236 acres to Francis and Margaret Weldon who farmed their acreage and used a portion of it for outings of Rockford's Beefsteak Club. The Park became known as Love's Grove after 1901.
In that year the Weldon family sold the farm to Malcolm Love, a civic leader who once was an Alderman in Rockford. Loves Park became a popular excursion destination for those cruising the Rock River.
Love, his land purchase, and popular picnic grounds are symbolized in Loves Park's name today. Records show that the transition from farm land to residential lots began in 1909 when Love sold a tract which became Eastwood and Stockburger's first 95-lot subdivision.
The 1920's roared in, bringing business and industry including a newspaper and a gas station. The 20's crept away leaving behind financial problems. As annexation to Rockford was resisted, the non-city took on more and more city attributes.
In 1927 and 1939 the community considered annexation to Rockford and again said no. In the early 40's other concerns took precedence. The city was ready for self-government and incorporated as the City of Love's Park in 1947.
