It is part of the Rockford Metropolitan Statistical Area, and of the gated community Candlewick Lake.

[6] On January 7, 2008, on an unusually warm day which saw temperatures reach the mid 60s °F, a tornado struck northern Illinois, including Poplar Grove and Candlewick Lake.

The tornado severely damaged a favorite local attraction, Edward's Apple Orchard.

The following month the cast of the TV show "Storm Chasers" visited Caledonia Elementary School to talk about tornadoes and the effects they have on communities.

The students and the "Storm Chasers" were featured on a Rockford's "23 WIFR News" story on the January 2008 tornado.

On April 9, 2015 the northern Illinois region was hit with another wave of tornadoes, with four in the surrounding areas of Rockford, Rochelle, and Belvidere.