By 1862, each district had established a high school, creating an east-vs-west rivalry that would continue for 22 years.

The new district built and opened a single high school located at 201 South Madison Street.

The board of education decided it would be best to, once again, establish two new high schools on the east and west sides of the Rock River.

Rockford West, located on North Rockton Avenue on the Northwest side of the city, remained open for 48 years as a high school.

Members of the Rockford School Board Operations Committee voted in favor of the idea.

On September 23, 2014, the Rockford School Board approved an agreement with the City of Rockford to tear down the building, by August 2014, at a cost of $668,804, and to donate the one-acre parcel of land to the city, for the parking area for the proposed UW Health Sports Factory.

[3] The city agreed to give the district goods and services in the amount of $488,804, which is the cost of the demolition and remediation minus $180,000, the estimated five-year maintenance expenses for the building.

[4] Rockford High School was built as two separate buildings attached by an underground hallway.

The building was home to Rockford Public School District's central offices and board of education until February 2012.

Rockford East continues to use the nickname, adding an E to the front, creating the word "E-Rabs".

Rockford was considered a very large school for the IHSA and because of their size, they had a tremendous amount of athletic success.

More of what can be expanded on this topic is mentioned in a chapter of the book "100 Years of March Madness" by Scott Johnson, among others.

Between 1895 and 1940, Rockford placed in the top 10 of competing schools 11 times, all with the same head coach, Charles E. Beyer.