Macktown Living History

Macktown Living History Welcome to Macktown, a place where history comes to life. It was founded in the mid-1830's by Stephen Andrew Mack, Jr., and his wife, Mary Hononegah.
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On a forested bluff overlooking the Rock and Pecatonica Rivers in Rockton are the remnants of Winnebago County's earliest settlement. Macktown, then known as Pekatonic, represents a time and place of change on the Illinois frontier when the fur trade collided with a progressive world. In prosperous times, Pekatonic boasted of the Mack's two-story home and store, a furniture store, a school room, a

shoemaker's shop, a tavern, a trading post, fur trapper's cabins, and other homes belonging to the population of 200-300. A ferry and bridge traversed the Rock River. Following Mack's death in 1850 and the destruction of the bridge in 1851, the Macktown settlement area failed to thrive. The northern part of the settlement prospered and officially became known as Rockton in 1846 or 1847. The Winnebago County Forest Preserve District, which owns the land on which Macktown and the trading post once sat, and the Macktown Living History Education Center have undertaken plans to restore Macktown to its 1830 - 1846 historic condition.

It's labor day, and while our volunteers are enjoying the long weekend with their families, that hasn't stopped them fr...
09/07/2026

It's labor day, and while our volunteers are enjoying the long weekend with their families, that hasn't stopped them from thinking of those that worked in the local area.
What job would you like to have if you worked in the 19th century?


Not only is it a long weekend, but it's national read a book day! What better way to celebrate then grabbing a new book ...
09/06/2026

Not only is it a long weekend, but it's national read a book day! What better way to celebrate then grabbing a new book from your local library or favorite local indie bookstore . While we are partial to history books at Macktown, the volunteers at Macktown Living History want to know, what are you reading?




Let's get to know our head of archaeology!Sara Pfannkuche is an archaeologist and museum curator who specializes in the ...
09/06/2026

Let's get to know our head of archaeology!
Sara Pfannkuche is an archaeologist and museum curator who specializes in the curation of cultural heritage, historic archaeology, and indigenous settlement patterns within the Western Great Lakes and Midwest regions. She currently serves as a Senior Collections Specialist for the Illinois State.
At ISAS, Pfannkuche co-leads specialized curatorial field schools alongside curation section head Tamira Brennan. These educational programs train undergraduate and graduate students in inventorying, analyzing, and preserving extensive regional artifact collections.
Beyond curation, her research focuses on lithics, historic archaeology, and how indigenous populations adapted to upland settings. She is also the co-owner of Midwest Heritage Resource Consultants.
Macktown Living History is beyond lucky to have her join our team and we are so excited to work with Sara.

If you are interested in working with Sara on archaeological projects around Macktown, drop your name in the comments section and a volunteer will be with you shortly!

The Rock River valley spanning northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin is one of the richest archaeological corridors i...
09/05/2026

The Rock River valley spanning northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin is one of the richest archaeological corridors in the Midwest. Because the river provided a reliable source of water, food, and transportation, humans have occupied its banks for over 10,000 years.

This is important because written history was often recorded only by the wealthy, the powerful, or the victors. Archaeology recovers the daily lives of regular people, enslaved populations, and indigenous cultures whose stories were ignored or erased.
Want to explore more about Illinois and archaeology? Be sure to come visit us for Under the surface archaeology awareness month at Macktown September 13 th!


What is archaeology?By definition archaeology is the scientific study of the human past through the recovery, analysis, ...
09/04/2026

What is archaeology?
By definition archaeology is the scientific study of the human past through the recovery, analysis, and interpretation of material remains and culture.
Material Culture: Focuses on physical items like tools, pottery, buildings, and artifacts left behind by people.
Interpreting Lives: Aims to understand how past societies lived, worked, and interacted rather than just collecting old objects.
Bridging Gaps: Supplements written history and often explores prehistoric eras where no written records exist.

What are you most excited to learn about at the surface archaeology awareness month at Macktown?

Photo of deer bones found in 1999

Want to share your love of archaeology with the family before you visit us for the surface archaeology awareness month ...
09/03/2026

Want to share your love of archaeology with the family before you visit us for the surface archaeology awareness month at Macktown? Get started with a book from your local library or favorite indie bookstore!

It's archaeology awareness month! Can you find all the hidden objects? Be the first to drop your completed puzzle in the...
09/02/2026

It's archaeology awareness month! Can you find all the hidden objects? Be the first to drop your completed puzzle in the comments section and win 1 free ticket to the surface archaeology awareness month at Macktown on September 13 th!

Are you ready to leap into archaeology awareness month? The volunteers at Macktown Living History are! On top of getting...
09/01/2026

Are you ready to leap into archaeology awareness month? The volunteers at Macktown Living History are! On top of getting sneak peeks of our upcoming event Under the surface: celebrate archeology awareness month at Macktown living history , you can expect to see throw back photos from some of our favorite digs, fun activities to do at home and of course some archaeology facts you may not have known.

Address

2221 Freeport Road
Rockton, IL
61072

Telephone

+18156244200

Website

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