Machesney Park Mall (Gone)
Rockford, IL
Photos and info courtesy Kelly Sullivan

Here's a mall that has certainly seen better days. Machesney Park Mall opened in 1978 on the site of the former Machesney Airport and quickly became the place to shop for much of the Rockford area. By the time these photos were taken, though, the quiet hallways and empty storefronts hinted that its busiest days were already behind it. 09-10

Like so many malls built during the late 1970s and early '80s, Machesney Park Mall was once filled with shoppers, anchored by stores like JCPenney Outlet and Bergner's. It was the kind of place where people spent an afternoon shopping, grabbed a bite to eat at the food court, and ran into neighbors along the way. Walking through it after the crowds disappeared was a completely different experience.

According to Deadmalls.com, the Machesney Park Mall opened in 1978 and apparently was once home to an airport. Today, the mall is very quiet, a far cry from its heyday in the 1980's. 09-10

UPDATE: The enclosed mall is gone. The property has been redeveloped into the open-air Machesney Town Center, although many storefronts now sit vacant following the loss of several major retailers over the past decade. Not much remains of the old mall, but longtime locals still remember when this was one of the busiest shopping spots in the area. 07-26