By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKTON — A national lifestyle publication has named this village in northern Winnebago County as one of the 11 most charming small towns in Illinois.

PureWow put Rockton at No. 4 on its list, and it spotlighted Dairyhäus, the nearby Nygren Wetland Preserve and access to New Glarus beer just a couple miles away in its selection.

“This village near the Illinois/Wisconsin border is dotted with buildings from the 1800s, many of which feature distinctive limestone facades — including the Dairyhäus, an ice cream shop with a devoted following in the area. (Bourbon praline? Wedding cake? A scoop of each, please!),” PureWow wrote.

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Dairyhäus, which operates from an 1850s-era Greek Revival limestone building at 113 E. Main St., was recently bestowed with an Illinois Made Award from the Illinois Office of Tourism that signifies its reputation as a unique must-visit location.

Galena topped the list PureWow’s most charming small towns in the state. The hometown of Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th president of the United States, is roughly 80 miles west of Rockford.

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas.