Forest Hills Country Club was founded by a group of Swedish-Americans.

The two biggest groups of immigrants to Rockford in the late 1800s and early 1900s were Swedes and Italians. A bit of rivalry has always existed between the groups, and when the Rockford Country Club became a bit too «Italian» in their eyes, the Swedes decided to start their own.

Forrest Hills is a fully private country club, but if you are of Swedish decent, you have a fair chance of getting on the course if you ask nicely.