• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Rockford Area Historical Society

Rockford, Minnesota

Header Right

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Overview
    • Board
    • Executive Director
    • Volunteers
    • Our Partners
  • Rockford Area History
    • Artifacts/Memorabilia
    • Businesses
      • Rockford Drive Inn
    • Churches
    • Government
    • Greenwood
    • Maps
    • People
      • Memorial Day Spotlights
        • Aaron Sprague Ames
        • Albert E. Hohenstein
        • William Henry Hopkins
        • Armin Christ Lieder
        • Fredrich Mutterer
        • Walter Mutterer
        • Benjamin Smith Parmeter
        • Harvey (Spud) Schulze
        • Lillian Walker
        • Others
      • Stork Family Papers
    • Pop Culture
      • Past Stories – Tidbits
    • Railroad
    • River
      • Bridges
      • Floods
    • Schaar Photo Collection
      • 1880 Photos
      • 1890 Photos
      • 1900 Photos
      • 1910 Photos
      • 1920 Photos
      • 1930 Photos
      • 1940 Photos
      • Unknown
    • Schools
    • Sports
  • Ames-Florida-Stork House
    • Visit the House
      • Public Hours
      • Public Tours
      • Book a Tour
      • Rockford Walking Tour
    • History of the House
      • About the Families
        • Ames Family
        • Florida Family
          • Diaries
        • Stork Family
      • About the Collections
    • The Beginnings
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Volunteer
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Donations
    • Memberships
  • Events
    • Privy Dig 2019
    • Thousand Hearts – Crow River Serve Day 2020
  • Contact Us
  • Blog
  • Donations
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Overview
    • Board
    • Executive Director
    • Volunteers
    • Our Partners
  • Rockford Area History
    • Artifacts/Memorabilia
    • Businesses
      • Rockford Drive Inn
    • Churches
    • Government
    • Greenwood
    • Maps
    • People
      • Memorial Day Spotlights
        • Aaron Sprague Ames
        • Albert E. Hohenstein
        • William Henry Hopkins
        • Armin Christ Lieder
        • Fredrich Mutterer
        • Walter Mutterer
        • Benjamin Smith Parmeter
        • Harvey (Spud) Schulze
        • Lillian Walker
        • Others
      • Stork Family Papers
    • Pop Culture
      • Past Stories – Tidbits
    • Railroad
    • River
      • Bridges
      • Floods
    • Schaar Photo Collection
      • 1880 Photos
      • 1890 Photos
      • 1900 Photos
      • 1910 Photos
      • 1920 Photos
      • 1930 Photos
      • 1940 Photos
      • Unknown
    • Schools
    • Sports
  • Ames-Florida-Stork House
    • Visit the House
      • Public Hours
      • Public Tours
      • Book a Tour
      • Rockford Walking Tour
    • History of the House
      • About the Families
        • Ames Family
        • Florida Family
          • Diaries
        • Stork Family
      • About the Collections
    • The Beginnings
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Volunteer
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Donations
    • Memberships
  • Events
    • Privy Dig 2019
    • Thousand Hearts – Crow River Serve Day 2020
  • Contact Us
  • Blog
  • Donations

Rockford Drive Inn

Rockford Drive Inn

Johnny and Elsie Mutterer both grew up children of farming families in Wright county during the 1920’s and 30’s. They married and agreed neither wanted to live that life. They eventually bought a restaurant in 1954 in Rockford. It was a booming time for the community. They loved owning the restaurant and people drove all the way out from the cities for Elsie’s homemade pies. They owned the restaurant for 29 years before selling it and semi-retirering. The building is gone, as Johnny and Elsie. Every once in a while I’ll meet someone and they talk about the Rockford Drive Inn and ask if it’s still there bring a flood of memories back. If anyone here stopped there in the 50’s 60’s or 70’s feel free to share a comment.

Johnny & Elsie Mutterer

Rockford Drive Inn – 1962

April 1, 2020 //  by RAHS

Inside of the diner that John and Elsie Mutterer owned. L-R pictured John Mutterer, Ruth Ferry and Hilda Schleif (Mutterer).

Rockford Drive Inn – 1962Read More

Footer

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Copyright © 2025 • Rockford Area Historical Society. All rights reserved. • Design by Flying Orange.