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1924 – 100 Years Ago
Expecting to erect a building that will be among the most beautiful in the business district of this city and a banking institution that will be among the most modern in this county are a part of the plans of the DeKalb Trust & Savings Bank officials, who today announced that they have submitted plans and specification to several contractors. Building operations are expected to start about the first of April 1935, and a date will soon be set for the receiving of bids.
Word was received by railroad officials this noon from the west warning them to have everything in readiness to cope with a blizzard which is believed to be heading this way. The message coming from the west states that a snow storm accompanied by sleet, and freezing weather is heading towards this section of the country.
After much discussion and investigation, the contracts for the new bank building to be erected on the south east corner of State and Somonauk Street in Sycamore was let at a meeting of the board of directors of the Sycamore National Bank and Citizens National Bank held last Saturday. The structure will cost in the neighborhood of $100,000 and is to be perhaps the finest bank building in the county.
More than 800,000 women pay income tax in this country, but most of them are either already married or ugly.
Announcement was made a few days ago that the B&R Ice Company, organized early in the spring has been purchased by the DeKalb Scrap Iron & Coal Company. Officers of the fuel company made this announcement yesterday, when they also stated that the office of the ice company would be in the same office occupied by the fuel company. The ice company was formed about a year ago and since organized has enjoyed a very good business in this city. That the fuel company will continue to make the project successful is certain.
Cut stone to be used in the building being redecorated for the occupancy of the Pierce bank has arrived in Sycamore and workmen will soon begin to install the stone, judging from the amount of material arriving and the quality, the Pierce bank will have excellent quarters within a short time.
Mr. and Mrs. William Aves have given up their home in Kingston and have gone to Belvidere, where they are making their home with their daughter, Mrs. Theodore Shandlmier.
1949– 75 Years Ago
About 7:30 o’clock this morning two men reported to the DeKalb police that they had noted a safe alongside a road a couple of miles southeast of DeKalb near the old airport site. The sheriff’s office was notified and investigated and found that it was the safe that had been hauled away from the Coca Cola warehouse, 1336 East Lincoln Highway, Tuesday night. Chief Deputy Francis Sullivan and Deputy Harry Overton said that the safe has been badly battered before the robbers were able to open it. Checks were left in the safe but the $667 in cash had been taken.
Tomorrow noon at 12:15 o’clock a light tank, bronze plaque, and flag pole will be dedicated as DeKalb’s memorial to those who served in the armed forces. A dedication ceremony will be held at the memorial site at Lincoln Highway and Fourth Street.
The Parent-Teachers Associations of Somonauk has clicked on an idea to raise funds for some rhythm instruments needed to round out the school band. They are sponsoring a cake baking contest. Prizes of more than $100 value will be awarded the best cakes as judged by a committee.
Many of the farmers in Hinckley are now using the new stalk shredders after they have finished husking corn. This machine completely shreds the corn stalks and destroy many of the thousands of corn borers which are threatening this area of the county.
Tommy Courtney concocted an outfit to appear in the Halloween party over at the Ellwood school. Like one of the three pigs, with a complete outfit, rubber mask and an ear of corn he was judged the outstanding outfit and awarded the Littlejohn trophy. Tommy attends the Ellwood school kindergarten held in the Mission Church.
A crew of state highway workers started digging holes for the first trees to be planted in the border which will line Sycamore Road between DeKalb and Sycamore. The crew started work in midmorning on the north side of the road at the western city limits of Sycamore. This strip will be planted to Sycamore trees. The tree planting program was made possible by co-operation of service and garden clubs in the two cities which raised enough money to purchase half the trees this fall.
1974 – 50 Years Ago
Eighth grade students from the Clinton Rosette middle school, DeKalb are spending three days on the Lorado Taft Camps of Northern Illinois University.
A larger than expected turnout of voters this morning cast ballots at DeKalb’s 31 polling locations.
Should a major southside industrial development, including the A. O. Smith factory, received preferential treatment? That was the question posed last night by DeKalb City Manager Don Crawford at the city council held a public hearing to discuss annexation of the development. The DeKalb County Development Corporation and A. O. Smith have requested annexation of a 193-acre site. Probably the largest industrial project in the city’s history.
Belly dancing in concert form will be included on the program when the Northern Illinois University seventh annual Faculty Dance Concert is presented in the auditorium of the new Music Building on Nov. 8.
Mark Adrian of Somonauk has picked a theatrical plum. The Waubonsee Community College student will play the warm and wonderful Tevye in the school’s production of “Fiddler on the Roof” to be presented Nov. 22 and 23.
Another active case of tuberculosis was discovered by the DeKalb County Tuberculosis Sanitarium. The new case brings to six the number of active cases for the current year.
1999 - 25 Years Ago
Old Man Winter is on his way to DeKalb County, and local officials are gearing up to clear the roads in his wake. The county is prepared whenever the snow starts to fly.
Basement backup problems in Old Town, the City of DeKalb’s first neighborhood, may soon be a thing of the past. The task force last night unanimously recommended a $1,808,700 sewer project to the city council, which will tighten up the storm sewer system in the area bounded by Route 38, Fourth Street, Taylor Street and Maplewood Avenue.
Efforts are under way to restore DeKalb’s downtown to its part glory as the heart of the community. Main Street/DeKalb Inc. presented its plans to improve the facades of downtown building to the City of DeKalb’s Economic Development Commission. The proposed façade program reimburses building and/or store owners with a one-time grant of $10,000 for restoring the front of their building to its original look.
Two new stores, Famous Footwear and Fashion Bug, are being build adjacent to Target at 2555 Sycamore Road in the City of DeKalb. Famous Footwear will be approximately 6,000 square feet and Fashion Bug will be approximately 8,000 to 9,000 square feet.
Compiled by Sue Breese