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1920 – 100 YEARS AGO
Work on the sisters hospital is going ahead in fine shape and at the present all of the concrete bases are in and work is about ready to start on the walls. The work on the building is progressing very rapidly and unless some unforeseen obstacle arises, the institution will be well under construction by the time winter comes and the work has to stop. It is said that about next July the hospital will be ready to open for patients.
Work on the Sterling Washing Machine Company is still being held up because of the fact that the machinery has not arrived. The machinery that did arrive some weeks ago has been installed and has all of the shafting. As soon as the rest arrives, it will be installed as rapidly as possible so that the factory can start turning out its product.
The honey crop which was thought to be such a failure this year has turned out just the opposite and the farms who have the honey makers say the crop this year is fully as food as in years past.
At three o’clock yesterday afternoon the local police received a wire from the police at Rockford saying that 30 barrels of whiskey had been stolen just a few minutes before the call was sent in. Three trucks carried the “booze” making 10 barrels for each truck. The police all over this part of the state have been notified and sharp lookout for the trucks is being kept.
A persistent rumor along the business street the past few days apparently has some cause for existence and involves quite a business deal and interests of local citizens. It is the purchase of the lot west of the Knights of Columbus building by Charles Broughton and current opinion is that Charlie intends to erect a theatre on the site.
About the first gypsies to pass through here this year went through the main street at noon today on their way westward. There were two loads of them and a number of people remarked about the large number of children and the apparent absolute lack of women in any of the wagons. The gypsies were probably part of a “train” and were lost and in this way had to take to the road themselves.
1945 – 75 YEARS AGO
Because of the growing power load on several of the lines in Waterman and because of the expansion of industries in Waterman, it has been found necessary to increase the size of the transformer in the electric station.
Last week Mrs. Bob Howison of Franks was surprised to look out of their dining room window and see an airplane make a crash landing. It missed the house by about 10 feet. The pilot was unhurt except for a few scratches, the trees around the house having broken the fall.
Rains during the past week have slowed the planned construction of a new one-story building on the lot just east of the Service Grocery on East Lincoln Highway. The proposed building will be of one story construction and will be erected by Pete Stavrakos. It will conform in type and construction to the building now occupied by the grocery and the east walls of the present building will be used as a joint wall.
Much activity is noted along the right of way of the Chicago Great Western railroad in and about Sycamore. The rail firm is very busy with an extensive project of laying a new roadbed and rails. A large crew of men, a traveling lifting crane, and an engine of the size comparable to those of freight hauls, have been engaged in the big task for months. When completed, the Great Western people claim they can boast of a roadbed equal that of any road in the country. At present the work is concentrated east of Sycamore.
Unless motorists start driving a sane rate of speed near the schools of DeKalb, serious accident in which some youngster is badly hurt or possible killed is likely to occur. The DeKalb police have received several complaints the past few days concerning the speeding and reckless driving of motorists near the schools while the youngsters are going to and from their classes.
Ray Chambers of Kirkland has moved his implement business to the Oderkirk garage building south of the highway until improvements are completed on his buildings on Route 72.
Fred Housewert of Cortland will have the latest retail establishment in Sycamore it became known today. He will handle home appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines, and radios. Mr. Housewert has leased the west shop section of the State theatre building. Decorators are busy preparing the place for the Cortland man.
1970 – 50 YEARS AGO
The Junction Shopping Center celebrates its first anniversary of the groundbreaking ceremonies.
Perhaps one of the students who now attends Huntley Middle School will someday be a musical Paul McCartney or Irving Berlin. Twelve-year-old Kim Collier, a Huntley seventh grader, has just finished writing a school song. Up until last January, Huntley didn’t have a school song, so Kim decided to write one.
American Legion Post 99 presented a flag to St. Mary’s School in DeKalb witnessed by the entire student body of the school.
Lately the plight of Clinton Rosette Middle School (CRMS) has been the concern of many parents and other DeKalb residents. Some DeKalb citizens think of the old senior high school as a landmark and that it should be restored. The middle school was built in 1903. An addition was completed in 1921, and the school was partially remodeled in 1966 and each year some work is done to meet fire and safety codes.
Mayor Jesse Chamberlain was authorized by the DeKalb City Council last night to enter into a pre-annexation agreement with the DeKalb Home Association. The association is planning construction of a housing development on a nine-and-a-half-acre tract of land on Pleasant Street across from the DeKalb Municipal Airport.
1995 – 25 YEARS AGO
The future of multi-family residential construction in DeKalb will be a topic of discussion for the city council. Council’s change in the density requirements for the Pappas Park project at Hillcrest Drive and Annie Glidden Road has left city planners uncertain of policy regarding high-density multiple family housing.
Laws enforcement and housing officials met with local landlords to stress their role as the first line of defense against gang and drug activity. Steps landlords could take to help combat drugs and gangs were discussed, including an addition to leases that would release the criminal histories of people applying to rent apartments.
If you are missing a bicycle, the DeKalb police say they might have it. About 70 bicycles recovered by police since July 1 sit in an evidence storehouse, waiting to be reclaimed. There have been 12 bicycle thefts so far in September and one attempted theft foiled when a resident caught the man in the act.
– Compiled by Sue Breese