History
Sycamore’s history reaches back to 1835, upon the arrival of Carlos E. Lattin, who established a cabin along the banks of the Kishwaukee River (which was then referred to as the Sycamore River). Shortly after, in 1836, Rufus Colton and his family made their way to current-day Sycamore, laying down what would become the town we know today. The location was regarded as a village plat that same year and eventually became the county seat of the newly formed DeKalb County in 1839. Also, in 1839, the community’s streets were laid out by Eli Barnes and James Waterman.
By 1840, Sycamore was comprised of a new courthouse, a handful of homes and the Mansion House, an expansive hotel and banquet house that attracted many travelers and visitors. The prairie soils in the area were appropriate for harvesting corn, drawing in more residents over the town’s early years. The population reached nearly 400 in 1850 and the advent of the rail connection between Sycamore and the well-known Galena & Chicago Railroad at Cortland in 1859 brought in even more residential and economic prospects.
Sycamore was incorporated as a village in 1858 and organized as a city just over a decade later in 1869. While much of the country became divided during the Civil War in the 1860s, Sycamore continued to expand and develop. Manufacturers were attracted to the area, aiding in the rise of the city’s population, which hit around 3,300 by the turn of the century.
Today, the city of nearly 15,000 (as of the 2005 Special Census) has become a progressive community in northern Illinois, while at the same time, cherishing its rich heritage. Evidence of Sycamore’s treasured past is distinguished within the Sycamore Historic District’s 36 structures that have either been recognized or nominated for the National Register of Historic Places.
A collaborative venture between the DeKalb County Board, the County Judiciary, the County Clerk’s office, the County Facilities Management Office, the Sycamore Public Library and DeKalb County citizens, the Joiner History Room is a local history archive that welcomes everyone from students and local organizations to genealogists and authors.
Situated on the second floor of the Sycamore Public Library, the archive is named in honor of Ralph Joiner. Joiner, along with his wife, Bertha, aided in saving many of the county’s historic records that now call the History Room home.
New collections have been incorporated throughout the years, with many dating back to the earliest beginnings of the county. In fact, the handwritten minutes of the premier session of the County Commissioners in 1837 is one historical material part of the Joiner History Room’s collection. Additional resources included in the archive are Civil War records, early newspaper files, photographs, plat maps and other miscellaneous records.
The Joiner History Room is open to the public between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
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