After getting dumped on for most of the month, the Daily Chronicle announced a “Name the Winter ’79” contest, offering cash prizes to the winners.

“Since most everyone is snowed in, you have plenty of time to come up with something,” the announcement on the front page of the Jan. 20, 1979, edition said.

More than 300 entries were submitted. On Jan. 29, DeKalb County’s winter was named “The Incredible Bulk.” Three people suggested that name – Otto Ritchey and Jeff Clapsaddle of Sycamore, and Mrs. Fran Cliffe of DeKalb – and each received a $10 check in the mail.

Up to 23 inches of snow fell in DeKalb from Jan. 12 to 14, Daily Chronicle writer Mike Krey reported Jan. 16, 1979.

Six-foot snowdrifts were reported. Roofs collapsed under the weight of the snow, including a portion of the General Electric plant roof. That winter, DeKalb Mayor Judy King was granted special snow “powers” to prohibit parking on city streets for snow removal during emergencies.

Notable snowstorms also hit DeKalb County in 1918, ’29, ’30, ’31, ’36, ’39, 2011 and 2015. The two largest snowstorms were Jan. 26 to 27, 1967, and Jan. 1 to 3, 1999, according to the National Weather Service.

While waiting for the predicted snow to fall Tuesday, I found a couple of interesting snowstorm dispatches from over the years:

• “For a time it was feared that DeKalb might be without entertainment at its two theaters yesterday. The films for the show are usually brought here by truck, the truck arriving in DeKalb at an early hour every morning. The truck was unable to reach DeKalb Sunday morning and the films had to be sent here from Chicago by train, reaching here at noon yesterday.” (Daily Chronicle, March 9, 1931)

• “Not willing to trust his car because of the drifts on the road, Lincoln Watson, living about a mile and half south of DeKalb, rode horseback into town this afternoon. His appearance astride a horse created much comment.” (Daily Chronicle, March 26, 1930)

• “If you are thinking of going out to the country club to play golf this afternoon, don’t do it. The snow is even with the tops of the bunkers in the stretch of the course nearest to the Sycamore road.” (Daily Chronicle, Jan. 17, 1918)