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1924 – 100 Years Ago
Henry Beard, DeKalb’s only colored Civil War veteran, was struck by an east bound passenger train about 2:30 o’clock this afternoon, while crossing the tracks at South First Street. It is not known whether the gates at the crossing were down or not. Mr. Beard was rushed to the office of a physician, where it was stated that he did not complain of being seriously injured.
Sherman B. Letts yesterday sold the Winsor Apartments at Whitman and North Main Street to John MacQueen, wealthy Kirkland resident for a consideration reaching near the $500,000 mark. Winsor apartments were constructed in 1916, by Mr. Letts and George M Bennett, then partners in the real estate promotion firm of Letts & Bennett. In February 1917, and while the building was still in the process of construction, Mr. Letts purchased Mr. Bennett’s share in the structure and since that time has been sole owner of the building. It was first occupied in March, 1917.
Truck drivers of DeKalb, especially those who are compelled to get out into the country, say that the roads are the roughest of the year. Those who drive heavy trucks say that for many miles one must travel in low speed or shake the vehicle to pieces. The roads have been badly cut up and then froze hard the next day, and travel is slow in most parts of the country not under jurisdiction of county patrolmen.
Workmen today began the task of dismantling the Star theatre, and half of the seats, those on the east side of the building were disposed of to the Genoa opera house management. A couple of men came over from Genoa during the forenoon and started to remove the chairs, expecting to be able to get them over to the north end county city some time tomorrow. It is said the work of dismantling the former movie house will go forward rapidly now, that the work of the DeKalb Trust & Savings bank can go along unhampered.
Monday, December 15, has been set as the day when the work of remodeling the Pierce Trust & Savings bank will be completed. One of the workmen today stated that the first floor will be ready for occupancy the first of the week, following which the workmen will start to rebuild the basement.
1949– 75 Years Ago
Snow which turned to a freezing rain covered the community with an icy glaze during the night and motorists and pedestrians found travel a slippery proposition. It starting snowing early last evening but before midnight a freezing mist started falling making streets, walks and highways one big sheet of ice.
The state Highway Department has refused Sycamore’s request for a traffic signal at West State and California Streets on the grounds that there is not sufficient traffic across the intersection.
Two fires, one last evening and the other this morning, caused damage to a home in the Galt addition and at the Dietz Forge Company on Pleasant Street. The DeKalb fire department was summoned to the Todd home on East Harvey Street about 11:30 o’clock last evening where a fire of undetermined origin caused considerable damage. An old street car, which was converted into a home, was damaged by the flames, both the building and contents. This morning the department went to the Dietz Forge at 7:40 o’clock where an oil furnace was responsible for a blaze. Several holes were burned in the roof.
Supervisor Dayton Ward of Sycamore has the county board roaring with laughter the other morning when he arose and said he didn’t want to distract their attention so early in the morning, but has they noticed the bright tie that County Clerk Earle W. Joiner was wearing? Everybody chuckled and Earle’s face reddened a little. His ties usually are on the quiet side.
Seventy-eight new lockers have been secured and placed in the hall ways of the Genoa-Kingston High School. They are 15 by 15 by 36 inches. The lockers which have been in the hallway are now being used in the athletic activities, and now a locker and padlock is available for each student in grades seven through 12, both in the main building and dressing room for physical education equipment.
The Ellwood School jack tournament is still in progress. The semifinalists for the seventh and eighth grades are Annette Donguas, Pat Sohne, Cleo Blackmore and Carolyn Nieminen.
Reports of deer in the area in the north part of DeKalb County are rather common, but this morning comes word that a young buck was sighted south of Route 30. The deer was following the creek that passes near the Wood farm and apparently was unafraid as it worked its way north. It cleared two fences while being watched and experienced no trouble making the jumps.
1974 – 50 Years Ago
General Electric Co., DeKalb, Tuesday announced more employes will be put on indefinite layoff in January. Richard Hardesty, director of employe relations, said the company action involved a “work force reduction and work schedule adjustment.” Hardesty declined to specify the number of workers affected, but private sources said 100 workers would lose jobs.
Reaction was favorable to a renovation plan for the unused portion of the DeKalb County Nursing Home for office space for the County Health Department. An architect and an engineer yesterday unveiled plans to renovate much of the interior of the unused portion of the nursing home, which fronts on Sycamore Road, and to beautify and preserve the building’s exterior. The two experts stuck a $323,000 price tag on the total project.
Genoa Mayor W. A. Skinner, appointed David Diedrich as a full-time patrolman in Genoa, at the Tuesday night City Council meeting. Diedrich was appointed as a part-time officer during the Halloween season and has been with the department for the past two months.
The W. T. Grant store, 1714 Sycamore Rd., will honor credit purchases made with Master Charge or Bank Americard. The Grant Company has offered customers its own credit facility since 1946. But with more than 61 million American families holding bank cards, they felt they couldn’t overlook those customers who want to use the cards as a convenience method of shopping.
1999 - 25 Years Ago
The Sandwich Fair Association will ring in the millennium with a history book about the fair. Dating back to 1888, the Sandwich Fair has a long and intriguing past. A committee has been formed to research and uncover experiences of the fair.
Non-resident users of the DeKalb Park District swimming pool at Hopkins Park next summer will pay nearly double what they paid this year for a season pass. For residents, the season pass fee increase will be $2. Daily passes should rise for both groups, with non-residents again taking the hardest hit. The increases are designed to alleviate overcrowding at the pool.
A variety of retail stores and restaurants may soon occupy the site of the old DeKalb County Nursing Home. A conceptual site plan shows 100,001 square feet divided into three stores of 25,000 to 35,000 square feet and a number of spaces for smaller stores.
The DeKalb County Nursing Home is nearing completion, but still needs to finish state inspection before it is ready for use.
Compiled by Sue Breese