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1921 – 100 YEARS AGO
New stamps in honor of the tercentenary of the landing of the Pilgrims are being sold to DeKalb folks now, and are creating considerable attention. The stamps are oblong in shape and of a dark pink tint and are perhaps the first ever issued by the United States government which do not carry the inscription “U.S. Postage.”
The little village of Clare, which was stricken some months ago by a fire which devastated the business section of the community, has wasted no time in rising from the ashes and already a couple of buildings, destroyed by the flames, have been replaced. The building to be occupied by the Lanan general store has been completed as has the one for the Quinn billiard hall. The Clare people have valiantly gone to work following their loss and the little village has won the respect of the county by the way in which it has buckled down to building following its loss.
The large window at the DeKalb Trust & Savings bank was taken out yesterday and for the next couple of days two employees of the bank will remain at the institution all night. The front is being taken out today and a more substantial foundation for the window will be put in. The work is expected to take up the major part of the next two days but when completed will prove an improvement at the Fourth Street bank.
Following the recent serious fire at Waterman when the Kirkpatrick house was destroyed, several lengths of hose of the volunteer fire department there needed repair. The “bad order” hose was brought to DeKalb and turned over to Fire Chief McEvoy and was put in first class shape. Returning Saturday afternoon with another length of hose, which turned out to be in perfect condition, the Waterman fire department sent up a box of good 15 cent cigars.
Not only is the fact that DeKalb maintains a rest room becoming rather widespread, but also that the location of the rest room is a short distance from the big clock located at one of the downtown corners. Tourists from Iowa stopped here Sunday and made a tour of Third Street in search of the rest room, saving they had been directed to go north from the clock. However, the rest room was closed for a part of the afternoon, and the tourists were compelled to wait outside while the car in which they were riding was being repaired.
1946 – 75 YEARS AGO
A lake site at Sandwich has been included in a survey for which $75,000 has been appropriated by the state to check on 387 sites which have been recommended. The restoration of Sandwich Lake would require 138 acres of land with 87 acres to be covered by the lake, the remainder to be used for picnic grounds, game preserve and the like. The project would require 84 acres of the George Gletty farm and 54 acres of the Herb Johnson farm. The lake was enjoyed by residents of the Sandwich community for many years before it was decided to drain it. Pumps have been needed to keep the site drained as it is spring fed.
“Now I’ve seen everything,” exclaimed Sheriff Alf M. Deisz. And he meant it. This week an inmate of 56 days standing broke down and cried when she was released from the county jail. The woman, 20, was turned over to DeKalb County for incarceration by the Ogle County authorities because the jail there cannot accommodate women. She was the only girl to be sentenced during the last term in Ogle. While in the DeKalb County prison she has been a model inmate, the sheriff stated, helping Mrs. Deisz with light housework around the building.
Another sure sign that spring is approaching is the numerous complaints being received by the police at this time concerning people chopping up muddy yards while cutting through instead of using the sidewalks. The mild weather of the past few days combined with the heavy rains has made everything a sea of mud, but it seems that school children, delivery boys and the like are oblivious to these conditions and persist in cutting across yards.
The 15,000 pounds of clothing for European relief which was collected in the Sycamore area during the January drive has now been packed and is ready for the initial leg of the journey overseas. From Sycamore the contribution will go directly to Cleveland on Saturday rather than to a district loading point as the total amounts to nearly a full carload of wearable garments.
A quarter of a century of service to the DeKalb community served as merely a stepping stone last night as the DeKalb Rotary Club observed its 25th anniversary.
1971 – 50 YEARS AGO
City Manager Don Crawford was instructed by the DeKalb City Council last night to order a design for a structure which would make the North First Street bridge safer for pedestrians. The move for such a structure came after a child was struck by a car at the bridge last December.
This week marks the 59th year that Girl Scouts have been in this country. It was 59 years ago that Juliette Gordon Low returned to the United States from England and brought back with her the dream and the idea given her by Lord and Lady Baden-Powell.
A group of students at West Elementary School of Sycamore enjoyed viewing a marionette show recently which was written and produced by sixth grade students in Mrs. Bette McMillian’s class at the Malta Grade School. The class of 25 boys and girls put in many hours of work creating scenery, costumes, and props and making the authentic-looking marionettes for the show, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.”
The winner of the 1971 Betty Crocker Homemaker of Tomorrow Award at Waterman High School is Deborah Blue. She was selected for her performance in a written aptitude and knowledge examination given to senior girls on Dec. 1, 1970. Miss Blue has received a specially designed award from General Mills, sponsor of the annual education program.
1996 – 25 YEARS AGO
DeKalb’s Corn Fest has been honored for the second year in a row by the Illinois Festival Association, moving up to the 10th best festival in the state.
The Somonauk United Presbyterian Church will celebrate its 150th anniversary March 18, 1996. The church is located five miles north of Somonauk at Governor Beveridge Highway and Chicago Road.
Despite published reports that Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is retreating from building projects across northern Illinois, the DeKalb “superstore” project is moving forward, according to DeKalb city and company officials.
A local tavern has been hit with the most serve penalty ever handed down by DeKalb Liquor Commissioner Greg Sparrow for allowing underage drinking. The Jungle, 1027 W. Hillcrest Drive, has its licenses suspended for 60 days and a $2,500 fine after pleading no contest to four charges of allowing minors to enter and remain on the premises, and one charge of allowing minors to drink in the bar.
– Compiled by Sue Breese