Sycamore in DeKalb County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Chicago and Northwestern Depot
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, July 9, 2023
1. Chicago and Northwestern Depot Marker
Listed in the
National Register
of Historic Places
by the United States
Department of
the Interior
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1880.
Location. 41° 59.263′ N, 88° 41.411′ W. Marker is in Sycamore, Illinois, in DeKalb County. Marker is at the intersection of Dekalb Avenue and South Sacramento Street, on the right when traveling west on Dekalb Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 475 Dekalb Ave, Sycamore IL 60178, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. DeKalb County Farm Bureau (approx. 1.6 miles away); DeKalb Swine Breeders (approx. 2.1 miles away); Sherret S. Chase (approx. 2.1 miles away); DeKalb AG (approx. 2.3 miles away); DeKalb Poultry Research, Inc. (approx. 2.7 miles away); Jacob Haish (approx. 4.9 miles away); The Winged Ear Logo (approx. 5 miles away); Northern Illinois University (approx. 5.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Sycamore.
Regarding Chicago and Northwestern Depot. Excerpt from the National Register nomination:
In 1851, a charter was granted to the "Mississippi and Rock RiverRailroad" to build a line from West Chicago to Fulton, Illinois. The charter was taken over by the "Chicago and Galena Railroad" (later renamed the Chicago and Northwestern) in 1852, and the line completed two years later.
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As originally proposed, this route had included a station at Sycamore, commercial center and county seat of DeKalb County. But the finished line passed instead through Cortland and DeKalb City, several miles to the south.
Sycamore's response was not unlike that of many small towns bypassed by the nation's maturing transportation network. Community leaders … organized and received a charter to build the "Sycamore, Cortland and Chicago Railroad." Local money financed the laying of four miles of track which by 1855 connected Sycamore wit h the main line of the Chicago and Northwestern. For several years the little railroad was forced to do without an engine – cars were pulled to and from Cortland by mule! But by the mid-1860's, the line had prospered sufficiently to acquire not only an engine but a new combined passenger station and freight depot as well.
That station, built ca. 1865, was replaced by this brick station in 1880. It wasn't acquired by the Chicago & Northwestern until 1883.
Also see . . . Chicago and Northwestern Depot (PDF). National Register nomination for the
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, July 9, 2023
2. Chicago and Northwestern Depot Marker
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, July 9, 2023
3. Chicago and Northwestern Depot
Credits. This page was last revised on August 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 16, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 64 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 16, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
