Sycamore in DeKalb County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Marsh Harvester

Photographed by Molly Fischer, July 25, 2026

1. Marsh Harvester Marker

Inscription. In the mid to late 1800s, northern Illinois witnessed substantial agricultural innovations. Along with such developments as John Deere's steel plow and the barbed wire of Glidden-Ellwood-Haish, the Marsh Harvester brought significant change to agriculture.

In 1857, two enterprising young brothers who farmed near Shabbona in southern DeKalb County had a labor-saving idea. Starting with a reaper, the new design of Charles and William Marsh used a moving belt to elevate cut grain to a wagon bed where two men hand-tied it into bundles. For their invention, the first "harvester", they were awarded a patent in 1858.

After several experimental machines, and with the help of John Hollister, the design was greatly improved. In 1863, commercial manufacture of the first harvester began in Plano with partners George and Lewis Steward. In 1869, the Marsh brothers organized their factory at Sycamore. The Marsh Harvester Manufacturing Company became Sycamore's first major industry. The manufacturing complex covered six acres in 1892, doing an annual business of more than one million dollars.

Over the years, thousands of Marsh

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

Harvesters were built and sold. In 1888, the British Colonial Trade Journal reported, "Without a doubt the greatest reformer of the age in the agricultural word has been the American harvester and binder."

William Marsh built a fine Italianate brick home on West State Street in Sycamore where he lived until he died in 1918. The home was named to the National Register of Historical Places in 1978.

Erected 2015 by DeKalb Area Agricultural Association, Inc. (www.daaha.org) and the Illinois State Historical Society.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Illinois State Historical Society series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1857.

Location. 41° 58.985′ N, 88° 41.524′ W. Marker is in Sycamore, Illinois, in DeKalb County. It is on Edward Street east of South Avenue, on the right when traveling west. Marker is near Edward Street east of South Avenue on the Blumen Gardens property. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 403 Edward Street, Sycamore IL 60178, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally,

Paid Advertisement

this marker is in Northern Illinois.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Chicago and Northwestern Depot (approx. 0.3 miles away); DeKalb County Civil War Memorial (approx. half a mile away); Sycamore Historic District (approx. half a mile away); DeKalb County Vietnam Veterans Memorial (approx. half a mile away); For God and Country (approx. half a mile away); DeKalb County Farm Bureau (approx. 1.3 miles away); DeKalb Swine Breeders (approx. 1.8 miles away); Sherret S. Chase (approx. 1.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Sycamore.

Credits. This page was last revised on September 16, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 8, 2026, by Molly Fischer of DeKalb, Illinois. This page has been viewed 6 times since then. Photo 1. submitted on September 8, 2026, by Molly Fischer of DeKalb, Illinois. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.