Sycamore Historic District
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| Sycamore Historic District | |
|---|---|
| (U.S. Registered Historic District) | |
 |
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| Location: | Sycamore, DeKalb County, Illinois, USA |
| Coordinates: | |
| Built/Founded: | Various years, see article. |
| Architect: | Various |
| Architectural style(s): | Classical Revival, Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Italianate, Medieval Revival, Queen Anne[1] |
| Added to NRHP: | May 2, 1978[2] |
| Reference #: | 78003104 |
| Governing body: | Private and government ownership. |
The Sycamore Historic District is a meandering area encompassing 99 acres of the land in and around the downtown of the DeKalb County, Illinois county seat, Sycamore. The area is comprised of historic buildings and a number of historical and Victorian homes.[3] Some significant structures are among those located within the Historic District including the DeKalb County Courthouse and the Sycamore Public Library. The district has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since May 2, 1978.[4] 226 properties are located within the Sycamore Historic District's 99 acres.[5] Of those properties, 187 are listed as contributing structures in the district while an additional 22 are non-contributing.[6]
Of all the homes and other buildings within the district a full 75% fit within the historic district concept.[7]
[edit] Establishment history
The 1966 National Historic Preservation Act, which created the National Register of Historic Places, empowered individual states to create review boards to function with the state historical preservation officer. Illinois did not create its historic preservation program until the early 1970s, under the direction of the Illinois Department of Conservation. The Department of Conservation dispatched field surveyors to all Illinois counties to find anything that might qualify for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.[5]
The field surveyor who traveled to Sycamore in 1973 found a large number of late 19th and 20th century examples of architecture that he recommended the establishment of a historic district. The mayor of Sycamore then appointed a citizens' committee to assist the state with the work involved in listing the district.[5]
[edit] Boundaries
The Historic District is bounded by Somonauk Street on the west and Main Street on the east, a stretch of two blocks. On the north end the district is bounded by Page Steet and extends to the end of South Main street. Main and Somonauk are both north/south roads while Page is an east/west street. The district also extends along State Street (Illinois Route 64) to the west until the 300 block. Somonauk Street is included through its 900 block. In addition section of Locust, Maple and California Streets are within the Sycamore Historic District. Other east/west streets also have portions included in the district, these are: Elm, High, Ottawa, Waterman and Lincoln.[5]
The boundaries were drawn up by Robert Wagner, a Chicagoan who worked as a National Register assistant with the Illinois Department of Conservation. Wagner drew up the boundaries on the basis of "visual integrity.".[5] This led to an irregular pattern of inclusion for the Sycamore Historic District. Often one side of the street will be in the district while the other side was not. In other cases, such as with the library or the U.S. Post Office an arbitrary line was drawn with the sole purpose of including a specific structure.[5]
[edit] Architecture
The hodge podge of architectural styles that mingle in the Sycamore Historic District begins with Greek Revival structures which date from Sycamore's foundation in the mid to late 1830s, also the heyday for that particular style. These structures are the oldest surviving within the district. After the Civil War other styles began to dot the landscape in and around downtown Sycamore, Illinois. Styles such as Italianate, Gothic Revival and Queen Anne can be found throughout the neighborhood. Government buildings and commercial buildings offer prime examples of Classical Revival architecture, a style showcased by the ornate DeKalb County Courthouse, Sycamore Public Library, U.S. Post Office and The National Bank & Trust Co. building. The current Sycamore Center, in the 300 block of State Street and once known as the Daniel Pierce Block, also exhibits. Classical Revival architecture.[5]
Of the 226 properties within the Sycamore Historic District 40 are identified as "strongly contributing" to the overall character of the district. Twenty-one of those are ranked as the most significant structures in the district. The majority of the rest of the buildings date from 1860-1900.[5]
[edit] Structures
Sycamore Historic District includes a combination of residential, commercial, government and religious buildings. A number of Victorian homes along Main Street are enclosed in the historic district as well as a number of buildings in downtown Sycamore. South of the courthouse are other homes included in the district, each important structure is marked with a plaque near the sidewalk.
[edit] 156 W. State St.
This building is an excellent example of late 19th century/early 20th century architecture. Its second floor retains its original wall and surface. The building stands alongside its historical neighbor, the Townsend Building.[8]
[edit] Charles O. Boynton Residence
This 1887 Queen Anne style home stands along Main Street, north of the courthouse. Its distinctive red brick facade has aged fairly well and the porch is nearly exactly as it was in the late 19th century. Boynton was a dry goods dealer.[9]
[edit] Citizens National Bank Building
This c. 1909 structure is located on State Street (Illinois Route 64) as it passes through Sycamore. The building once housed the Citizens National Bank. Except for the first floor the building appears much the same as it did in 1912..[10]
[edit] Daniel Pierce Block
The Daniel Pierce Block is located on State Street in Sycamore and now houses the Sycamore Center.
[edit] David Syme House
This home is another of the district's elegant examples of Queen Anne architecture. The Somonauk Street house was designed by George Garnsey of Chicago and constructed around 1880.[11]
[edit] D.B. James Home
This circa 1860 home is located on Exchange Street directly behind the DeKalb County Courthouse, it is one of the oldest home's on that block. James was a Sycamore attorney, coincidentally, the house now holds a law office.[12]
[edit] DeKalb County Courthouse
Possibly the gem of the Sycamore Historic District is the DeKalb County Courthouse. The Courthouse sits in the center of a square facing Illinois Route 64, directly across the north/south street, Main, from the Sycamore Public Library. It is a stunning example of Classical Revival architecture. The current structure was erected in 1905 being the third in a line of courthouses to serve DeKalb County.[13]
[edit] Frederick Townsend Garage
This building on Main Street was originally a garage owned by Sycamore resident Frederick B. Townsend. Townsend's Queen Anne style home overlooks the lot from a small incline. It dates from around 1906. Today it is home to a restaurant.[14]
[edit] Frederick B. Townsend Residence
The c. 1890 Queen Anne style home was gifted by Charles O. Boynton, father of Mary Townsend, to her and Frederick Townsend for their wedding. Townsend helped found the DeKalb County Farm Bureau and was a native of DeKalb County.[15]
[edit] George's Block
Though quite altered from its original state in the mid 19th century George's Block remains one of the more eye catching structures in the Historic District.[16]
[edit] National Bank & Trust Co.
The National Bank and Trust Co. Building stands on the corner of Illinois Route 64 and Somonauk Street in downtown Sycamore.[17]
[edit] Townsend Building
One of two adjacent buildings which are excellent examples of late 19th and early 20th century architecture. Of the two, the other being 156 W. State St., the Townsend Building is the more architecturally interesting.[8]
[edit] U.S. Post Office
The U.S. Post Office Building in Sycamore is located along Illinois 64 (State Street), directly across the street from the Sycamore Public Library.
[edit] Waterman Block
The 200 block of West State Street. The three buildings from 202-212 are the oldest along Illinois Route 64 in Sycamore. The three buildings are early examples of commercial Italianate architecture.[18]
[edit] Other notable structures
- Universalist Church/Arthur Stark House: 1855
- Elmore Cooper House: 1924
- Henry Garbutt House: 1890
- J.H Rogers House: c. 1890
- Sycamore Hospital: 1899
- Wally Thurow House: 1917
- William McAllister House: 1906
- William Robinson House: 1874
[edit] St. John's Church
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. John formerly stood on Main Street in the Sycamore Historic District until it was "totally destroyed" by fire in February 2004.[19] The 1937-38 building was one of the most notable structures within the historic district. Even as the church burned it made its mark on history.
The fire's resulting backdraft caused an explosion and is the largest recorded backdraft incidents in United State history.[20] Two Sycamore firefighters were injured in the blaze.
[edit] Sycamore Public Library
- For more details on this topic, see Sycamore Public Library .
Sycamore Public Library, the only structure on the east side of Main Street, between State and Page Streets, that is included in the Sycamore Historic District. The library, still operational today, was constructed in 1905 with a combination of philanthropical gifts from different sources including Andrew Carnegie. The building was designed, in part, by architect Paul O. Moratz.
[edit] Notes
- ^ National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form, (PDF), Sycamore Historic District, HAARGIS Database, Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Retrieved January 29, 2007.
- ^ NRIS Database, National Register of Historic Places, retrieved Jan. 2007.
- ^ Sycamore Historic District, Recreation and Tourism, City of Sycamore, Official site.
- ^ NRIS Database, National Register of Historic Places, retrieved Jan. 2007.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Bigolin, Steve. The Sycamore Historic District: Introduction, Daily Chronicle, 14 August 2006.
- ^ HAARGIS Database, Property Information Report, Sycamore Historic District, Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Retrieved January 29, 2007.
- ^ Sycamore Historic District, (PDF), Illinois Historic Sites Inventory Survey, HAARGIS Database, Illinois Historic Preservation Agency [1]. Retrieved 18 February 2007.
- ^ a b Bigolin, Steve. The Sycamore Historic District: Location 8, Daily Chronicle, 13 November 2006, Retrieved January 14, 2006.
- ^ Bigolin, Steve. The Sycamore Historic District: Location 3, Daily Chronicle, 5 September 2006, Retrieved January 13, 2007.
- ^ Bigolin, Steve. The Sycamore Historic District: Location 11, Daily Chronicle, 4 December 2006, Retrieved January 14, 2007.
- ^ David Syme House is the Cat's Meow, Daily Chronicle, 26 August 2002, Retrieved January 14, 2007.
- ^ Bigolin, Steve. The Sycamore Historic District: Location4, Daily Chronicle, 11 September 2006, Retrieved January 14, 2007.
- ^ DeKalb County Courthouse, Wild Prairie Digitization Project, Northern Illinois University, 2004.
- ^ Bigolin, Steve. The Sycamore Historic District: Location 1, Daily Chronicle, 21 August 2006, Retrieved January 14, 2007.
- ^ Bigolin, Steve. The Sycamore Historic District: Location 2, Daily Chronicle, 28 August 2006, Retrieved January 13, 2007.
- ^ Bigolin, Steve. The Sycamore Historic District: Location 9, Daily Chronicle, 20 November 2006. Retrieved January 14, 2007.
- ^ Bigolin, Steve. The Sycamore Historic District: Location 12, Daily Chronicle, 8 January 2007. Retrieved January 14, 2007.
- ^ Bigolin, Steve. The Sycamore Historic District: Location 10, Daily Chronicle, 27 November 2006, Retrieved January 14, 2007.
- ^ Mikolajczyk, Paul L. Fire destroys church, Daily Chronicle, 10 February 2004, Retrieved January 13, 2007.
- ^ Mayer, JeanieChurch celebrates 130 years of keeping the faith, The Courier News, 13 December 2006, Retrieved January 13, 2007.
