DeKalb Area Women's Center
Majakka Hall, 1917
Finnish Temperence Society
1021 State St.

Monthly art exhibits, meditation garden

DeKalb Public Library
Haish Memorial Library Building
309 Oak Street

On February 15th, 1931, the beautiful Haish Memorial Library Building was dedicated.  Built on land provided by the City and financed by a bequest of $150,000 from barbed-wire millionaire Jacob Haish, the striking building gained national recognition through an article in “Architecture” magazine. Through the years the building has seen many changes, including a two-story addition on the south side. In 1980, the Haish Memorial Library Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It features a 1935 Works Progress Administration-commissioned canvas by Chicago artist Gustaf Dalstrom and several sculptural works by local artist and NIU art history professor Helen Merritt.

June 4 – July 31:  Summer Reading! 

Stop in and see what's happening, or visit our website at www.dkpl.org .

Don't forget to stop by the Youth Services desk to get your activity sheet.  Fill it out and get another stamp on your passport!

Egyptian Theatre
135 N 2nd Street

Take a guided tour of the Egyptain Theatre; a 1929, full restored, Egyptian Art Deco movie palace, operated and staffed by the volunteer group, P.E.T.Inc. (Preservation for the Egyptian Theatre). Listed on the Registry of Historic Places, the Egyptian is home to 20+ local performing arts groups and shows movies (art, independant, foreign, and classic films). Tours last about one hour and take guests through the projection booth, auditorium, stage and dressing rooms.

Map it!

Ellwood House Museum
509 N. First St.

Take a guided tour of the Ellwood mansion, home of barbed wire baron Isaac Ellwood. The Visitor Center features self-guided exhibits including “Fencing Frontiers: The Barbed Wire Story” and a carriage gallery as well as a museum gift shop.

Joseph F. Glidden Homestead & Historical Center
921 W. Lincoln Hwy.

The Glidden Homestead is an emerging museum seeking to restore and preserve the Homestead buildings where the Glidden Barbed Wire was invented and first manufactured.

The Gurler House
205 Pine St.

Built in 1857, the George Gurler House has been placed on the National

Nehring Gallery
Nehring Center for Culture and Tourism
Second Floor
111 S Second Street Suite 204

A facility of the DeKalb Park District

The Nehring Gallery, a facility of the DeKalb Park District, is a community arts organization and gallery. The gallery coordinates and hosts a changing schedule of exhibitions of artworks and artifacts enhanced by lectures, performances, and other programs. Its mission is to promote cultural tourism by celebrating the diversity of the community and its audiences.

Map it!

Barb City Motorcycle Museum

Pierce Harley-Davidson Motorcycle dealership

969 Peace Rd.

There are approximately 90 motorcycles on display at the Barb City Motorcycle Museum, starting with a 1918 model. The museum includes a portion of the first Pierce Harley Davidson Shop. Included in the collection are motorcycles “Pappy” Pierce rode and raced in DeKalb County, from the 1940s to the presents, as well as 250 of his trophies. The museum is located within the Pierce Harley-Davidson dealership.

Kishwaukee Valley Heritage Society
622 Park

Depot, Caboose, and Waterworks Building house such historical items as DeKalb County's first horse drawn hearse and 1923 Overland auto.

Natural Resource Center
Russell Woods Forest Preserve
One mile west of Genoa on Rt. 72
(Just west of Kingston-Genoa High School)

Malta Historical & Genealogical Society Museum
127 N. Third St.

Built as an opera house in 1873, the building was redesigned into a meeting hall in the early 1900s. In 2000 it became a museum/community hall combination.

Map it!

Stone Mill Museum Sandwich
315 E. Railroad St.

Three-story stone building with antiques, tools, and equipment of yesteryear, local historical photos and memorabilia donated by area residents and families.

Since 1992 the Shabbona-Lee-Rollo Historical Museum has been dedicated to preserving local history by housing local artifacts and research records covering the area within the old school district #425, which includes Shabbona, Shabbona Grove, Lee and Rollo.

Olmstead Museum
100 S. Depot St.

Attorney Olmstead donated the building and his collections to the people of Somonauk in the 1950s. The office is just as he left it in the 1930's.

DeKalb Family History Center
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
675 Fox Ave.

Family History – Look up your ancestors; use computers to find birth, marriage, death dates, census records, etc. Activities and stories from the past make a family tree, pedigree chart, and ideas for journals, life story, and much more.

Midwest Museum of Natural History
425 W. State St

The museum's Exhibit Hall houses a collection of 100 preserved, full-bodied animals from North America, Europe, and Africa, including one of the largest African elephants on display in the world. The Nature Exploratorium provides "hands-on science" to children, young and old, in a child-friendly atmosphere where learning turns to play. Learn about Illinois nature as you relax in the Rotary Theatre, and in the Field Station discover how the assorted creepy-crawlies of nature help keep the ecosystem running smoothly.

Visit the website often for the most up-to-date programming information.

North Grove School

26745 Brickville Rd.

What was it like to attend school 125 years ago? Find out when you visit North Grove School, built in 188 by Swedish Lutherans of the “North Grove” as a parochial and Sunday School. In 1880 the DeKalb County public school system purchased the school, although lessons were still taught in Swedish for several years. It eventually became the property of the Sycamore School system and was in use until 1952. NGS is distinctive in that it is the only remaining one-room school in DeKalb County still in its original condition and in its original location; and it is one of only two one-room schools in the county to have been preserved as country schools. The school is cared for by the nonprofit North Grove School Association.

Sycamore Historical Society & Museum
308 W. State St

Step back in time and discover Sycamore's treasures while visiting “Lost Sycamore.” This exhibit features Olympic torches, trophies from Sycamore's Semi-professional baseball team, and reproduction of items that were commonly available to be purchased in 1894 Sycamore. Don't forget to look at the images highlighted in “Hidden Sycamore.” You are invited to look at pictures of places that appear lost, but reveal their pasts when you take a closer look.

Waterman Area Heritage Society & Museum
180 W. Lincoln Hwy

This small town storefront offers a glimpse into Waterman's history. The collection focuses on this railroad town's agricultural, educational, and person histories. Special features include a complete vintage barbershop, phone collection, and alumni photo collection.