The first manufacturing company in the county was the Sandwich Manufacturing Company, located in Sandwich. Founded in 1856 under the name of Augustus Adams and Sons, it was later incorporated in 1867 as the Sandwich Manufacturing Company.
The company made farm implements such as corn shellers, grain elevators, rakes and presses, ...
John Emerson: DSR to Seed Dealer
John Emerson remembers it like it was yesterday. Being hired by Harold Noren and Carroll Christenson, DEKALB Ag marketing executives, for the sales department.
John had recently graduated from Illinois State University with a degree in agriculture and was anxious to work in an agribusiness field. ...
When you think of something that represents DeKalb, the DeKalb Ag’s Winged Ear logo has to be at the top of the list. Through the company’s several name changes, the Winged Ear has flown proudly throughout the world.
It has taken on a life of its own and is one of ...
Farmer seed dealers have been an important piece of the DEKALB story.
Tom Roberts believed the dealer should be a farmer who called on his neighbor. Who better could enthusiastically sell seed on the basis of personal experience? Roberts also believed sales calls should be made well in advance of planting, ...
Farm kids remember the days when they showed livestock at the DeKalb County 4-H Fair. Even if it’s been 60+ years.
Their prized animals were selected from their farm herd or purchased in hopes of showing their finest livestock. After the fair, their show animals returned to the farm.
We asked these ...
The DeKalb County 4-H Fair Livestock Show has been held at various locations over the years. For many years the 4-H Fair was held in conjunction with the Sycamore Farmer’s Club Jr. Fair and local Granges. The Sycamore Farmer’s Club Jr. Fair ran from 1940-2006.
From the early 1930s to the ...
Johnny “Cyclone” Thompson became the pride of DeKalb County in the early 1900s for his boxing ability. His career began as an amateur boxer around 1899, in matches in the back of a room at a bar in the Clare area.
He graduated to more formal boxing at the Stranglers Club ...
The Eakle family of Waterman is a treasure with many stories to tell. In a previous Legends column, we wrote about the DeKalb County airport that the family ran.
Alice Eakle Marks stands in front of the "Ladies." The "Shady Lady" started as a closet door curtain replacement in the Eakle ...
Memorial Day is a day of reflection to honor those who gave the supreme sacrifice that we may live in a free nation.
During World War I, the popular honorarium was to plant trees in dedication to the memory of the soldiers killed in the war. Many of the towns in ...
Freeland, Illinois, also known as Freeland Corners, was located along Chicago Road between Somonauk and West Sandwich Roads in Somonauk Township.
The origin of the name Freeland is uncertain. One opinion is that when the first pioneers
came to this area in the 1830s, they took possession of the land by ...
