DeKalb County Centennial/Bicentennial Records

Collection

Identifier: RHC-RC-009

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The materials in this collection document the preparations, financial arrangements, and special programs planned and celebrated at the DeKalb County Centennial (1934), DeKalb City Centennial (1956), DeKalb County’s celebration of the U.S. Bicentennial (1974-1977), and the DeKalb City Sesquicentennial (2006).

Dates

created: 1903-2006
Other: Date acquired: 00/00/1965

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on access to the collection.

Conditions Governing Use

Property rights in the collection are held by the Regional History Center; literary rights are dedicated to the public.

Extent

3.00 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement Note

Records in this collection are divided into five series. Series I, DeKalb County and DeKalb City Centennials, includes materials written on DeKalb County history and demographics as well as on the events to celebrate the centennials. The second series, DeKalb County Bicentennial Commission records, contains minutes, newsletters, correspondence, and financial reports completely documenting the organization and program implementation of the DeKalb County Bicentennial Commission. Series III, Illinois Bicentennial Commission, and IV, American Revolution Bicentennial Administration, contain pamphlets, brochures and other materials which provide background information on state and national Bicentennial celebrations. The materials in series five include program planning meeting minutes, newspaper articles, flyers, and a calendar to commemorate the DeKalb City Sesquicentennial in 2006. The records in this collection are of good quality for research on DeKalb County.

Source of Acquisition

various individual donations, Waite Embree, Glen Gildemeister, Joan Metzger

Method of Acquisition

The DeKalb County Centennial/Bicentennial Collection came to the Northern Illinois University Archives from individual donations (1965-1977) and from materials collected by Waite Embree donated in 1967. J. Joseph Bauxer, University Archivist, transferred this collection to the Northern Illinois Regional History Center between January and May 1978. Glen Gildemeister added his DeKalb Sesquicentennial Celebration Committee files and Joan Metzger added related DeKalb Sesquicentennial documentation, in 2006.

Related Materials

Note that the DeKalb Chronicle, Centennial Edition, 1956 is located in Drawer 10 in the Reading Room Map Cabinet. "DeKalb at 150,"a DeKalb Chronicle supplement series, 2006, is located in Folder 9, Drawer14, in the basement storage area. The photographs taken for the DeKalb Sesquicentennial Streetscapes Project in 2006 are found in RC 276.