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Ritzman Photo Collection

Floyd R. Ritzman (1885-1975) was a teacher and administrator in the DeKalb public school system. His passion was photography, especially of trains. When the Ritzman family traveled, Floyd always carried a camera. According to his son, Allyn, he and his father would take drives with the intention of photographing area depots, trains, bridges and events.

Through the generosity of Allyn, his father’s collection of photographs was donated to the Joiner History Room in Sycamore. The collection contains pictures of many railway trains, including 400 pictures of the Chicago North Western Railway trains, and 135 pictures of the Chicago Great Western Railway trains.

The Ritzman Photo Collection was digitized in collaboration with the Joiner History Room. For more information, please see their webpage.

Crimson Days
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Held From September 21-23, 1899, Parade Down East Lincoln Highway, Showing Stores on North Side of the Street, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Equipment, People, Place, Lincoln Highway, Economic Development, Entertainment
Railroad Crossing
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, DeKalb, Looking East from Third Street, Fourth Street Bank on Left, East Lincoln Highway, South Side Rear of Buildings, DeKalb, Financial, Industrial, Equipment, Place, Chicago and Northwestern Railroad, Fourth Street, Lincoln Highway, Third Street, Economic Development
Victor Cemetery, Hope Still Fritz Grave Marker
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., Stone Reads "1753 Hope Still Fritz 1844 Her Four Sons Fought for Liberty", DeKalb, Place, Economic Development
American Steel and Wire Capperas Plant, Inside Plant
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Barbed Wire, Men in Photo, Wooden Floors, Plant Located at Tenth Street, Later Fourth Street Motors and Now Mooney's, DeKalb, Formerly Ellwood Barb Wire Company, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Industrial, Equipment, People, Place, American Steel and Wire Company, Fourth Street, Economic Development
Pooler School
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Afton Township Section 2A, First School West of Cortland-Hinckley, Blacktop Curve, Rural One Room School House, Cornfields, Out House/Out-Buildings in Background, Rural DeKalb, DeKalb, Educational, Place, Agriculture, Education
Looking West Between Third Street and Fourth Street
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, On Lincoln Highway (Main Street), Vaile and O'Malley Clothing and Shoes Company, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Fourth Street, Lincoln Highway, Third Street, Economic Development
DeKalb Arch
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, West Lincoln Highway, Looking Southwest Near 628 (Approximately Across From McDonald?s), Drive-In Barely Visible, Near Arch, ?We?ll Be Lonesome Without You?, Site of Present Junction Shopping Center; Trolley Car Electric Wire Visible Over Street, DeKalb, Monumental, Place, DeKalb Arch, Lincoln Highway, Economic Development
Post Office, Standard Service Station
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Post Office at Lincoln Highway and First Street, Taken From the Northeast, Looking Southwest, DeKalb, First Street, Lincoln Highway, Law and Society, Political Development
Second Street East
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Glidden (1876) House, East Lincoln Highway at Second Street, Looking East Toward Third Street, Northeast Side of Street, H. U. Meyers Optician Millinery, V. A. Glidden, Bloom's the Good Clothes Store, Dentist, Tailor, Street Car Tracks, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Lincoln Highway, Second Street, Third Street, Economic Development
Third Street and Lincoln Highway
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Northwest Corner, Jacob Haish (Building), Erected 1876 - Burned and Rebuilt 1908", United States Annuity and Life Insurance Co., W, E, Bodman, District Manager, J. W. Corkings Real Estate, Insurance, Loans, Western Lands, Pure Drugs; Kirchner's Drug Store, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Lincoln Highway, Third Street, Economic Development
Church Northwest of Hinckley
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., Hinckley, Township, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Rural Location, DeKalb, Religious, Place, Religion
One Room Schoolhouse
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., Shabbona, Shabbona District Number 126, 1856, DeKalb, Educational, Place, Education
Kishwaukee Country Club
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Club House, Sycamore Road, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Entertainment
Downtown Malta
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., Malta, Hotel Malta in Background, People in The Street, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, People, Place, Economic Development
2 Unknown Girls, Brownie Club, DeKalb Chronicle Souvenir Book 1899, Page 133
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Women and Gender
Lost Grove New Years Ball Invitation January 1, 1852
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., Very Nineteenth Century Wording, Style and Photo/Drawing, DeKalb
Pent House
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Forrest Andrews Dodge Agency with East Lincoln Highway Elks Club Right, Lincoln Highway North, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Lincoln Highway, Economic Development
A&P, East Lincoln Highway
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Wedburg & Flush Buildings, Sanitary Barber Shop, Society Brand Clothes, Dr. Don A. Frantz Eye-Site Specialist, Dr. L. L. Smith Dentist, A. C. Allyn & Company, Investments & Securities, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Lincoln Highway, Economic Development
Sycamore Courthouse Mammoth Ball Invitation
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., Sycamore, Very Nineteenth Century Wording, Style and Photo/Drawing, DeKalb
Second Street Bank
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Remodeled Inside, East Lincoln Highway at Second Street Looking South Down Second Street, First National Bank, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Lincoln Highway, Second Street, Economic Development
Sixth Street and East Lincoln Highway
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Looking Northeast, Sunrise Service Station, Across from Present Location of DeKalb U. S. Post Office, Near Present East Side --- East Lincoln Highway McDonald's, DeKalb
DeKalb Fire Station
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Fourth Street, Fire Engine and Firemen, Brick Streets, Shows Electric Train Tracks in Street, DeKalb
Montgomery Ward
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, East Lincoln Highway, Looking South Side of Street, Near First Street, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Montgomery Ward, First Street, Lincoln Highway, Economic Development
Auto Truck DeKalb Fire Department
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, DeKalb, Illinois, Fourth Street, Fire Engine and Firemen, Brick Streets, Shows Electric Train Tracks in Street, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Equipment, Place, Fourth Street, Economic Development
Centennielle Ball, Universal Societie of Sycamore Invitation
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., 100 Year Anniversary ? 1776-1876, Very Nineteenth Century Wording and Style, DeKalb