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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.

All Roads Closed Sign, Looking West on Lincoln Highway
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, DeKalb, Place, Fourth Street, Lincoln Highway, Economic Development
Wedding Invitation
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, DeKalb, People, Religion, Women and Gender
Invite Card/Insert Card
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Inserted Into a Wedding Invitation Noting When Newlyweds will be at Home Following Their Honeymoon and Their Address, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Leland Keeney, DeKalb, People, Law and Society, Religion, Women and Gender
Lincoln Highway
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Wreath on Light Pole, Montgomery Ward and Post Office in Background, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Government, Place, Lincoln Highway, Economic Development
Snow Plow in Front of Forrest Andrews Dodge Plymouth Dealer, First Street
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, First Street, Economic Development
Snow Plow
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, In Front of Forrest Andrews Dodge Plymouth Dealer, First Street, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, First Street, Economic Development
Man Holding Stop Sign
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, In Front of Railroad Tracks, Train, Johnny's DeKalb Diner, Jerry A. Stevens, Justice of the Peace, Insurance, L. A. Kinniry Elgin Watches, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Fourth Street, Lincoln Highway, Economic Development
Car in Front of M Pharmacy
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Lincoln Highway, Economic Development
Olsten and Norrby Meat Market
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Equipment, People, Place, Lincoln Highway, Economic Development
Malta High School Team
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., Malta, DeKalb, Educational, Equipment, People, Place, Entertainment
Beehive Block
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, From Rear of Third Street and East Lincoln Highway, Malone's Meat Shop, Later J. C. Penney's, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Barb City Bank, Beehive Building, Lincoln Highway, Third Street, Economic Development
DeKalb Chronicle's Carriers
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Photo Taken in Front of DeKalb Daily Chronicle Building, All Young Boys, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, People, Place, DeKalb Daily Chronicle Building, First Street, Lincoln Highway, Economic Development
ABC Food Store
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Hiland's Frigidaire, Montgomery Ward, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Lincoln Highway, Economic Development
View Looking South from Sixth Street on Lincoln Highway
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Reuben Beckman's Drug Store, V.F.W. (Veterans of Foreign Wars), DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Lincoln Highway, Seventh Street, Sixth Street, Economic Development
Lehan Drugs
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Walgreen Agency, Frank-Phillips Clothing Store, Society Brand Clothes, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Lincoln Highway, Economic Development
Marching Band
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Republican Marching Club, August 1896. Main Street (Lincoln Highway) Looking East Toward Glidden House Hotel. Stores in Photo -- Bodman Drugs, Chandlers, Fohr and Stoner Furniture, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Government, Equipment, People, Place, Lincoln Highway, Lincoln Highway, Main Street, Economic Development, Law and Society, Political Development
East Lincoln Highway
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Between Second Street and Third Street, B. C. Knodle and Son Hardware, Grace Hardesty Beauty Shop, Hotel, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Lincoln Highway, Economic Development
Orson N. Phelps House
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Possibly South First Street and Franklin Street, Cars in Front Yard of House, Victorian Style Home, DeKalb, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Residential, Equipment, People, Place, First Street, Economic Development
American Steel and Wire Company
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Sign States "No Thorofare Private Property American Steel and Wire Company", DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place
DeKalb Dairy Company Wagons
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Photo Taken in Front of DeKalb Wagon Works Factory, Men with Horse Drawn Delivery Trucks, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Industrial, Equipment, People, Place, Economic Development
Looking East
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, On East Lincoln Highway, Still's Drugs, The Bell Restaurant, Cigars and Soda Sign, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Lincoln Highway, Economic Development
Names of Soldiers
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., Spanish American War 1898, DeKalb County Soldiers, Company M Third Regiment, Handwritten List, DeKalb, Government, Equipment, People, Place, Political Development, Race and Ethnicity, Law and Society
Haish Factory
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Barbed Wire, Later Became Nehring Electrical Supply Company, Sixth Street and Lincoln Highway, Lighting Strike 1898 and 1907, Manufacturer of Barbed Wire, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Industrial, Equipment, Place, Nehring Manufacturing Wire and Cable, Lincoln Highway, Sixth Street, Economic Development
DeKalb Daily Chronicle Building
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Carlson Cleaners, Tailoring, Lincoln Inn, Olson and Robinson Wall Papers, Painters Supply Company, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, DeKalb Daily Chronicle Building, Lincoln Highway, Economic Development
Former Home of Dr. John Williston Cook, First President of NIU
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, First President of NIU, 411 College Ave, at the Corner with Park Avenue, Northern Illinois State Normal School, Later Northern Illinois State College and Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Monumental, Residential, People, Place, Economic Development, Education