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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.

NIU Campus Aerial View
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, After 1929 Completion of Still Gym, Photo Shows Altgeld Hall ? ?Castle?, Williston Hall, McMurry Hall, Still Gym, Williston at Time of Photo was a Dorm, Now Home of Admissions and Records and Registration (2004), Cornfields in Background, Northern Illinois State Normal School, Later Northern Illinois State College and Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Educational, Place, Economic Development, Education, Agriculture
Haish Library
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Northern Illinois State Normal School, Later Northern Illinois State College and Northern Illinois University, in ?Castle? -- Altgeld Hall, DeKalb, Educational, Place, Haish Memorial Library, Education
Northwestern Train Station
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, DeKalb, East Lincoln Highway, Between Sixth and Seventh Streets. Names of People Standing in Front of Train Station, DeKalb, Industrial, Monumental, Equipment, People, Place, Chicago and Northwestern Railroad, Lincoln Highway, Seventh Street, Sixth Street, Economic Development
Mail Pouch
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Tobacco Advertisement on Side of Building, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Lincoln Highway, Economic Development
Looking West Between Third Street and Fifth Street on East Lincoln Highway
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, (Main Street), Vaile and O'Malley Company, Clothing, Shoes, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Lincoln Highway, Economic Development
Glidden Wire Employees
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Group Photo, Individuals are Numbered to Correspond to List with Names of Employees Part 1(1-40) Part 2 (41-83) Part 3 (84-123), DeKalb
Looking West at Fourth Street
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Along Main Street (Lincoln Highway), Restaurant, W. F. Wiltberger Company, Insurance, Loans, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Lincoln Highway, Economic Development
Doenges Stationery Corporation
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Hall of Cards, Jack's Juvenile Shop, Gonterman Jewelers, East Lincoln Highway Looking East from First Street to Second Street, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, DeKalb Daily Chronicle Building, First Street, Lincoln Highway, Economic Development
Ellwood Stand Pipe Looking North
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Barbed Wire, Some People Know this as Ellwood Water Tower, North First Street and Augusta Avenue, DeKalb, Ellwood Founder of Barbed Wire, DeKalb, Monumental, Residential, Equipment, Place, Ellwood House, First Street, Agriculture, Economic Development, Frontier Settlement
W. J. Hope Insurance
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, A.B.C. Food Store, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Lincoln Highway, Economic Development
Third Street
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Chicago and Northwestern, Looking Northwest from Power Company Roof, Ice Wagon, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Economic Development
Northwestern Train Station
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, DeKalb, Between Sixth and Seventh Streets, Near Lincoln Highway, Looking West, Real Wild West Show Sign Near Train Station, Trains in Depot, DeKalb, Industrial, Monumental, Equipment, Place, Chicago and Northwestern Railroad, Seventh Street, Sixth Street, Economic Development
Smith Building, Lehan Drugs
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, East Lincoln Highway at Third Street, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Smith Building, Lincoln Highway, Third Street, Economic Development
E. E. Embree and Sons Building
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, DeKalb
At Start of Wrecking
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Old Haish Building, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Economic Development
Northwestern Train Station
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Trains on Tracks, Pulling into DeKalb Train Station, East Lincoln Highway, Between Sixth and Seventh Street, DeKalb, Industrial, Monumental, Equipment, Place, Chicago and Northwestern Railroad, Lincoln Highway, Seventh Street, Sixth Street, Economic Development
Bicycle Races
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, DeKalb Fair Grounds August 4th, 1894. Later Became Northern Illinois University/Northern Illinois State Normal School Campus, Photo Shows People Watching Bicycle Races, DeKalb, Equipment, People, Place, Economic Development, Entertainment, Frontier Settlement
Bicycle Races
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, DeKalb Fair Grounds August 4th, 1894. Later Became Northern Illinois University/Northern Illinois State Normal School Campus, Photo Shows People Watching Bicycle Races, Shows Grandstand Viewing Box, Church and/or School House in Background, DeKalb, People, Place, Entertainment
Ellwood House Grounds
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Barbed Wire, Showing Outbuildings, Water Tower, Windmill, North First Street and Augusta Avenue, DeKalb, Ellwood Founder of Barbed Wire, DeKalb, Monumental, Residential, Equipment, Place, Ellwood House, First Street, Agriculture, Economic Development, Frontier Settlement
Last Day of Parallel Parking
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Lincoln Highway, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Lincoln Highway, Economic Development
Seventh Street and East Lincoln Highway
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Looking West from Seventh Street, Red Crown Gasoline, Drugs, Cafe, DeKalb
Arnold Huan
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, South Fourth Street and Lincoln Highway East Side, also Dearth Brothers Restaurant, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Fourth Street, Lincoln Highway, Economic Development
Widen Highway
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, DeKalb New Look Days, June 23, 24, 25, 1949, DeKalb, Place, Lincoln Highway, Economic Development
Post Office
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, First Street and Lincoln Highway, DeKalb, Government, Place, 1906 Post Office, First Street, Lincoln Highway, Economic Development
East Lincoln Highway
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Near Second Street, Looking Northwest, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Lincoln Highway, Second Street, Economic Development