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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.

House, 628 West Lincoln Highway
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Owner in 1948 was Arthur Friestead, Near Normal Road and Carroll Avenue, DeKalb, Residential, Place, Lincoln Highway, Normal Road, Economic Development
Glove Factory, DeKalb
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Men Working in Factory, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Equipment, People, Economic Development
William Ellwood House
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Later Sam Bradt, 329 North First Street, at The Corner with Augusta Avenue, Razed August 1975 to Build Apartment, not Ellwood Mansion, Spring/Summer Scene, DeKalb, Residential, Place, William Ellwood House, First Street, Economic Development
William Ellwood House
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Later Sam Bradt, 329 North First Street, at the Corner with Augusta Avenue, Winter Scene; Snow; Razed August 1975, to Build Apartment, not Ellwood Mansion, DeKalb, Residential, Place, William Ellwood House, First Street, Economic Development
Gurler Brothers Creamery
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Southeast of DeKalb, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Equipment, Place, Gurler Brothers Creamery, Agriculture
Brothers Creamery
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Southeast of DeKalb, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Equipment, Place, Gurler Brothers Creamery, Agriculture
Abram Ellwood Manufacturing Company
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Showing Equipment, DeKalb, Industrial, Equipment, Place, Abram Ellwood Manufacturing Company, Economic Development
Goodyear Blimp in DeKalb
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Good Year Tires, Reliance NC-14A, Low to the Ground in Country, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Equipment, People, Agriculture, Economic Development, Entertainment
Clover Leaf Dairy Farm
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Gurler Road West of First Street, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Educational, Equipment, Place, First Street, Agriculture
From Spanish-American War
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Inscription Reads 'Honor To Admiral Dewey?s Fleet', American Flag Flying, DeKalb, Government, Monumental, Place, Law and Society
Elmer Embree House
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, 407 South Second Street, DeKalb, DeKalb, Residential, Place, Second Street, Economic Development
Haish Building Being Razed
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, East Lincoln Highway and Third Street, Later was Dr. Smith Building, Woolworths Next Door, Northwest Corner, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Smith Building, Third Street, Economic Development
Haish Building Being Razed
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, East Lincoln Highway and Third Street, Later was Dr. Smith Building, Woolworths Next Door, Northwest Corner, Third and Second Floor Razed, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Smith Building, Lincoln Highway, Third Street, Education
Haish Building Being Razed
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, East Lincoln Highway and Third Street, Later was Dr. Smith Building, Woolworths Next Door, Northwest Corner, Third Floor Almost all Razed, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Smith Building, Lincoln Highway, Third Street, Economic Development
Nansen Glidden House
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, 921 West Lincoln Highway, House Moved to 460 Hillcrest Drive, DeKalb, DeKalb, Residential, Place, Lincoln Highway, Agriculture, Economic Development
Bob Huestis Grocery Market
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, 414 North Tenth Street, DeKalb, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Economic Development
George Gurler House
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, 205 Pine Street, DeKalb, Illinois, DeKalb, Residential, Place, George Gurler House, Economic Development
Haish Building Being Razed
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, East Lincoln Highway and Third Street, Later was Dr. Smith Building and Woolworths Next Door, Taken From Third Street, Looking West, Before Razing Began, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Smith Building, Lincoln Highway, Third Street, Economic Development
Haish Building Being Razed
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, East Lincoln Highway and Third Street, Later was Dr. Smith Building, Woolworths Next Door, Northwest Corner, all Floors Almost all Rubble, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Smith Building, Lincoln Highway, Third Street, Economic Development
Haish Building Before Razed
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Businesses Still Open, East Lincoln Highway and Third Street, Later was Dr. Smith Building, Woolworths Later Next Door, Northwest Corner, Goodyear Tires, Auto Radio Supplies, Hotel Rice Turn North, Drugs, Coca-Cola, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Smith Building, Lincoln Highway, Third Street, Economic Development
Dr. George H. Joost House
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, 234 Linden Place, DeKalb, Illinois, DeKalb, Residential, Place, Economic Development
Water Tower, Ellwood House
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Barbed Wire, Page 94 DeKalb Chronicle Souvenir Book, 1894. Wind Mill in Background, DeKalb, Monumental, Equipment, Place, Ellwood House, First Street, Agriculture, Frontier Settlement
Haish Building Being Razed
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, East Lincoln Highway and Third Street, Later was Dr. Smith Building, Woolworths Next Door, Businesses Gone, Before Razing Began, People on Sidewalk, Showing Northwest and Northeast Corners of East Lincoln Highway and Third Street, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, People, Place, Smith Building, Lincoln Highway, Third Street, Economic Development
Haish Building Being Razed
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, East Lincoln Highway and Third Street, Later was Dr. Smith Building, Woolworths Next Door, Third Floor Razed, Second and First Floors Still Standing, Northwest Corner of East Lincoln Highway and Third Street, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Smith Building, Lincoln Highway, Third Street, Economic Development
Work Force in Engine Room of Haish Plant
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Sixth Street and Main Street (East Lincoln Highway), DeKalb, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Industrial, People, Place, Lincoln Highway, Sixth Street, Economic Development