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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.

Horace Fay Wells
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., As Lincoln, DeKalb, People, Civil War, Education, Frontier Settlement, Law and Society
Henry H. Wagner House
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, 407 South Second Street, Family in Front of House and Looking out Doors/Windows, DeKalb, Residential, People, Place, Second Street, Economic Development, Women and Gender
E. E. Embree House (Son-in-Law of Henry H. Wagner)
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, 407 South Second Street, DeKalb, Residential, Place, Second Street, Economic Development
Waterman Hall, Sycamore
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., Sycamore, Later Church of St. Mary, Waterman Street at the End of South California Street, Year 1889 on the Side of the Building, DeKalb, Monumental, Place, Religion
Chronicle Building from the East
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, First Street and Lincoln Highway, DeKalb, Photo Taken from the South Side of East Lincoln Highway, Shop Next Door Harness Bicycles for Rent Farm Machinery Wagons Carriages, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, DeKalb Daily Chronicle Building, First Street, Lincoln Highway, Economic Development
DeKalb Trust & Savings
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Fourth Street and East Lincoln Highway, Northern Illinois Gas Company, DeKalb County Accounts, Household Finance are Businesses Next to DeKalb Trust and Savings Bank, Railroad, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Financial, Place, Fourth Street, Economic Development
Downtown Malta
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., Malta, Unknown Building, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Economic Development
Harry Belding House
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, 144 West Lincoln Highway, DeKalb, Residential, Place, Lincoln Highway, Economic Development
College Avenue Looking East
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Wintertime, Snow, Young Trees, DeKalb, Residential, Place, Economic Development
Malta Building
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., Malta, 1895 Haish Block, on Top of Building, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Economic Development
Malta Downtown
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., Malta, Ice Cream Shop on the Corner, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place
Lincoln Highway, DeKalb
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Chuch Raymond and Stanley Tasted, Fire Chief, East Lincoln Highway Near Second Street, First National Bank Building in Background, DeKalb, Financial, People, Place, Lincoln Highway, Second Street, Economic Development, Law and Society
College Avenue Looking East
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Springtime/Summer, Trees Growing, DeKalb, Residential, Place, Economic Development
E. C. Lott House
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, 506 North First Street, North First Street and Sycamore Road, Wintertime, Snow, DeKalb, Residential, Place, Lincoln Highway, Sycamore Road, Economic Development
Michael Malone House
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, 404 North First Street, Northeast Corner of First Street and Pine Street, Frank G. Anderson Builder and Original Owner, Wintertime, Snow, DeKalb, Residential, Place, First Street, Economic Development
Wirtz & Wirtz Funeral Home
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, North Fifth Street and Pine Street, William Wirtz and Burton L. Wirtz, Later Wirtz, Roche and Smith Funeral Home, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Place, Fifth Street, Economic Development
Evergreen Cemetery
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Seventh Street and Taylor Street, DeKalb, Child Near Grave Helping to Display the American Flag, DeKalb, Monumental, People, Place, Seventh Street, Economic Development
Aurora-DeKalb Line, Trolley
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Gasoline Car, Sixth Street and Lincoln Highway, White Brothers Laundry, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Equipment, People, Trolley Cars, Lincoln Highway, Sixth Street, Economic Development
Normal Gate, Trolley Car #101
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Sycamore, Conductor on Steps, DeKalb, Equipment, People, Trolley Cars
Accident at North Thirteenth Street and Sycamore Road
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., Trolley Car on Side; Derailed, Trolley Number 101, DeKalb, Equipment, People, Place, Sycamore Road, Economic Development
First National Bank Before Remodeling
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Second Street and East Lincoln Highway, Old City Hall Building on Right E. E. Embree Lumber Company Next Corner, Bajou Family Theater on East Lincoln Highway Side, J. J. Piper Insurance, Edward Johnson Real Estate Loans and Insurance, Dentist -- Dr. Posile, H. W. Prentice Law Office, DeKalb Export Cleaner & Dryer, DeKalb, Financial, Place, First National Bank Building, Lincoln Highway, Second Street, Economic Development
Removal of Siding off of a Building Near the Railroad Tracks
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Running South of East Lincoln Highway, Intersection of Fourth Street and East Lincoln Highway Visible in Distance, Railroad Tracks, Looking East, DeKalb, Industrial, Equipment, Place, Chicago and Northwestern Railroad, Fourth Street, Lincoln Highway, Economic Development
Accident at North Thirteenth Street and Sycamore Road
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, Trolley Car on Side; Derailed, Trolley Number 101, DeKalb, Equipment, Place, Lincoln Highway, Economic Development
Trolley Car Barn
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, East Side of Fourth Street South of Oak Street, Now Mooney Car Dealership, Track Cleaning Car (McGirr Cummings Probable Maker), DeKalb, Industrial, Equipment, People, Place, Trolley Cars, Fourth Street, Economic Development
DeKalb Trust & Savings Before the Alterations
Joiner History Room, Sycamore Public Library., DeKalb, East Lincoln Highway and Fourth Street, Railroad Tracks, Burch Jewelers and Clothing, Sherwin Williams Paints Store, Northern Illinois Gas Company, DeKalb Chamber of Commerce, Businesses Next to DeKalb Trust and Savings Bank, DeKalb, Commercial/Business, Financial, Place, Fourth Street, Civil War