DeKalb County Courthouse (Illinois)

DeKalb County Courthouse
Southern side
DeKalb County Courthouse (Illinois) is located in Illinois
DeKalb County Courthouse (Illinois)
Map
Interactive map showing the location for DeKalb County Courthouse
LocationSycamore, DeKalb County, Illinois, U.S.
Coordinates41°59′20.8284″N 88°41′6.4494″W / 41.989119000°N 88.685124833°W / 41.989119000; -88.685124833
Built1905; 119 years ago (1905)
ArchitectHerbert T. Hazelton (Watson & Hazelton)[2]
Architectural styleNlassical
Part ofSycamore Historic District (ID78003104[1])
Added to NRHPMay 2, 1978[1]

The DeKalb County Courthouse is located in the county seat of DeKalb County, Illinois, U.S., the city of Sycamore. The Classical Revival structure sits on a square facing Illinois Route 64 as it passes through the city. The current courthouse was constructed in 1905 amid controversy over where the courthouse and thus, ultimately, the county seat would be located.[3] The current building is the third structure to bear the name "DeKalb County Courthouse." DeKalb County's Courthouse still serves as the county's primary judicial center and is a contributing property to the Sycamore Historic District. The district joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. As the county's primary courthouse for over 100 years, the site has been host to many trials, including prominent murder cases.

The building is cast in the Classical Revival architectural style and contains elements common to that style. Stained glass, columns and a pediment are among the more noticeable features at a glance. The rear facade of the building is designed to resemble a temple and also features stained glass windows. A stone porte-cochere covers the rear driveway. Inside the building's third floor courtroom is more stained glass, in the form of a skylight. During the early 1980s the made-for-television movie Will: G. Gordon Liddy filmed scenes in the DeKalb County Courthouse's courtroom.[4]

  1. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. ^ National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form, (PDF), Sycamore Historic District, HAARGIS Database, Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Retrieved January 29, 2007.
  3. ^ Klein, Ron and McIntyre, Mac. "Looking Back at the DeKalb County Courthouse", DeKalb County Online. Retrieved January 13, 2007. Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference court was invoked but never defined (see the help page).