1st Courthouse (1839-1849)

  2nd Courthouse (1849-1904)  Present Courthouse (1904-  )

June 21, 1982 - The DeKalb County Public Building Commission signed an agreement with architects to prepare a schematic design for the Courthouse remodeling.

 Marker designating the 1st session DeKalb County Court 1837

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Here is a brief history of the three Courthouses that have served DeKalb County since it was curved out of Kane County in 1837.

The Honorable James E. Boyle of Sycamore is the author of the section concerning the first Courthouse.

The description and history of the second Courthouse has been prepared by Attorney Ronald G. Klein of DeKalb.

Stephen Bigolin of DeKalb, President of the DeKalb County Historical Society, deals with the third and recently remodeled Courthouse. It was originally completed in 1904.

The completion of the remodeling and restoration of the Courthouse in 1987 marks the conclusion of a program to modernize DeKalb County's governmental facilities in downtown Sycamore.

In the early 1970's the DeKalb County Board, under the chairmanship of John Castle, recognized the need for a comprehensive plan for the construction of new correctional and administrative facilities and the remodeling of the existing Courthouse. Thus, the planning process started.

On July 20, 1977, under its new chairman, Jack Norling, a three-phase plan was adopted by the County Board.

The Board's resolution contemplated (1) the construction of a new Public Safety Building to house the Sheriff's force and a new jail; (2) the restructuring of the old jail into an Administration Building to house all non-court related offices, and (3) the remodeling of the Courthouse for the exclusive use of the courts and court-related offices.

The Public Safety Building was finished in 1980 and the Administration Building was completed in 1984.

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