Sycamore Historical Society & Museum Past Programs

On Saturday, April 12, 2008, the Sycamore Historical Society and Museum showcased six historic churches with both guided tours and self tours. Steeples of Sycamore, the first tour of its kind in Sycamore, featured St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Sycamore Baptist Church, The Church of St. Mary Catholic Church, North Avenue Baptist Church, Sycamore United Methodist Church, and The Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. John.

It may come as a surprise to many people, but there was a Prisoner of War Camp in Sycamore during World War II. The camp held about 300 prisoners who lived in tents along South Ave.. Many of the prisoners worked at the Sycamore Preserve Works on Park Avenue, or on local farms.

Sycamore’s POW camp was a branch of the larger Camp Grant based in Rockford. It opened in 1945. Community meetings were held before their arrival to address community concerns. The prisoners were not only seen marching to the factory, but also to the Pantry Restaurant because there was not a mess hall at the barracks. This meant the prisoners marched into downtown Sycamore twice a day for lunch and dinner.

“World War II is an important part of American history. To be able to explore this within a local context – how World War II affected Sycamore – is very interesting. We are lucky to still have several residents who still remember this part of Sycamore history,” explained Michelle Donahoe, executive director. Martha Wetzel and Connie Wallin are two of the speakers who will be sharing their recollections of the POW camp.

Photo: Sycamore POW camp building

“An Evening with the Lincolns” featured Max and Donna Daniels. The Daniels have performed as Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln at the Discover Theater at the Smithsonian Institute, and the Lincoln Presidential Library, as well as appearing on C-SPAN and ABC. The event was held at the Sycamore High School.

“The dinner was a great success! Over 175 people attended the sold out event. Tom Oestriecher was the MC for the evening, and he did a great job warming up the crowd for this enjoyable evening. He even brought hard tack for each table to taste.

The Generals did a fabulous job of telling the story of the days that lead up to Appomattox. Everyone also had a good time during the press conference that took place after the presentation. We could have been there all night!”

Michelle Donahoe, Executive Director

Sycamore has a long standing tradition on being an important agricultural community. Bill Lenschow shared stories related to the Farmer’s Club on Thursday, October 4, at the Sycamore Historical Society’s Brown Bag lunch.

The Farmer’s Club was established in the early 1900s. They met to share knowledge about farming, as well as to compete during annual fairs. Many of Sycamore’s early leaders were closely involved with the Farmer’s Club and their activities.

Photo: Ribbon from the Midwinter Fair sponsored by the Farmer’s Club

Over the years, the Annual Elmwood Heritage Cemetery Walk has featured a wide variety of people who have all played a part in shaping Sycamore’s history. The stories of men, women and even children have been shared. Some people are more famous than others, but not necessarily more important. Each presenter helps us “hear” these voices from the past and discover something new about our community, and realize we all are all part of Sycamore’s history.

This year, visitors heard about Carlos Lattin, Sycamore’s founder; Jesse Kellogg, Underground Railroad participant; James E. Ellwood, local merchant and businessman; and Dr. O.M. Bryan, early Sycamore doctor. The history of Elmwood Cemetery was also presented.

The Cemetery Walk was Sunday, October 7.