DeKalb, Illinois
Encyclopedia : D : DE : DEK : DeKalb, Illinois
DeKalb is a city in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. The population was 39,018 at the 2000 census.
History
Founded in 1837, DeKalb remained a small community until the arrival of the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad in 1853. DeKalb's central location brought easier shipping of crops and access to larger markets. Agriculture was the primary economic activity until 1873-4 when farmer Joseph Glidden developed barbed wire and began commercial mass production of his new invention. Glidden sold half of his interest to hardware merchant Isaac L. Ellwood and together the two formed the Barb Fence Company.Two months after Glidden filed his application for a patent, lumber salesman Jacob Haish also applied for a patent and on June 25 1874 ran interference papers against Glidden's patent. After 18 years of legal wrangling, Glidden's patent was declared the "Winner". The industry gave DeKalb a place in history and the nickname "Barb City".
In 1865 H. B. Gurler moved to DeKalb, and later attempted to create high-grade milk. Gurler began shipping his "[Pure Milk]" to Chicago in 1895.
The founding of Northern Illinois State Normal School in 1895 added education to DeKalb's landscape. It later became Northern Illinois University which is known for its law, art, jazz and computer science departments where various people including the voice of Homer Simpson, Dan Castellaneta, attended.
Agriculture again came to the forefront with the creation of the DeKalb County Farm Bureau in 1912, the first organization of its kind. In the 1930s the DeKalb AgResearch Corporation (today MONSANTO) marketed its first hybrid seed corn.
Supermodel Cindy Crawford was born here and graduated as a valedictorian from DeKalb High School in 1984. Actor Richard Jenkins also was born and raised in DeKalb.
Also, 1990's thrash/grind/power violence hardcore band Charles Bronson was formed in DeKalb.
In addition to Castellaneta, the 3-time oscar-nominated actress Joan Allen attended Northern Illinois University. So did Steve Harris, who is perhaps best known for his role of Eugene Young on the television drama "The Practice."
Geography
DeKalb is located at (41.931274, -88.750151)[Geographic references#1GR1].According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 32.7 km² (12.6 mi²). 32.7 km² (12.6 mi²) of it is land and 0.08% is water.
Police department
The DeKalb Illinois police department consists of 60 sworn officers and 17 civilian personnel and is headed by Chief William Feithen. The department offers a combination of vehicle, motorcycle, foot and bicycle patrols.The department is made up of four divisions: Administration, Patrol, Investigations, and Communications. The department is staffed with the Chief of Police, three Lieutenants, six Sergeants, and four Corporals.
Record of police misconduct
The DeKalb police department has come under limited scrutiny in recent years after numerous instances of criminal activity and other misconduct by DeKalb police officers, including:
- DeKalb officer Kurt Biarnesen's arrest for Driving While Intoxicated and other criminal charges stemming from his refusal to cooperate with the arresting officer. Within weeks after his arrest, Biarnesen was promoted to Corporal by Chief William Feithen. (Media reports: [1] | [2] | [3] | [4])
- A citizen was arrested, charged and jailed on by the DeKalb Police on fabricated charges after he attempted to file complaints against DeKalb Police officers for alleged criminal misconduct (Source: [1]). The charges were later dismissed by a DeKalb County Circiut Court judge.
- DeKalb Detective Roger Plant was caught on a gas station surveillance camera as he discreetly pocketed a large sum of money that a customer left behind, and failed to report the finding to either the station manager or his superiors. Detective Plant resigned his position but the department refused to prosecute. (Media reports: [1] | [2])
- A citizen was arrested, charged and jailed after publishing [DeKalbcity.com], a controversial website that detailed alleged criminal activity and criticized the DeKalb Police Department and other city officials. The website included commentary regarding mayor Gregory Sparrow's criminal record which includes a drunk driving conviction. It was later revealed that the citizen was merely a previous owner of the domain name and was not at all responsible for its current content. (Media reports: [1] | [2] | [3])
- Multiple complaints of an [armed police impersonator] with both a mental and criminal history have been filed with the DeKalb police. The department has refused to arrest or charge the individual. The alleged impersonator works as an informant for the DeKalb Police Department. (Source: [1] | [2])
Park facilities
DeKalb has over 44 community facilities. Some of the main parks, golf courses and museum include:- [River Heights Golf Course]
- [Hopkins Park - Pool/Community Center]
- [DeKalb County Forest Preserves]
- [DeKalb Park District]
- [Ellwood House]
Demographics
As of the census[Geographic references#2GR2] of 2000, there were 39,018 people, 13,081 households, and 6,566 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,194.7/km² (3,093.9/mi²). There were 13,619 housing units at an average density of 417.0/km² (1,079.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 79.49% White, 9.08% African American, 0.24% Native American, 4.62% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 4.35% from other races, and 2.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.04% of the population.There were 13,081 households out of which 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.0% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 49.8% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the city the population was spread out with 16.9% under the age of 18, 39.2% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 12.0% from 45 to 64, and 8.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females there were 97.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,153, and the median income for a family was $53,017. Males had a median income of $36,255 versus $26,422 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,261. About 9.0% of families and 21.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.2% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.
Communications and media
Newspapers
- The DeKalb [Daily Chronicle] has been serving the community since 1879.
- The [Northern Star] is a publication by students at NIU.
- [DeKalb County Online] is an online only news and commentary source.
Tv stations
| Registered Name | Link | Format | Network | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Television Center | [link] | Nightly news produced by students at Northern Illinois University. | Comcast Cable |
Radio stations
DeKalb is the home to 7 radio stations.AM Stations
| Registered Name | Call Sign | AM Frequency | Format | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [WLBK] | 1360 | News, sports, weather updates, and interviews with locals | ||
| [NIRIS] | 89.5 | a radio reading service for people with print impairments | NPR | |
| WKDI | 93.5 | progressive rock |
FM Stations
| Registered Name | Call Sign | FM Frequency | Format | Network(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [WNIJ] | 89.5 | NPR and PRI, news, talk, blues | NPR, PRI, BBC, APM | |
| [WNIU] | 90.5 | Classical | ||
| Nine FM | [WDEK] | 92.5 | Freeform | |
| B95 Todays Best Variety | [WDKB] | 94.9 | Adult Contemporary |
Famous attractions, landmarks and areas of interest
- [Ellwood Park & Museum] was built by barbed wire millionaire Isaac L. Ellwood in 1879.
- [Gurler House] is a beautiful example of the Greek Revival Style.
- [The Egyptian Theatre] is a 1929, fully restored, Egyptian Art Deco movie palace. A National Landmark, the Egyptian is home to 15+ local performing arts groups. This is one of the best examples of Egyptian/Art Deco architecture in the country.
- Harley-Davidson Museum exhibits over 65 antique and modern motorcycles, along with memorabilia and vintage clothing. 969 Peace Road, 815-756-4558
- [Altgeld Art Gallery] is located at Northern Illinois University.
- [Blackwell History of Education Museum] is a one-room schoolhouse with displays, workshops and programs available to the public and for scholarly study and research.
- DeKalb Community Labyrinth and Serenity Garden is located in Huntley Park, between South 2nd and South 3rd Streets.
- Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Clock is a World War I memorial originally dedicated in 1921. It is located on the corner of 1st Street and Lincoln Highway.
Schools and Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University (NIU) was founded in DeKalb as the Northern Illinois State Normal School in 1893. NIU is a comprehensive teaching and research institution with a student enrollment of over 25,000.DeKalb has seven Public Elementary (Grades K-4)(includes 110 pre-kindergarten), two Public Middle Schools (Grades 5-8), one Public High School (Grades 9-12), and one Private/Parochial (Grades K-8). Included in these schools are the [Cornerstone Christian Academy], [DeKalb Community Schools] and [St. Mary School].
Events
Transportation
DeKalb forms the western anchor of the I-88 corridor. It is only 30 minutes away from Aurora and Naperville, and 65 miles from downtown Chicago and O'Hare International Airport.Airport
[DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport] (DTMA), serving the general aviation community, is located at 3232 Pleasant Street, DeKalb, Illinois.Mass transit
The City of DeKalb [Green Line Bus Service], operated by TransVac, runs on Monday-Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.The NIU Student Association operates the HuskieLine. There a number of routes serving campus and the DeKalb community. A popular route, the #7, provides service to shopping and dining on Sycamore Rd. This service is free to students with a valid NIU ID. The public can ride the HuskieLine for a fifty-cent fare.
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