WSQR

The Sycamore Public Library, in Sycamore, Illinois, was erected in 1905 in the former location of Mansion House, Sycamore's oldest structure. Construction began in May of that year and the library officially opened to the public on Thanksgiving Day, 1905. The library joined the National Register of Historic Places in May 1978 with the rest of the Sycamore Historic District. The library still operates, as of 2019, as the Sycamore library. The library was erected with the help of a $10,000 grant from Andrew Carnegie in 1905.

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. 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.

The Sycamore Historic District is a meandering area encompassing 99 acres (400,000 m2) of the land in and around the downtown of the DeKalb County, Illinois county seat, Sycamore. The area includes historic buildings and a number of historical and Victorian homes. Some significant structures are among those located within the Historic District including the DeKalb County Courthouse and the Sycamore Public Library. The district has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since May 2, 1978. There are over 200 properties within the irregular boundaries of the Sycamore Historic District. Of those, 187 are considered contributing properties to the historic district, and 22 are non-contributing. Of all of the district's homes and buildings 75% fit within the historic district concept. Some of the major structures include several prominent Queen Anne style mansions, the Sycamore library, the DeKalb County Courthouse, and dozens of mid- to late 19th-century houses.

Maria Elizabeth Ridulph (March 12, 1950 – c. December 1957) was a seven-year-old girl who disappeared from Sycamore, Illinois, on December 3, 1957. Her remains were found almost five months later in a wooded area near Woodbine, Illinois, approximately 90 miles (140 km) from her home. Maria was last seen by her friend on her neighborhood corner of Center Cross Street and Archie Place with an unknown man in his early twenties who called himself "Johnny".The case, which was well known in the Chicago area, was one of the oldest cold case murders in the United States to be presumably solved. Jack McCullough, who under his former name John Tessier had been a neighbor of the Ridulph family, was convicted for her murder in September 2012. However, in March 2016, the DeKalb County State's Attorney announced that a post-conviction review of available evidence showed McCullough could not have been present at the place and time of Maria Ridulph's likely abduction. McCullough was released from prison on April 15, 2016, and the charges against him were dismissed on April 22, 2016. McCullough was declared innocent of the crime by the DeKalb County Circuit Court on April 12, 2017.

The Charles O. Boynton Carriage House is a prominent structure in the Sycamore Historic District, located in Sycamore, Illinois. The Sycamore Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The Carriage House is considered one of more than 150 contributing properties to the overall historic integrity of the district.

The Carlos Lattin House was built by Sycamore, Illinois' first permanent settler, Carlos Lattin. It lies within the boundaries of the Sycamore Historic District and is listed as one of the contributing structures in the district. The Sycamore Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

The George's Block, once known as the James Block, is a 19th-century structure located in Sycamore, Illinois, along Illinois Route 64 (State Street) as it passes through the DeKalb County seat. The Block is part of the Sycamore Historic District and as such is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The district joined the Register in May 1978. The building dates from 1857 when it was owned by Daniel P. James but by the 1860s the building has become known as George's Block.

The Peter Johnsen Rooming House is an historic building near downtown Sycamore, Illinois. The red brick structure stands in the 100 block of South Main Street and is considered a contributing structure to the overall historic integrity of the Sycamore Historic District. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in May 1978.

The William W. Marsh House in Sycamore, Illinois, the county seat of DeKalb County, has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1978. The 1873 house was home to William W. Marsh, an inventor and is located along Illinois Route 64 as it passes through Sycamore. The Marsh House was built in the Italianate style and contains distinctive Italianate elements such as a cupola, a low pitched roof and eaves supported by corbels.

The D. B. James House is located in Sycamore, Illinois and is part of the Sycamore Historic District. The district was entered on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The James House is one of 226 properties located within the district boundaries. It stands on the corner of Exchange and Main Streets behind the DeKalb County Courthouse.

The Row Houses in Sycamore, Illinois are a small collection of historic terraced homes near the city's downtown. The building is considered by the National Register of Historic Places to be a contributing structure to the overall historic nature of the Sycamore Historic District. The district was added to the Register in May 1978. The buildings stand on the corner of Elm and California Streets in Sycamore.

The Frederick B. Townsend House is located in the DeKalb County, Illinois county seat of Sycamore. The home is within the boundaries of the Sycamore Historic District. The district was designated and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in May 1978. The Queen Anne style home was designed and constructed in 1890 or 1892 by the same architect and general contractor responsible for Altgeld Hall at Northern Illinois University and the nearby DeKalb County Courthouse, as well as the courthouse in Lee County.