Haish Memorial Library

DeKalb ( dih-KALB) is a city in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. The population was 40,290 at the 2020 census, down from 43,862 at the 2010 census. The city is named after decorated Franconian-French war hero Johann de Kalb, who died during the American Revolutionary War. Founded in 1856, DeKalb became important in the development and manufacture of barbed wire, especially for agriculture and raising livestock. While agricultural-related industries remain a facet of the city, along with health and services, the city's largest employer in the 21st century is Northern Illinois University, founded in 1895. DeKalb is about 65 miles (105 km) from downtown Chicago.

The Ellwood House was built as a private home by barbed wire entrepreneur Isaac Ellwood in 1879. It is located on First Street in DeKalb, Illinois, United States, in DeKalb County. The Victorian style home, designed by George O. Garnsey, underwent remodeling in 1898-1899 and 1911. The house was originally part of 1,000 acres (4.0 km2) which included a large stable complex known as "Ellwood Green." Isaac Ellwood lived here until 1910 when he passed the estate to his son, Perry Ellwood. After Perry Ellwood inherited the home he remodeled the interior and exterior, drastically altering the home's appearance. Thus, the Ellwood House incorporates elements from several architectural styles. In 1964 the home was donated to the city of DeKalb and converted into a museum. The house was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1975. The Ellwood House Museum site contains six structures in addition to the main house. A 50-foot (15 m) tall water tower dominates the west side of the property while a 14-foot (4.3-m) tall miniature Stick style house is located nearer the main house. There is also a Visitor Center, built as an addition to the Perry Ellwood family's original garage, and a museum house that was once used to hold Harriet Ellwood's (Isaac's wife) collection of "curiosities." The property also includes the "Ellwood-Nehring House," the home given to Perry and May Ellwood as a wedding gift in 1898. From 1940 until 2011, the house was privately owned by Paul Nehring, owner of DeKalb's Nehring Electrical Works, and his wife Shirley.

The Egyptian Theatre in DeKalb, Illinois, United States, is an Egyptian Revival theatre that is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The theatre was built in 1928 and 1929 as part of a much larger wave of national fascination with Ancient Egypt throughout the United States, due, in large part, to the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922. The theatre was added to the National Register in 1978 and its 1,430-seat auditorium is currently DeKalb County's largest. The building was designed by architect Elmer F. Behrns, who had an interest in Egyptology. The interior and exterior architecture reflect Egyptian cultural symbols. Stained glass work exhibits designs such as Ra, the Egyptian sun god and the scarab, a sacred Egyptian symbol. The building was nearly demolished in the 1970s but a restoration effort led by Preservation of the Egyptian Theatre (PET) saved the structure. Rumors have long surrounded the DeKalb Egyptian about secret messages allegedly hidden in the architecture and as well as ghost hauntings. While the theater maintains there are no hidden messages in the building the ghost stories have persisted throughout the years. The Egyptian Theatre operates a 42-week season with up to 125 events annually.

The George H. Gurler House or simply, the Gurler House, is a home in DeKalb, Illinois. The home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places to which it was added in 1979. The home was built in 1857 and was occupied by members of George H. Gurler's extended family as early as 1888. Gurler was the co-founder of the Gurler Brothers Creamery. Gurler was also the president of the DeKalb County Farmer's Institute, the predecessor of the American Farm Bureau Federation.

DeKalb station is a former railway station in Downtown DeKalb, Illinois. It served passenger trains of the Chicago and North Western Railway (C&NW) along its main line between Chicago and Omaha. The station was designed by Charles Sumner Frost and Alfred Hoyt Granger in 1891 and closed for passenger service in 1971. The building still stands and is used by the Union Pacific Railroad for offices.

The Andrew O. Anderson House, also known as the A. O. Anderson House, is a Prairie style house in the city of DeKalb, Illinois, United States. The house was designed by American architect John S. Van Bergen around 1913 and built around 1916. Van Bergen designed many Prairie homes and was an associate of famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Throughout its history the Anderson House has been mistaken for a residence designed by Wright. The Anderson House contains many elements common to both Prairie style in general as well as some of Wright's early Prairie designs. The house was constructed for DeKalb clothing merchant Andrew O. Anderson about 14 years after an original house project on the site fell through.

NIU College of Visual and Performing Arts is composed of three schools. The college also administers several university programs including, the NIU Art Museum, the NIU Community School of Arts, and NIU Huskie Marching Band.

Glidden Field was an athletic venue located on the campus of Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois. Opened in 1903, it was the home field of the Northern Illinois Huskies, primarily for football and track and field.

Star Worlds Arcade is an amusement arcade located in DeKalb, Illinois. The arcade held its grand opening on January 11, 1985, in Maple Park, Illinois, USA, with only 18 arcade games. Today, with hundreds of games rotated regularly throughout its game rooms, Star Worlds can be found in DeKalb, Illinois, having moved in 2004 when owner and manager Patrick O'Malley and partner Glenn Thomas needed more space and more customers. Although it is predominantly a video game arcade with a couple of rooms dedicated solely to the Golden Age of Video Arcade Games, it is also a small museum exhibiting a wide variety of collectibles associated with arcade game iconography, home video game consoles and 1980s pop culture in general. Star Worlds was inducted into the Twin Galaxies International Registry of Historic Video Game Arcades by gaming celebrity Walter Day for being one of the last remaining neighborhood arcades still in operation since the 1980s.

NIU College of Engineering and Engineering Technology (NIU CEET) was established in 1985 and offers ABET and ATMAE accredited programs in engineering and engineering technology. The college offers degree programs in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, industrial and systems engineering, engineering technology, and industrial technology.

Northern Illinois University College of Law (NIU Law) is one of four public law schools in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is one of two public law schools in the Chicago area. The College of Law was founded as the Lewis University College of Law in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, in 1975. It became part of Northern Illinois University in August 1979, and in 1982 moved to the DeKalb, Illinois, campus, taking up residence in Swen Parson Hall, the former NIU main library. The College of Law offers the Juris Doctor degree. According to NIU Law's 2019 ABA-required disclosures, 78% of the Class of 2019 obtained full-time, long-term, bar passage-required employment nine months after graduation (76% when excluding sole practitioners). According to the National Association of Law Placement employment report, 93.9% of the NIU Law Class of 2019 were employed as of ten months after graduation.

NIU College of Business (NIU COB) was established in 1961 and is AACSB accredited, the highest quality standard for business schools worldwide.