Historical Timeline

In cooperation with the School District’s new 12-acre South Prairie Elementary School site, an 8-acre park was developed. Now known as Kiwanis Park, this site still offers soccer fields, basketball courts, a playground, a shelter, and a ball diamond.

In 1996, the Park District successfully negotiated with the city of Sycamore to take over the responsibility of the city’s recreation commission and assume their levy for those services. With this 20-year negotiation finalized the District now had its first superintendent of recreation. This allowed the District to make great improvements to the programs and services offered through its Community Center, which was housed in the building that is now the Sycamore Natural History Museum.

In 1979 the Sycamore Park District joined with the DeKalb Park District to create the DeKalb Sycamore Association of Special Recreation (DSASR) to offer recreational opportunities to community members with special needs.

This effort continues today through the Kishwaukee Special Recreation Association and five partner districts: DeKalb Park District, Flagg-Rochelle Park District, Genoa Township Park District, Sandwich Park District, and Sycamore Park District

In 1970 the District ventured into its largest land acquisition to that point. Directly to the east of their oldest site, the Community Park, the 85-acre parcel was originally an airport. Seven acres of frontage property and buildings were traded for 14 acres to the south of the property along the Kishwaukee River to complete the site. In 1975 the District contracted with a professional planner to have a master plan developed for the area. With much community feedback, the outcome is what you see there today, the Sports Complex.

Photo (left): Cover of the Invitation to Sports Complex Dedication
Photo (below): Inside of the Invitation to Sports Complex Dedication

During the Depression, the Work Progress Administration helped employ nearly all of Sycamore’s 125 unemployed to build a pool.

Cost was $21,000. Engineers staked out the approved site for Community Park’s $21,000 concrete swimming pool, the buildings which adjoined and the re-routed gravel drive as the first actual step toward construction. The main pool with a daily capacity reckoned as 400 to 500, was 120 feet long, 50 feet wide and of graded depths with the deepest water at the at the eastern end. (Its bathhouse is now the Sycamore Golf Club Clubhouse and the pool was located to the west where the parking lot is now.)

It extended in an east to west direction with bleachers on the south side. The tank was situated just north of the present gravel-bottom pool which, until the new tank was opened, continued to serve its hundreds of patrons. A bathhouse, with lockers and shower, was located to the north of the main pool. A kiddy pool and bathhouse was next in the series to the north.

The park board, through a bond issue, burnished about $11,000 of the $21,000 necessary for the construction. The Work Relief Administration, approving the project to create employment, provided the rest.

There was no increase in local tax rates and a system of retiring the bonds removed the necessity of taxpayers footing any of the bill.

Photo: Sycamore Pool 1937

Derived from columns from the Sycamore True Republican saved and recorded by the Joiner History Room and the minutes of the Board of Directors of the Sycamore Park District. Articles were condensed and rewritten by Dan Gustafson with the intent to keep them as factual as the original.

Two frame shelters with deep well water where the weary and perspiring golfer went to refresh himself and restore his composure, were erected near greens number 8 and 12 on the Community Park golf course, according to S.M. Henderson, secretary of the park board of directors.

In spite of the terrific heat, the grass was a vivid green and as smooth as velvet. The trees, especially the poplars, were, were seen to good advantage, flowers were blooming, little children in sun suits were running here and there, bright sweaters, socks of the men and the gay berets and sport frocks of the women golfers make colorful moving pictures on the green.

Birds were singing, a gopher darted across the path, a picnic party was starting a fire in the convenient stone stove, a tennis match was beginning, the pool was calling the swimmers and, the Sycamore Community Park is fulfilling its mission.

Derived from columns from the Sycamore True Republican saved and recorded by the Joiner History Room and the minutes of the Board of Directors of the Sycamore Park District. Articles were condensed and rewritten by Dan Gustafson with the intent to keep them as factual as the original.

Construction was under way on the erection of a beautiful stone gateway at the west entrance of the park. The work was sponsored by Sycamore Post No. 99. The American Legion funds were obtained from a carnival sponsored by the legion several months ago. The final addition was the installation of the lights on the pillars on each side of the new stone reentrance.

Derived from columns from the Sycamore True Republican saved and recorded by the Joiner History Room and the minutes of the Board of Directors of the Sycamore Park District. Articles were condensed and rewritten by Dan Gustafson with the intent to keep them as factual as the original.

When plans and work were completed the following year, Sycamore had a modern 18-hole golf course. The land so generously donated by William McAllister, plus seven acres leased from St. Albans, completed plans.

Some time ago, Mr. McAllister bought 36.3 acres of land adjacent to the city park. He said nothing for some time on his intentions for the property. Without fanfare or suggestion from anyone, he made the gift which allowed the expansion to 18 holes.

Derived from columns from the Sycamore True Republican saved and recorded by the Joiner History Room and the minutes of the Board of Directors of the Sycamore Park District. Articles were condensed and rewritten by Dan Gustafson with the intent to keep them as factual as the original.

There were now 95 acres in Sycamore Park. A tract of fine land was to be added to Sycamore Community Park, squaring out the boundary, the unsolicited gift of William M. McAllister.

What was to be made of this most desirable gift had not been decided by the commissioners. It was suggested outside the board that an airplane landing field was needed and golfers suggested that the present 9-hole course be enlarged to an 18-hole course. However, the board wanted improvements, to include the planning of a large number of trees and flowering shrubs around the border and the laying out of drives. A landscape architect engaged to draw plans. It was estimated that Mr. McAllister’s donation of the cottage and real estate were valued at more than $14,000. He had contributed most liberally and unselfishly to many other enterprises for the public good from which he himself could not possible profit financially.

Derived from columns from the Sycamore True Republican saved and recorded by the Joiner History Room and the minutes of the Board of Directors of the Sycamore Park District. Articles were condensed and rewritten by Dan Gustafson with the intent to keep them as factual as the original.

Work on deepening and enlarging the swimming pool at the Sycamore Community Park was in progress. The “peninsula” in front of the McAllister memorial bungalow was already reduced by the use of scapers. This week, contractor Kelly of Rochelle was expected, with his drag line outfit, to begin the work of deepening the pool. A cable to be run across the pool would support a bucket which would dip into the pool and make about two thirds of it much deeper.

The removal in front of the bungalow would about double the size of the pool. The banks were graded so that they would not be so steep and they would be seeded and kept mowed. The gravel and earth removed would be utilized in grading thereabouts. The land immediately surrounding the bungalow had already been graded and seeded.

Photo: Dredging the first “pool”/swimming hole.

Derived from columns from the Sycamore True Republican saved and recorded by the Joiner History Room and the minutes of the Board of Directors of the Sycamore Park District. Articles were condensed and rewritten by Dan Gustafson with the intent to keep them as factual as the original.

The park was officially dedicated on July 16, 1925, in a celebration dubbed Community Day. In addition to tennis matches and golf, planned festivities included a baseball game, a baby buggy parade, a speech by Senator Harold Kessinger, a water carnival, bathing and casting contests, a picnic summer, and an evening dance. Stores and factories closed for a half day as the community came out to enjoy their new public park!

Pictures from Community Day

The park district was to make a golf course at no cost to taxpayers. There were more than 50 subscribers and well toward 200 were expected to join in the movement to provide Sycamore with a public golf course.

A paper was circulated stating that the members of the club proposed to build, equip and maintain a golf course in the Sycamore City Park and these members would pay an annual fee of $10, no other expense being incurred. It was expected by those who were promoting this enterprise, that enough signatures be obtained to enable them to lay out a course and commence playing golf within a few weeks.

D.A. Middleton, who had been circulating the petitions for members, in an interview, said, “Caddies will be trained this season. Few people, not acquainted with the game, realize the amount of money paid out for the hire of caddies. As an illustration, several boys acting as caddies at the Kishwaukee Country Club during the last school vacation period, earned as high as $200 each. Those were exceptionally good caddies, but all of them made considerable money, and there is no reason why the boys of Sycamore cannot earn the same amounts on the Sycamore golf course.” During the campaign for the park, the charge was made that the Sycamore golf players wanted the taxpayers to build a golf course for them.

Photo: Sycamore Golf Club, August 1937

Derived from columns from the Sycamore True Republican saved and recorded by the Joiner History Room and the minutes of the Board of Directors of the Sycamore Park District. Articles were condensed and rewritten by Dan Gustafson with the intent to keep them as factual as the original.

On November 27, 1923, the Sycamore Board of Park Commissioners was elected and the park district was voted to be formed. On Monday, December 3, 1923 Judge Pond in county court canvassed the election returns. A total of 1,500 votes had been cast with 812 being yes and 688 being no.

It had passed by a margin of 8 percent. Judge Pond declared the district duly formed and the following were elected as commissioners: W.M. McAllister, Harold Engh, A.B. Gochenour, Rev. James O’May and A.E. Hammerschmidt. The members of the board took oath of office at the meeting on Wednesday, December 5 and elected W.M. McAllester as president, S.M. Henderson as secretary and Mrs. W.H. (Mertie) Simpson treasure. Lots were drawn to determine who would serve the six, four and two year terms.

It was reported that all members were enthusiastic and anxious to perform their duties to the full extent of their ability. It had been expressed by the voters on the referendum ballot that the park should be located on the east side of town. The board would go into the matter of site within the next few days. After the site had been determined and the cost approximated ascertained, bonds would be issued to pay for the site and some of the improvements.

It was evident from the expressions of the members of the board that trees, a swimming pool, ball diamond and tourists camp would be among the first things to be looked after.

A number of citizens had volunteered to pay the cost of obtaining and setting out a few large trees. It is evident that before the close of the coming year, Sycamore will have made a good start toward a beautiful public park.

Derived from columns from the Sycamore True Republican saved and recorded by the Joiner History Room and the minutes of the Board of Directors of the Sycamore Park District. Articles were condensed and rewritten by Dan Gustafson with the intent to keep them as factual as the original.

The first notice of a mass meeting to be conducted by the park committee was published by the Sycamore Chamber of Commerce. This meeting was open to all, and it was urged that every voter attend and express himself freely and fully. This meeting was called after much discussion and canvassing of public sentiment. It was intended at that meeting to nominate 25 citizens as candidates for park commissioners. The park commissioners would make clear the park law and choose a site for its location. It was noted that the women are just as much interested in this endeavor and that they were cordially invited and made their influence felt. This meeting was at 7:30 on October 11, 1923 in the Lyric Theater.

Derived from columns from the Sycamore True Republican saved and recorded by the Joiner History Room and the minutes of the Board of Directors of the Sycamore Park District. Articles were condensed and rewritten by Dan Gustafson with the intent to keep them as factual as the original.