Gurler House

Bea Gurler was nine years old when her father George moved his family into the house in 1893. Her cousins, the children of her father’s brother Henry, had been living since 1888 in the Ellwood Mansion. Everyone said it was magnificent. Bea’s parents George and Zillah, evidently shared a taste in homes that favored the elegance of simplicity. It was the unimposing yet dignified structure on Pine Street–where the back door was always open. George and Henry Gurler were both prominent businessmen, and joint owners of a number of dairies. They quickly became world-famous and respected by many dairy farmers. Bea eventually made it a goal of hers to renovate The Gurler House to be the home that she once new and loved. The Gurler House hosts an annual Folk Music Festival every summer, where people are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets to enjoy the music. While you are at The Gurler House, make sure to take a walk through their beautiful garden.

CITY: DeKalb

Pierce Harley-Davidson Museum

Over 65 antique and modern motorcycles are on display, along with memorabilia and vintage clothing.

CITY: DeKalb

Egyptian Theatre

The Egyptian Theatre hosts film festivals, special movie screenings, and live entertainment events. This theatre is a 1929, fully restored Egyptian Art Deco movie palace and is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. The Egyptian is also available for rentals, tours, weddings, graduations, parties and receptions. Capacity: 1,419 Raised stage with dressing room below; balcony and lobby space.

CITY: DeKalb

Sandwich City Hall and Opera House

On August 20, 1878, 25 years after Sandwich first became a town, a contract was signed for construction of the Sandwich City Hall and Opera House. An allotment of $10,000 was given for the project, with the stipulation that it must be completed by the end of the year. The building was finished on time, but there was a cost overrun of $2,000 After much time, money and energy by volunteers to restore and renovate the City Hall and Opera House, a grand re-opening was held on April 12, 1986. Once again the building functions as a community oriented facility, bringing community theatre, lectures, recitals, style shows, weddings and a wide variety of outstanding performers, ranging from country to classical, to its stage.

CITY: Sandwich

The Farnsworth House Estate

Master architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created the ultimate minimalist masterpiece, the Farnsworth House, in pastoral Plano. The stellar structure of floor-to-ceiling glass seemingly "floats" above the rambling Fox River.

CITY: Plano

Amish Ways Country Store

Quilts, crafts, florals, pottery, jams, jellies, popcorn, seasonal items and more. Christmas walk 1st weekend Nov.

CITY: Paw Paw

Northern Illinois University

Come tour the Northern Illinois University, catch a show preformed by their Theatre or Dance department, or explore one of their Art Galleries. There is much to do on campus including their new Anthropology Museum, an Observatory, and the Huskies Den. Their Museums are free to visit, some fees may apply for shows or School of Music Concerts. There is never a dull moment on campus!

CITY: DeKalb

H.I. Lincoln Store

Two-story stone building built in 1860 by Abe Lincoln's cousin. Restored dry goods store houses a consignment shop featuring local artisans. Also national headquarters for the Lincoln Highway Assn.

CITY: Franklin Grove

Arterial Arts Collective

A public, gallery-style market place where local shopers and clients can experience unique local works by unique local artists. DeKalb has a vibrant, outstanding art community that needs and deserves more of a public spotlight. Arterial Arts Collective gives these artists just that. The AAC also offers unique classroom/workroom for artists to take full advantage of the public eye and generate live interest in their creative endeavors!

CITY: DeKalb

Ewe and Me Fiber Studio

Ewe and Me Fiber Studio offers their shoppers great gift ideas, accessories, classes, knitting groups, patterns, and yarn.

CITY: Sandwich

Hume Carnegie Museum

Wild Bill Hickok, extensive photographic collection, memorabilia of yesteryear, and special exhibits.

CITY: Mendota

Atwood Park War Memorial

The memorials here are a tribute to veterans of the Vietnam War, Korean War, Gulf War and World War II. The war memorials are the only ones built in the U.S. by youth, constructed by Boy Scouts of Troop 312 Rochelle as Eagle Projects.

CITY: Rochelle

Krafty Korner - Located inside R & D Do It Best Hardware

Unique gift items including, paintings from Spain, tractor collectables, yard art, candles, glass work, specialty items, and hard-to-find gift ideas.

CITY: Rochelle

Lincoln Highway Seedling Mile and Interpretive Gazebo

Malta is home to the "first seedling mile" on the Lincoln Highway. As one of the 16 Interpretive Gazebos located along the Lincoln Highway, the Malta gazebo offers a unique way for visitors to enjoy stories of the early Lincoln Highway and its Illinois communities.

CITY: Malta

Joiner History Room

The Joiner History Room is a cooperative effort of the DeKalb County Board, the County Judiciary, the County Clerk’s Office, the County Facilities Management Office, Sycamore Library and DeKalb County Citizens concerned with safeguarding their historical documents. The Joiner History Room is an archives that has many items of museum quality. Our historical materials date back to the hand written minutes of the first session of the County Commissioners in 1837. As there has never been a fire to destroy any of the county valuable historical files, they have been meticulously preserved to meet the needs of today’s researchers. The collection includes Civil War papers, newspaper files, old photographs and numerous boxes of manuscript materials.

CITY: Sycamore

Amboy Depot Museum

Built in 1876, this 19-room museum, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was the division headquarters for Illinois Central Railroad. The museum showcases local artifacts from Amboy and the surrounding area.

CITY: Amboy

Air Classics Museum of Aviation

Vintage military and training planes, plus displays of aviation uniforms and memorabilia. Open by appointment only.

CITY: Sugar Grove

Franklin Creek Preservation Area

Franklin Creek Grist Mill, 1893 Twist Road off Old Mill Road, Franklin Grove. Covered wagon tours. Interpretive Center.

CITY: Franklin Grove

Lincoln Highway Interpretive Mural -- DeKalb

The Illinois Lincoln Highway Coalition has produced many Interpretive Murals along the Illinois Lincoln Highway National Scenic Byway and its corridor in northern Illinois. The DeKalb mural depicts the history, heritage, and events of the highway and its impact on DeKalb and the other communities along the Illinois route.

CITY: DeKalb

The Old Barn Museum

Housed in an original 1840s barn, this museum features thousands of Native American artifacts, including arrows, axes, drills, stone implements, trade beads, beaded garments and natural history items.

CITY: Newark

Ellwood House Museum

Perhaps the most notable of historic gems in DeKalb. This grand Victorian mansion was built by barbed wire millionaire Isaac Ellwood. Looks just as it did when the family lived there.

CITY: DeKalb

Lincoln Highway Interpretive Mural - Genoa

The Illinois Lincoln Highway Coalition has produced many Interpretive Murals along the Illinois Lincoln Highway National Scenic Byway and its corridor in northern Illinois. The Genoa mural depicts the history, heritage, and events of the highway and its impact on Genoa and the other communities along the Illinois route.

CITY: Genoa

Kishwaukee Valley Heritage Society

In 1977, the Kishwaukee Valley Heritage Society was formed to bring together area people who had an interest in local and regional history and its preservation.

CITY: Genoa

Kendall County Historical Society's Heritage Hall & Chapel on the Green

Dating back to 1855, the chapel is Kendall County's oldest church building, adorned with stained glass windows and a restored 1899 pipe organ. The adjacent hall houses local artifacts, including photographs and clothing.

CITY: Yorkville

Farnsworth House

Master architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created the ultimate minimalist masterpiece, the Farnsworth House, in pastoral Plano in 1951. The stellar structure of floor-to-ceiling glass seemingly "floats" above the rambling Fox River.

CITY: Plano

The Carving Shop

The Carving Shop features the work of Joe Dillet, Master Craftsman, and specializes in custom hand carved heirlooms for the family, church and architectural carvings. We work from your designs, or ours, to create an awesome look that only hand carving can achieve. All wood is seasoned. All work is protected with a finish that will last many years. All work is guaranteed.

CITY: Somonauk

The Yarn Exchange

Bring your needle work and share, or get inspiration on your current or next project! The Yarn Exchange offers "Yarn Geeks Round Table", open knitting/crocheting every Saturday from 10:30am-5:30pm. They also carry a variety of yarns available for purchase such as: acrylic, alpaca, cotton, wool, worsted, and more. The Yarn Exchange also has a variety of needles and tools for the beginner or professional knitter/crocheter. Gift Certificates available.

CITY: DeKalb

Unique Embroidery

Embroidery on shirts, caps, bags, etc.

CITY: Franklin Grove

Marie Olmstead Museum

Described as "a hidden gem" of local cultural, natural and prehistoric history for lower DeKalb and upper LaSalle Counties. Three rooms comprising some 5,000 square feet packed full of artifacts and antiques that could be featured on "Antiques Raodshow". One of the "must-sees" is a 32-round flitlock rifle reportedly presented to Chief Shabbona at the signing of the peace treaty at Prairie du Chien in 1829. A favorite of the youngsters to see while visiting the museum is a stuffed, two-headed calf.

CITY: Somonauk

Country Mill Square - Waterman

Gifts and antiques. Cards, gifts, and country furniture built and hand-painted by local artisans. Christmas room, baskets, candles, throws, collectible dolls, pottery, and more. We buy antiques.

CITY: Waterman

Joseph F. Glidden Homestead and Historical Center

Built in 1861, the house and brick barn were constructed for local farmer and barbed wire inventor Joseph Glidden. The Illinois State Historical Society has commemorated the barn as the birthplace of barbed wire.

CITY: DeKalb

The Nehring Gallery

The Nehring Gallery is a space within DeKalb dedicated to promoting arts and culture. It is currently the home of the DeKalb Area Agricultural Heritage Association, an organization dedicated to preserving and sharing the storied history of agriculture in northern Illinois, through exhibits, educational programs and community outreach. Visit their website to see what exhibit is on display today!

CITY: DeKalb

Lincoln Highway Interpretive Mural -- Malta

The Illinois Lincoln Highway Coalition has produced Interpretive Murals along the Illinois Lincoln Highway National Scenic Byway and its corridor in northern Illinois. The Malta mural depicts the history, heritage, and events of the highway and its impact in Malta and on the communities in Illinois.

CITY: Malta

Opera House of Sandwich

The Opera House functions as a community oriented facility. It brings to its stage: theatre, lectures, recitals, weddings and a wide variety of outstanding performers, ranging from country to classical.

CITY: Sandwich

Midwest Museum of Natural History

The mission of the Midwest Museum of Natural History is to encourage an appreciation of the world's diverse natural environment and human culture through exhibits and interactive learning experiences for children and adults. Offering a kid's play area with hands-on learning fun, a gift shop, national traveling exhibits, and world-renowned celebrities Ruud Kleinpaste, Jack Hanna and Jeff Corwin.

CITY: Sycamore

Lincoln Highway Interpretive Mural - Cortland

The Illinois Lincoln Highway Coalition has produced many Interpretive Murals along the Illinois Lincoln Highway National Scenic Byway and its corridor in northern Illinois. The Cortland mural depicts the history, heritage, and events of the highway and its impact on Cortland and the other communities along the Illinois route.

CITY: Cortland

NIU Anthropology Museum

The Anthropology Museum houses over 12,000 ethnographic and archaeological objects. The ethnographic collection has regional strengths in Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and the plains and southwest regions of North America. Ethnographic specimens from Africa, Mesoamerica, and South America are also represented.

CITY: DeKalb

NIU Art Museum

The Museum serves to educate, preserve, exhibit and enlighten by balancing the challenges of contemporary art with the riches of traditional media for a comprehensive examination of visual culture. The Museum pursues its goal of furthering understanding of the visual arts by presenting a balance of high-quality, professional contemporary art exhibitions supplemented by written educational material, gallery talks, artist lectures, panel discussions, symposia and other related activities.

CITY: DeKalb

Mendota Hills Wind Farm

The largest commercial wind farm in Illinois features 63 towering windmills that are an awesome sight to see, and generate an alternative source of electric power.

CITY: Paw Paw

Stage Coach Theatre

Stage Coach Theatre is one of the oldest, continuously operating community theatres in Northern Illinois. They have produced over 250 dramas, comedies, and "whodunit" productions, and produce six new shows every year.

CITY: DeKalb