Chicago and Northwestern Depot
Also known as: ITT - Holub Industries Warehouse
Why it's listed
Built around 1865, this brick depot in Sycamore, Illinois, served a railroad that townspeople created for themselves. When the Chicago and Northwestern main line passed through Cortland and DeKalb rather than Sycamore, local leaders chartered the Sycamore, Cortland and Chicago Railroad and financed four miles of track, completed by 1855. Early on the cars were pulled by mule. By the mid-1860s the line could afford an engine and this combined passenger and freight station. The two-story passenger section has Italianate features, including tall four-over-four windows, stone segmental-arch hoods with keystones, and a steeply pitched hip roof. It resembles the homes of the line's promoters more than a standard railroad depot and lacks a platform roof. A one-story freight wing stands to the north. The Chicago and Northwestern did not acquire the building until 1883. The railroad is credited with helping industries such as the Marsh Harvester Company develop in Sycamore. The building is now used as a warehouse.
Significance in brief: The depot is locally significant for its link to Sycamore's response to being bypassed by the main rail line, when local leaders financed their own branch railroad. The branch line helped the town grow industrially. Its design also resembles fashionable local homes more than the mass-produced railroad depots of its day.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 78003101, listed December 8, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Sacramento and DeKalb Sts., Sycamore |
|---|---|
| County | DeKalb County |
| Listed | December 8, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78003101 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | -1865 |
| Architectural style | Italianate details |
| Areas of significance | Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as in good condition and described as retaining virtually its original appearance; the form lists present use as a warehouse. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.98792, -88.69016 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 78003101.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5095871
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.