SYCAMORE – The DeKalb County History Center was recently awarded a $100,000 grant from the DeKalb County Community Foundation’s Community Needs Grants Program.
The grant will support the History Center’s campus expansion project.
The project includes repurposing the history center’s corn shed to create an event space for speakers and performers. The renovation will also include outdoor seating, a pavilion area and a walking trail with interactive panels about agricultural history. The history center will also add parking for visitors. The project is expected to begin later this year and be completed in 2025.
“We are thrilled that the DeKalb County Community Foundation has generously supported this project,” DeKalb County History Center Executive Director Michelle Donahoe said in a news release. “Having both the State of Illinois and the Community Foundation backing our vision gives us added credibility as we continue our fundraising efforts. The History Center truly sees this vision as a way to promote the agricultural history of DeKalb County and use innovative ideas to share local history and bring tourists to the area.”
The project was developed in partnership with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Tourism Division. The history center also received a $500,000 Festivals and Attractions COVID-19 Tourism Grant donation.
For more information, call 815-895-5762 or email info@dekalbcountyhistory.org.
