A colorful past Kishwaukee River

the kishwaukee river has been exploited, negatively , positively, humans thousands of years. 1 of more colorful interactions in past occurred in city of dekalb , surrounds story of northern illinois university locating in city.

in 1893 new illinois governor took office, john p. altgeld. altgeld had run on platform included adding more teacher colleges state, in northern illinois. altgeld, democrat, faced considerable opposition plan in republican controlled illinois general assembly. in order spur plan ahead clinton rosette, publisher of local dekalb newspaper began put pressure on altgeld fulfill promises. then, isaac ellwood tossed hat foray. barbed wire baron used influence, republican, press state legislature, bill drafted , introduced build state teacher s college somewhere in northern illinois.

as imagined many communities vying new college after bill became law on may 22, 1895. delegates rockford, freeport, oregon, dixon, fulton , polo began lobbying selection committee new college come towns. every 1 of communities in running new college river town. rockford, oregon , polo each had scenic rock river inticement new college. fulton had mississippi river. dekalb had kishwaukee river, practically creek compared rock and, of course, mississippi. in july 1895 selection committee, included judge a.a. goodrich of chicago, visited each of communities in running.

ellwood noticed how impressed committee rock river arranged dekalb last community visited. selection committee decided take weekend rest , visit dekalb on monday. city had weekend prepare. happened next described deceit, skulduggery, or pulling wool over.

julys in northern illinois hot , dry , kishwaukee river little more trickle @ times, @ least water levels extremely low. dekalb had plan though. residents of city agreed go without water weekend , 2 dams constructed on kishwaukee. every member of community turned out dredge mud in key locations , replace gravel , pebbles.

the selection committee began inspection tour on monday morning. committee , ellwood crossed bridge on became lincoln highway dam released giving impression of full, scenic river. committee crossed bridge lone fisherman in boat near bridge happened catch rather large fish in plain sight of committee. impressed, committee took note of stringer of large fish attached boat. ellwood completed ruse, remarking, kish has provided supply of fish.

of course, other communities trying attract become northern illinois university not impressed. july 1895 editorial in oregon republican complained, fish came unknown, looked haggard , footsore, had tramped long distance. there talk of stocking kish salt-cured cod. stand pressure right in either wet or dry season. committee paid no mind , dekalb accepted finalist host site new college. on july 15 each of finalist communities made pitch goodrich in chicago.

if river not enough other prominent dekalbians offered own incentives college come small city of 5,000. jacob haish offered donate $100,000 college library , ellwood offered $30,000 donation build housing adjacent campus. joseph glidden, of barbed wire barons of dekalb, offered donate 70 acres (280,000 m) of land college. city of dekalb offered sewer, water , road connections.

on oct. 1, 1895 news reached dekalb had been selected site new college. celebration exploded fireworks , factory horns blaring , flags waving every structure.