Houses in Sycamore Historic District - Other Houses

Other Houses

The Charles O. Boynton House is an 1887 Queen Anne style home which stands along Main Street, north of the DeKalb County Courthouse. Its distinctive red brick facade has aged fairly well and the porch is nearly exactly as it was in the late 19th century. Boynton was a dry goods dealer. On the adjacent property is the Frederick B. Townsend House. The c. 1890 Queen Anne style home was gifted by Charles O. Boynton, father of Mary Townsend, to her and Frederick Townsend for their wedding. Townsend helped found the DeKalb County Farm Bureau and was a native of DeKalb County.

At least two other contributing houses are found south of the Boynton and Townsend Houses. The D. B. James House is a circa 1860 home located on Exchange Street directly behind the DeKalb County Courthouse, it is one of the oldest homes on that block. James was a Sycamore attorney, coincidentally, the house now holds a law office. Along Somonauk Street is another of the district's elegant examples of Queen Anne architecture, the David Syme House. The Somonauk Street house was designed by George Garnsey of Chicago and constructed around 1880.

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