• The Brown Bag Lecture Series is back for 2026!

    The series will kick off on Thursday, February 5 at noon at the Ellwood House Museum. Our guest lecturer, Bill Nicklas, City Manager for the City of DeKalb and historian, will speak on his essay centering the question "what are we celebrating?"

  • This program will be held at the DeKalb County History Center, 1730 North Main Street, Sycamore, IL

    The second Brown Bag Lunch program for 2026 will offer a free presentation on Dr. Letitia Westgate, the first woman doctor, surgeon, chemist, and architect to design, build, and manage a hospital in the United States.

    Denise Moran, author of Dr. Letitia Westgate: Medical Pioneer, will present information and vintage photographs of the physician who opened Sycamore Hospital at the corner of Somonauk and Elm Streets on May 1, 1900. The building, which now houses the DNA Holistic Center, is a contributing structure within the Sycamore Historic District that was established when it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. Copies of the book will be available for purchase during the lecture. She was the first woman doctor in Sycamore and later became the first woman chemist for the city’s health department in Aurora, Illinois.

  • This lecture will be held at the Ellwood House Museum Visitor Center.

    As part of the Brown Bag Lecture Series, Al Roloff of the DeKalb County Forest Preservation District will share the story of the William (Bill) Miller family, detailing the construction of their cabin and the experiences it has undergone over nearly two centuries. Attendees will have the chance to view tools and artifacts from the cabin, highlighting the skills involved in its creation.

  • Description to be updated closer to lecture date.

  • Description to be updated closer to lecture date.

  • Description to be updated closer to lecture date.

  • Description to be updated closer to lecture date.

  • Description to be updated closer to lecture date.

  • Description to be updated closer to lecture date.

  • Description to be updated closer to lecture date.

The “Brown Bag Lunch Lecture Series,” is a series free monthly programs offered in collaboration by the Ellwood House Museum and DeKalb County History Center. Registration is not necessary, and participants are welcome to bring lunch and eat during the program. This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.

In honor of the 250th anniversary of the United States, the 2026 Brown Bag Lunch series topics will focus on commemorating this historic milestone.

Brown Bag Lunch
2026 Lecture Series

The location of the Brown Bag Lecture Series will alternate between the DeKalb County History Center (1730 North Main Street, Sycamore, IL, 60178) and the Ellwood House Museum Visitor Center (420 Linden Place, DeKalb, IL 60115).

Location of each lecture will be indicated in the descriptions.

Presented in partnership with the DeKalb County History Center

Once a month, a knowledgeable speaker will present an hour-long program about history relevant to DeKalb County. All programs are free of charge and open to the public.