Historic buildings, landmarks, and vanished sites that help tell the story of Sandwich and the surrounding countryside.

• Main Street in Transition
  A single Main Street photograph opened the door to a larger story , how Sandwich evolved from a town of wagons, blacksmiths, and carriage shops into an automobile-age downtown filled with garages, theaters, and modern commerce.
• The Kleinsmid Mansion
  One of Sandwich’s most distinctive historic homes, the Kleinsmid Mansion was built between 1865 and 1875 as a symbol of wealth and ambition. Over time, it would evolve with the town itself, shifting from a grand private residence to apartments, and eventually becoming a preserved piece of local history.
• Life at Oak Ridge: Growing Up in the Cemetery
  From its earliest burials in the 1830s to memories of families who lived and worked among its graves, Oak Ridge Cemetery is more than a resting place, it’s part of Sandwich’s living history. First hand recollections reveal what daily life was like behind the gates.
• Community Life at Franks Corners
  The United Presbyterian Church at Franks was more than a place of worship, it was the center of community life, where neighbors gathered for celebrations, performances, and shared traditions along the old Chicago–Galena Road.
• From Freeland to Oak Ridge: The Movement of a Community Cemetery
  As burial practices changed in the late 1800s, remains from earlier sites like the Freeland cemetery were relocated to Oak Ridge, consolidating Sandwich’s scattered burial grounds into one.
• Oak Ridge Cemetery (1879 and the Making of a Community Burial Ground)
  Oak Ridge Cemetery began as a family burial ground on the Harmon farm in 1836, decades before its formal establishment, growing into Sandwich’s primary place of remembrance.
• Early Churches of Freeland and Sandwich
  Early religious gatherings began in homes near Freeland and along Somonauk Creek before congregations moved to Sandwich in the 1850s, tracing the shift of community life from scattered settlements to a growing village center.
• Freeland Post Office and Early Mail Routes
  Established in 1837 as the Somonauk Post Office and later renamed Freeland, this early mail stop served settlers along Chicago Road until its closure in 1886 as nearby railroad towns reshaped communication and travel.
• The Lost Cemetery at Freeland
  A small cemetery once marked the Freeland community along Chicago Road. Established in 1879 and later cleared, its graves were removed and the land returned to use, leaving no visible trace today.
• Freeland, Illinois: The Community Before Sandwich
  Freeland was one of the area’s earliest communities, home to a post office, school, and cemetery, before gradually fading as Sandwich rose, leaving behind little more than its place in local history.
• “Mr. Douglas”: A Familiar Sight Over Sandwich
  A Douglas DC-3 known as “Mr. Douglas” became a familiar sight over Sandwich, carrying skydivers aloft and leaving a lasting impression on those who remember the airport’s busiest years.
• Skydive Sandwich Brings a New Kind of Flight to Town
  In the 1980s, Skydive Sandwich turned the local airport into a weekend spectacle, with parachutes drifting over town and drawing crowds to watch a different kind of flight.
• Sandwich Airport
  From air shows and fly-ins to skydivers drifting over town, the Sandwich Airport was once a lively gathering place, where aviation met community life on the edge of Sandwich.
• Bob Hope Draws Thousands to Sandwich Airport July 20, 1969
  On July 20, 1969, thousands gathered at Sandwich Airport to see Bob Hope, and later that evening, the world would witness the first steps on the moon.
• Franks: An Early Settlement Along Somonauk Creek
  Franks, Illinois traces back to Somonauk Crossing, a small settlement along the Chicago–Galena Road as early as 1834. Long before Sandwich and Somonauk,, this crossing on Somonauk Creek served travelers, settlers, and early mail routes.
• Building a Home in Early Sandwich
  A rare sequence shows a Sandwich home rising from foundation to frame, captured step by step, preserving the work, care, and process behind building a house more than a century ago.
• Hose Co. #2
  Small fire station on Center street dates back to the late 1800’s
• Hummel Building
  Home to J. M. Hummel’s large agricultural and machinery business, this multi-story building served as both commercial hub and community gathering place in early Sandwich.
• Marcy Block (1894)
  Built in 1894 on Main Street, the Marcy Block replaced earlier wooden storefronts owned by A. A. Marcy and became a center of retail shops, professional offices, and small industry, including a pharmacy, barber shop, and cigar factory.
• Kleinsmid Block (Main & RR Streets)
  One of the earliest brick commercial buildings in Sandwich, the Kleinsmid Block anchored the southeast corner of Main and Railroad Streets after 1864, reflecting the town’s transition from a frontier settlement of wooden stores to a permanent downtown business district.
• Sandwich Opera House (City Hall)
  Completed in 1878 and dedicated in 1879, the Sandwich Opera House served as the city’s civic and cultural center. City government, the fire department, and a large assembly hall operated within the building, hosting plays, lectures, school programs, and major community gatherings for generations.
• Veterans Park
  Veterans Park in downtown Sandwich features a gazebo dedicated in 1978 to Park District board member Virginia Hood. The park hosts community events and includes memorials honoring local veterans, including a memorial stone, commemorative bench, and historic streetlight.
• Davis Lake
  Once located southwest of Sandwich, Davis Lake was a broad, shallow body of water tied to early settler William Davis and the surrounding farm community. Today little remains, but its story reflects the changing landscape of early Sandwich.
• Asbury
  About two miles south of Sandwich once stood the small settlement of Asbury. Now vanished from the landscape, the forgotten village survives only in scattered records and local memory of DeKalb County’s earliest communities.
• The Wallace Block
  Standing at 102 E Railroad St, the Wallace Block became a cornerstone of Sandwich’s commercial district. Built during the town’s early growth, the building housed generations of businesses that helped shape downtown Sandwich.
• The House on Third Street
  One of Sandwich’s most striking historic homes, the brick residence on Third Street reflects the craftsmanship and prosperity of the late nineteenth century and remains one of the city’s most recognizable historic houses.
• The Stone Mill of Sandwich
  Built in 1856 on land donated by Almon Gage, the Stone Mill began as a steam-powered gristmill that served Sandwich’s early farmers. Today the limestone landmark survives as the Stone Mill Museum.