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Chris, congratulations. I was there 3 years ago and 5 years ago. it was a wonderful time. I love that city. people are wonderful and very friendly. corn is tasty. winter is beautiful. really thanks for that video for my memories. Greetings from Venezuela. Really good production vídeo.
NOTE: For Census purposes, most students are counted in their home communities, not their college communities. Thus, while a college/university may seem to be the most important part of a city, the 15,000+ students at NIU are dwarfed by the 40,000+ residents of DeKalb which has other reasons for being there, especially including the manufacturing on the east side of town (your "interesting streetscape").
Pretty cool seeing my hometown again! Thank you for taking my advice, I didn't expect to see my name in it! Lol! Like I said before, it used to be a great little college town, until they tore down Cabrini Green, and moved everyone into the University Village, and surrounding apartment complexes! Now there's daily shootings, crime is crazy, and that's just sad!!!!
Unfortunately this is a racist and unfounded answer. There were a lot of ways in which DeKalb's leadership failed its constituents including being ill-prepared for westward migration from the Chicagoland area.
Went to school there when Saturday Night Fever was newly released at the Egyptian Theater. I live close by now and reminisce when downtown had much more bars. Kudos, NT to the side-view camera work!
@NickVargas. I ended up out by sterling area in a tiny town where nothing exists and crime rate is up out here too. Everyone is corrupt 🙄 looking to move again.
@@beautifulfierysoul Ah that sucks unfortunately I'm still stuck here in Dekalb been here for years but looking to permanently move out of Illinois or maybe to some town here in Illinois that isn't so dry like Dekalb with nothing to do and crime is going up by the year here in Dekalb and it's turning more guetto thats about enough reasons to want to leave this shit town hey I heard Naperville is pretty nice should check it out or Schaumburg
@NickVargas. those areas have alot of medical. Other than that, it isn't what it used to be. Everyone I know keeps moving further west lol I think Everyone got that same idea cuz some are moving south now instead out of state that is...
OMG what a wonderful treat! As a little kid growing up in Chicagoland I heard good things said about DeKalb. I was unable to drive until a teen in Florida so now I really know. Chris you don't just show a place. Instead you make one FEEL as if they are there. You talked about good cameras in the beginning but it takes a real artistic sense to create the feel of a place. I know a bit about this as my wife is artistic in different forms. She has a great photo camera but though I watch her I still don't know how she captures it the way she does just like you. I agree about you that DeKalb has a lot going for it if the powers that be ponder things carefully. I bet the college helped draw the new IT facility. Thanks so much...Craig
I grew up just north of DeKalb in the Genoa Kingston area. I worked at NIU for about 10 years and my mom worked there for about 20. The property that the Elwood house currently sits on is small compared to what it used to be. It used to go west as far as Annie Glidden Road and then North as far as Highway 64. It was one of the things that we learned when we toured the Elwood House
So many buildings I can recall from my time in DeKalb, as an NIU Grad Student. Lived in one of the dorms my first year, then off campus in Rochelle, the rest of the terms. Learning about the areas surrounding the school was cool, as well as hanging out at the Walmart in Sycamore. Got the best almond cookies at the restaurant on Lincoln Highway. Attending NIU was a good learning experience. MA, 2008.
I grew up in Dekalb more than 20 years ago. My dad went to NIU, and I studied at Jefferson and Tyler elementary school. Our family lived in University Village on Crane drive and my mom worked in the Chinese restaurant called Yen-Ging. I haven’t been back there since I came back to my country at age 10. Even though Dekalb is not a tourist sight in the US, I really do hope to go back there and visit there one day before I die since it has my childhood memories.
There it is, sports fans -dear old Barbville USA...growing up would've sucked for me anywhere, but it sucked a lot less in a college town, which is kind of like living next door to an amusement park that never really closes and is nigh to empty at least half of the time, and where you can keep yourself entertained for not a lot of money if not for free
I believe the state relocated some public housing residents from Chicago to DeKalb maybe ten years ago or so. Might explain the crime rate. I went to NIU and I think at that time in the late 70’s they had 25,000 students. Seems to have shrunk quite a bit.
The shrink in enrollment is due to the campus shooting that happened at NIU 10-12yrs ago.....the shooter was a native Dekalb resident who grew up in the area....he shot multiple students and teachers then I believe he killed himself.... that is what tanked their enrollment....the school has not been able to recover... parents don't feel safe sending their kids to the university anymore....
@@Tee-kc3pn right , work there if you must..but in God's green earth do not buy a home there...living in Rivermist or greenwood acres homes will not make a difference..some pubic housing? its nice to smell of pot when I work at the Dekalb Jewel everyday..
Yes, they pulled the filth from West Aurora and stuck them directly north of campus. I know because every weekend there were shootings just north of campus.
@@3775637 Seems like many colleges these days are more like “abnormal “ schools. Since they teach kids how to hate America, how to embrace all kinds of abnormal things and behaviors. Etc.
I might be considered a "townie," even though I don't consider DeKalb my home town. I was probably grilling some steaks and having a few beers when you drove past my neighborhood at N.14th and Pleasant St. by the Sonoco packaging company. Awesome video.
I enjoyed this video. I used to live in Aurora and I am considering moving to Dekalb for a prospective job with NIU. I'll rip you a new one for not mentioning actress Barbra Hale was from Dekalb.
42:52 "A company known as 3M" lol, literally 96th on the fortune 500 list, I'd hope you've heard of them. They have four warehouses all in that area. There's also a company _known as_ (more appropriately) Panduit, and they just opened the doors of a huge Ferrara/Ryder warehouse not far from them all either (close to the Facebook data center).
The row of sketch apartments/crime hotspots overlaps with Greek row (frat housing, sororities, etc) and low income student housing. When I lived/partied there I didn't feel unsafe, but the police were ALWAYS a presence on Greek row during the weekends!
Last time I was in Dekalb was the 80's. Alot more farm land and newly built homes in the subdivisions. NIU has had some alterations since then as well.👍
Great video. DeKalb and NIU have changed over the years. Today it is a diverse mixed little city that real does work to come together as a community. The City, NIU, the police, schools, area churches, Parks and others really to work to make this a community. Its' not perfect, of course, but it is a great little balanced city. Go Huskies, Go Barbs, Go Spartans.
I earned my BFA as a student at NIU, class of '85. I've been back often and stayed in contact with some of my favorite teachers. Enrollment has decreased significantly since my time there, but it has done so at virtually every state college due to skyrocketing tuition. Back then I lived at 129 E Lincoln Hwy, right across from a bar called 'Otto's'. Back in the 70s it was a bar called 'The Uprising'. Now that building is gone altogether, and something new stands there. As with every small college town, it's an ever changing mix of what's endured along with what's newer. Of course I miss the bookstores and record stores, but eateries like 'Pizza Villa' are still holding on, as is 'The Junction'. The Egyptian Theater, ..Guitar shop 'Ax In Hand' survives through the family lineage even though owner Larry Henrickson has been gone since 2000. 'The House Cafe' was a promising venue for the time that it thrived. Downtown Dekalb still continues to evolve, which is preferred to a dying and decaying main street. NIU itself continues to suffer through declining enrollment, as well as the devaluing of its staff by using adjunct teaching instead of full professors (again, indicative of a larger national trend). I loved my time in Dekalb, formative years. But with each revisit I'm reminded of the laws of diminishing returns, and the inherent pitfalls of nostalgia. Tom Waits really put it best; it's *TIME* that we love.
I lived in Rochelle Illinois growing up from May till about October or November every year... it's about 20mins west of Dekalb. I loved it when fall season came around 🙂 40 or 50 degree weather... leaves turning red and orange... I'll probably sell my house in South Texas and go live up there some day
NIU grad, Class of '69. Much has changed. Good little city and university then. New wife worked at First National Bank. Worked drive up alone. On payday, she handed out 40K in cash every Friday night to tomato plant workers. Lived on Varsity Blvd. Brand new apartments out in the middle of the cornfields, just off Annie Glidden. Walked uphill both ways to class. Fond memories.
Lol i think a lot of companies are desperate hire at this point. There is many people in unemployment benefit so I assume it can't be that hard to find a job depending on what you're looking for. I see a lot of warehouse work.
I’ve lived here for 20 years, and I never lived in a divided up town like this. First, you have the families and townspeople. Then you have all of the students. On top of that, you have tons of low- income housing for low-income people from Chicago and Rockford. When Cabrini Green closed, many of the residents were moved into apartments on the south and west sides of DeKalb. If you’re planning to move here, you do not want to live on the college side of town where all the low income housing and college party animals live. Shootings occur occasionally. As Sycamore has Pumpkin Fest, We have Corn Fest every year which is one of the last remaining free festivals
@UComL_tKgKalXnY0hwePSl8Q as much time as I spend on this and other channels of RUclips, I’d not be surprised at all . As the song “Garden Party “ by Rick Nelson said “you can’t please everyone so you gotta please yourself. “ 😳 I think I’ve seen just about every petty comment known to the human race and to my shame I probably made a few myself. 😔
You should go to the hoods of dekalb you drove past them you should go in them that being the university village that being ridge drive that being hillcrest drive and the whole area and suburban apartments
been living here almost 5 years, great town but crime is raising. everytime i go out alone u get comments from men or just strange encounters, look up the dekalb news and u will see theres always something. love the lagoon area love it all just sad things are not safe. crime went up 11%
If you ever visit Carroll County Illinois there is a town in Iowa that is actually an island in the middle of the Mississippi River. Sabula which is just opposite Savanna Illinois.
My ex had never been to Iowa, so I drove her out to Sabula, Iowa. The trees were filled with flocks of cedar waxwings, and the Mississippi River had a lot of great blue herons.
It would be a struggle to extend Metra to DeKalb because of a long wait list for line extensions for other communties as well as how brutally against the freight rail companies are with sharing their rail lines with a commuter train in the area. Also, DeKalb County isn't a member of the RTA which would have to pass as a referendum in the county which some see as struggle because of the added tax residents would have to fork over countywide. It is incredibly expensive at this point sadly since new rails would be needed.
@@ChrisHarden I interned at the area planning organization back in my undergrad days and people were always begging for that extension lol If they could they totally would but it is a real battle with the amount of funding it would need.
Lol I was about to comment asking why they don't extend Metra but you answered my question for me, thanks! As someone who lives in Chicago and doesn't own a car, but has friends in DeKalb I would really love that UP-West line extension.
@@freddysegura6262 when I was in the navy stationed in Newport Rhode Island, there was a shuttle bus to take us from the railroad station in Providence to the Navy Base in Newport. So the shuttle from Elburn makes sense since it would be a hassle to get the commuter railroad to go all the way to Dekalb.
The reasons why METRA will not extend to DeKalb: 1. The city is located outside what is considered the three county Chicago metro area, and Metra doesn’t want to extend that far. 2. DeKalb does not want to pay for the third rail extension to the train tracks 3. DeKalb already has a lot of crime activity, They don’t need more. When Cabrini Green closed, many residents were moved into projects in DeKalb, and that caused a lot of problems. Hopefully, this helps your documentary about DeKalb. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.
You’re wrong about 1 of your 3 points, and I disagree with another. 1. Look up the counties included in the Chicago Metro area and you’ll see that DeKalb County is included in the metro area. It’s a newer addition to the Chicago Metro area. 2. You’re right. 3. Sure, DeKalb might not want crime activity, but look at Elburn where the train stops. That place has some of the lowest crime rates in the state. The idea that a train stop will add crime is crazy. To me it is anyway.
The city often refers to the shopping area on Sycamore Road as “DeKamore”. You really should have shown more of the historical downtown and described it. I’ll give you info if you want!
Not really. I really hate Dekalb. They turn some 100 year old homes into dorms for rent. There’s a lot of dorm housing but not a lot of family homes. Or there’s family homes turned into dorms. I really hate it.
It's a pretty typical small midwest town. It has a great park district, bike trails, etc. Lots of concerts on campus, but if you're looking for active night life, DeKalb isn't your place.
I remember watching the liquor store at 12:18 get looted during the riots of 2020.That corner at 19:12 was where I witnessed my first drive by shooting. Someone hit and run my car in the parking lot to the left at 21:04. Just two weeks ago I had a drunk driver repeatedly ram her car into the back of mine for no reason and she ended up totaling her car right by the castle.
@@ChrisHarden the drive by was in 2017 when there was a really rough period with weekly shootings for about 8 weeks which lead to sycamore, Cortland, NIU pd and the national guard patrolling the streets on Halloween weekend. There was still a shooting on Halloween regardless.
I briefly went to NIU back in 2017: easily the worst town I've ever lived in. Literally any other college town in America is safer, has more to do, and is less corrupt. Every week scammers were knocking on my door, creepy homeless people on campus asking for money, horrible roads.
I went there in 2004 for NIU. I graduated in 2009 but I didn't manage to flee DeKalb until 2015. I was there for way too long. Yeah, I didn't watch this video.
@@ChrisHarden cuz everything in Illinois aint chicago or the fuckin outskirts jackass the chicagoland is cook county and a few other small towns and villages and townships stop labeling Shit wrong
@@officialsmokefrmabk6640 Lol. I have a few tasks for you; 1. Look up “Chicago metro area” and take notes of all of the counties that are included in it. 2. Look up DeKalb County and see if it’s apart of one of the counties listed in the Chicago metro area. 3. Look at google maps, hit satellite view and type in “Cook County”. It will show you a visual of the outline of Cook County, and you’ll be able to see just how far Chicagoland expands beyond just Cook County. Only responding because I’m just trying to help you, bro.
The maximum security federal prison in Thomson Illinois is enclosed with plenty of electrified barbed wire. So I understand. The prison was just opened during the Obama administration.
That's mostly to do with your internet connection speed. You can always adjust the video quality to the settings that work best with the speeds that you have by going through the settings. Most of the time RUclips will automatically give you the best settings with minimal lag available for any individual video depending on your internet speed.
@@ChrisHarden true. orlando may be the exception.i had many good times there throughout the 90s when i lived in daytona. still easy to get in trouble but so much fun shit to do!
Been living here my whole life and honestly it's not a great town at all there's literally nothing to do and crime is rising by the year and it's one of the most dry guetto cities in Illinois there's towns way better then Dekalb with colleges I recommend going there instead of "Dekalb" will be permanently moving out of Dekalb to somewhere where quality of life exceeds over Dekalb
22:55 directly ahead is the law school where I went. One of the lowest ranked ones in the country despite having faculty who had degrees from Harvard, Stanford, U Chicago, Duke. It's the only college campus I've been on where homeless people were allowed to harass students. I never had to call the police on a college campus before moving there. Hope NIU loses its accreditation. Seriously, it's disgusting how they put "political correctness" ahead of student safety.
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Dude, you almost made me tear up by reminding me those beautiful years at NIU and DeKalb!! Great video!
Thanks! Glad you liked it.
Chris, congratulations. I was there 3 years ago and 5 years ago. it was a wonderful time. I love that city. people are wonderful and very friendly. corn is tasty. winter is beautiful. really thanks for that video for my memories. Greetings from Venezuela. Really good production vídeo.
I do love Dekalb's industry. At first it seems old and abandoned, but then you realize how important and full of life it still is.
NOTE: For Census purposes, most students are counted in their home communities, not their college communities. Thus, while a college/university may seem to be the most important part of a city, the 15,000+ students at NIU are dwarfed by the 40,000+ residents of DeKalb which has other reasons for being there, especially including the manufacturing on the east side of town (your "interesting streetscape").
Pretty cool seeing my hometown again! Thank you for taking my advice, I didn't expect to see my name in it! Lol! Like I said before, it used to be a great little college town, until they tore down Cabrini Green, and moved everyone into the University Village, and surrounding apartment complexes! Now there's daily shootings, crime is crazy, and that's just sad!!!!
Unfortunately this is a racist and unfounded answer. There were a lot of ways in which DeKalb's leadership failed its constituents including being ill-prepared for westward migration from the Chicagoland area.
I love dekalb! Lived there for 4.5 years. Also went to niu
Same. I miss it so much. ❤
Cindy Crawford's modeling debut was in a small newspaper called Dekalb Night Weekly. Pretty sure I still have a copy of it around here somewhere.
Went to school there when Saturday Night Fever was newly released at the Egyptian Theater. I live close by now and reminisce when downtown had much more bars. Kudos, NT to the side-view camera work!
Would you say it has died down since you went there ?
I lived there alot of years and worked there on campus. It was alright 20 years ago. I got out 8 years ago, never looked back.
That's great to hear! Where did you move to if you don't mind me asking
@NickVargas. I ended up out by sterling area in a tiny town where nothing exists and crime rate is up out here too. Everyone is corrupt 🙄 looking to move again.
@@beautifulfierysoul Ah that sucks unfortunately I'm still stuck here in Dekalb been here for years but looking to permanently move out of Illinois or maybe to some town here in Illinois that isn't so dry like Dekalb with nothing to do and crime is going up by the year here in Dekalb and it's turning more guetto thats about enough reasons to want to leave this shit town hey I heard Naperville is pretty nice should check it out or Schaumburg
@NickVargas. those areas have alot of medical. Other than that, it isn't what it used to be. Everyone I know keeps moving further west lol I think Everyone got that same idea cuz some are moving south now instead out of state that is...
OMG what a wonderful treat! As a little kid growing up in Chicagoland I heard good things said about DeKalb. I was unable to drive until a teen in Florida so now I really know. Chris you don't just show a place. Instead you make one FEEL as if they are there. You talked about good cameras in the beginning but it takes a real artistic sense to create the feel of a place. I know a bit about this as my wife is artistic in different forms. She has a great photo camera but though I watch her I still don't know how she captures it the way she does just like you. I agree about you that DeKalb has a lot going for it if the powers that be ponder things carefully. I bet the college helped draw the new IT facility. Thanks so much...Craig
I grew up just north of DeKalb in the Genoa Kingston area. I worked at NIU for about 10 years and my mom worked there for about 20. The property that the Elwood house currently sits on is small compared to what it used to be. It used to go west as far as Annie Glidden Road and then North as far as Highway 64. It was one of the things that we learned when we toured the Elwood House
Thank you so much, used to study here until 2012, great memory
So many buildings I can recall from my time in DeKalb, as an NIU Grad Student. Lived in one of the dorms my first year, then off campus in Rochelle, the rest of the terms. Learning about the areas surrounding the school was cool, as well as hanging out at the Walmart in Sycamore. Got the best almond cookies at the restaurant on Lincoln Highway.
Attending NIU was a good learning experience. MA, 2008.
It was my Home sweet home for 4 years. ❤
I grew up in Dekalb more than 20 years ago. My dad went to NIU, and I studied at Jefferson and Tyler elementary school. Our family lived in University Village on Crane drive and my mom worked in the Chinese restaurant called Yen-Ging. I haven’t been back there since I came back to my country at age 10. Even though Dekalb is not a tourist sight in the US, I really do hope to go back there and visit there one day before I die since it has my childhood memories.
There it is, sports fans -dear old Barbville USA...growing up would've sucked for me anywhere, but it sucked a lot less in a college town, which is kind of like living next door to an amusement park that never really closes and is nigh to empty at least half of the time, and where you can keep yourself entertained for not a lot of money if not for free
Nice job touring Dekalb. Thanks.
this town has a cute downtown area to roam around, i got a kick out of it :)
There is another town called Huntley which quite a bit north of Dekalb. You mentioned that the original name of Dekalb was Huntleys Grove.
I believe the state relocated some public housing residents from Chicago to DeKalb maybe ten years ago or so. Might explain the crime rate. I went to NIU and I think at that time in the late 70’s they had 25,000 students. Seems to have shrunk quite a bit.
The shrink in enrollment is due to the campus shooting that happened at NIU 10-12yrs ago.....the shooter was a native Dekalb resident who grew up in the area....he shot multiple students and teachers then I believe he killed himself.... that is what tanked their enrollment....the school has not been able to recover... parents don't feel safe sending their kids to the university anymore....
@@Tee-kc3pn right , work there if you must..but in God's green earth do not buy a home there...living in Rivermist or greenwood acres homes will not make a difference..some pubic housing? its nice to smell of pot when I work at the Dekalb Jewel everyday..
I grew up in the area. They were bringing people out from Chicago when I worked at NIU over 30 years ago
@@Tee-kc3pn The shooter was a graduate of Elk Grove High School, definitely NOT in the DeKalb area.
Yes, they pulled the filth from West Aurora and stuck them directly north of campus. I know because every weekend there were shootings just north of campus.
I think NIU was originally built as a school to train teachers. If I’m not mistaken. I just posted this comment before you mentioned that. Thanks.
Yep. That’s they used to call a “normal school”.
@@3775637 Seems like many colleges these days are more like “abnormal “ schools. Since they teach kids how to hate America, how to embrace all kinds of abnormal things and behaviors. Etc.
I might be considered a "townie," even though I don't consider DeKalb my home town. I was probably grilling some steaks and having a few beers when you drove past my neighborhood at N.14th and Pleasant St. by the Sonoco packaging company. Awesome video.
I enjoyed this video. I used to live in Aurora and I am considering moving to Dekalb for a prospective job with NIU. I'll rip you a new one for not mentioning actress Barbra Hale was from Dekalb.
42:52 "A company known as 3M" lol, literally 96th on the fortune 500 list, I'd hope you've heard of them. They have four warehouses all in that area. There's also a company _known as_ (more appropriately) Panduit, and they just opened the doors of a huge Ferrara/Ryder warehouse not far from them all either (close to the Facebook data center).
I laughed when I heard that too. He probably uses like five 3M products a day. Very famous company.
Thanks for the video. I miss Dekalb and NIU to find this video ❤❤
Great City. Must see.
The local NPR radio station is located at NIU (WNIJ)
The row of sketch apartments/crime hotspots overlaps with Greek row (frat housing, sororities, etc) and low income student housing. When I lived/partied there I didn't feel unsafe, but the police were ALWAYS a presence on Greek row during the weekends!
I’m just moving on varsity blvd. think that’s far enough from Greek row ?
Love the music in the last part of video in downtown DeKalb IL. Who made the music. Enjoyed the video
Last time I was in Dekalb was the 80's. Alot more farm land and newly built homes in the subdivisions. NIU has had some alterations since then as well.👍
Shelby! Cant believe I made this video 2 years ago. Feels more like 3
Well… RUclips says 2 years ago but it was 3. March 2021. Wow
@@ChrisHarden Yeah I always head back for a refresher of the IL vids.👍
Great video. DeKalb and NIU have changed over the years. Today it is a diverse mixed little city that real does work to come together as a community. The City, NIU, the police, schools, area churches, Parks and others really to work to make this a community. Its' not perfect, of course, but it is a great little balanced city. Go Huskies, Go Barbs, Go Spartans.
I earned my BFA as a student at NIU, class of '85. I've been back often and stayed in contact with some of my favorite teachers. Enrollment has decreased significantly since my time there, but it has done so at virtually every state college due to skyrocketing tuition. Back then I lived at 129 E Lincoln Hwy, right across from a bar called 'Otto's'. Back in the 70s it was a bar called 'The Uprising'. Now that building is gone altogether, and something new stands there. As with every small college town, it's an ever changing mix of what's endured along with what's newer. Of course I miss the bookstores and record stores, but eateries like 'Pizza Villa' are still holding on, as is 'The Junction'. The Egyptian Theater, ..Guitar shop 'Ax In Hand' survives through the family lineage even though owner Larry Henrickson has been gone since 2000. 'The House Cafe' was a promising venue for the time that it thrived. Downtown Dekalb still continues to evolve, which is preferred to a dying and decaying main street. NIU itself continues to suffer through declining enrollment, as well as the devaluing of its staff by using adjunct teaching instead of full professors (again, indicative of a larger national trend). I loved my time in Dekalb, formative years. But with each revisit I'm reminded of the laws of diminishing returns, and the inherent pitfalls of nostalgia.
Tom Waits really put it best; it's *TIME* that we love.
I lived in Rochelle Illinois growing up from May till about October or November every year... it's about 20mins west of Dekalb. I loved it when fall season came around 🙂 40 or 50 degree weather... leaves turning red and orange... I'll probably sell my house in South Texas and go live up there some day
NIU grad, Class of '69. Much has changed. Good little city and university then. New wife worked at First National Bank. Worked drive up alone. On payday, she handed out 40K in cash every Friday night to tomato plant workers. Lived on Varsity Blvd. Brand new apartments out in the middle of the cornfields, just off Annie Glidden. Walked uphill both ways to class. Fond memories.
Moving to this city to find work is not recommended, the companies hire outside of city for employees
Lol i think a lot of companies are desperate hire at this point. There is many people in unemployment benefit so I assume it can't be that hard to find a job depending on what you're looking for. I see a lot of warehouse work.
Unless you’re on SSI social security (not disability). If you’re on SSI you can only earn $85 before the government claims part of your earnings.
This is true.... locals have not been hired to work at Ferrera, Facebook, and very few have gotten hired at 3M.....
Been to DeKalb before. It’s a nice, quiet university town
Look at my comment please it’s funny not the reply the comment on this video it has two likes .
Does it feel very rural ? Been thinking of moving out there. Also when did you go or live out there ?
@@gustavogomez7331 yes, it’s very rural
I’ve lived here for 20 years, and I never lived in a divided up town like this. First, you have the families and townspeople. Then you have all of the students. On top of that, you have tons of low- income housing for low-income people from Chicago and Rockford. When Cabrini Green closed, many of the residents were moved into apartments on the south and west sides of DeKalb. If you’re planning to move here, you do not want to live on the college side of town where all the low income housing and college party animals live. Shootings occur occasionally.
As Sycamore has Pumpkin Fest, We have Corn Fest every year which is one of the last remaining free festivals
@@3775637 Good info
Did you know that barbed wire was invented in Dekalb? I didn’t know that!
DeKalb Illinois The Barbed Wire Capital Of The World
OF COURSE! I WAS WORKING AT NEHRING ELECTRIC WORKS!! 20 YEARS WORKING THERE!!!
I like the intro music is relaxing do u the name please
Niu is not doing too good. They used to have 25000 people, now it's down to 15000
That's due to the campus shooting that happened maybe 10yrs ago....enrollment plummeted after that
@@Tee-kc3pn i dont think thats why. the reason is behind why a lot of illinois state schools are seeing a decline in enrollment. its not just NIU
You managed 53 mins out of DeKalb. I need to sit down.
Nobody will be able to honestly say that I didn’t go through the whole city :P
@@ChrisHarden I think you might have missed a square inch. 🤭. Humor.😁
@UComL_tKgKalXnY0hwePSl8Q as much time as I spend on this and other channels of RUclips, I’d not be surprised at all . As the song “Garden Party “ by Rick Nelson said “you can’t please everyone so you gotta please yourself. “ 😳 I think I’ve seen just about every petty comment known to the human race and to my shame I probably made a few myself. 😔
I got my degree in GIS at NIU. I hope after I get a job back in Illinois, I can move back there.
Thanks Chris well done as always..
Was a foreign student fr malaysia about 40 yrs ago.nice place
Outskirts of Chicagoland my aunt Fanny! It's 64 miles away!
Look up what counties are in the Chicago metro area and get back with me on what you find.
You should go to the hoods of dekalb
you drove past them you should go in them that being the university village that being ridge drive that being hillcrest drive and the whole area and suburban apartments
I lived off Ridge for a year and a half. I never felt uncomfortable and no one ever bothered me, although the area definitely has a seedy vibe.
been living here almost 5 years, great town but crime is raising. everytime i go out alone u get comments from men or just strange encounters, look up the dekalb news and u will see theres always something. love the lagoon area love it all just sad things are not safe. crime went up 11%
If you ever visit Carroll County Illinois there is a town in Iowa that is actually an island in the middle of the Mississippi River. Sabula which is just opposite Savanna Illinois.
My ex had never been to Iowa, so I drove her out to Sabula, Iowa. The trees were filled with flocks of cedar waxwings, and the Mississippi River had a lot of great blue herons.
It would be a struggle to extend Metra to DeKalb because of a long wait list for line extensions for other communties as well as how brutally against the freight rail companies are with sharing their rail lines with a commuter train in the area. Also, DeKalb County isn't a member of the RTA which would have to pass as a referendum in the county which some see as struggle because of the added tax residents would have to fork over countywide. It is incredibly expensive at this point sadly since new rails would be needed.
Good response. All of that makes sense as to why it hasn’t been extended. Wasn’t aware of all of that political game of chess but it’s not surprising.
@@ChrisHarden I interned at the area planning organization back in my undergrad days and people were always begging for that extension lol If they could they totally would but it is a real battle with the amount of funding it would need.
Lol I was about to comment asking why they don't extend Metra but you answered my question for me, thanks! As someone who lives in Chicago and doesn't own a car, but has friends in DeKalb I would really love that UP-West line extension.
@@neilskinkle3019 There is a shuttle that will take you to and from the Elburn stop!
@@freddysegura6262 when I was in the navy stationed in Newport Rhode Island, there was a shuttle bus to take us from the railroad station in Providence to the Navy Base in Newport. So the shuttle from Elburn makes sense since it would be a hassle to get the commuter railroad to go all the way to Dekalb.
Grant South resident 1983. Rick’s pizza! Anyone remember the name of the other pizza place that had a hearse parked outside?
The reasons why METRA will not extend to DeKalb:
1. The city is located outside what is considered the three county Chicago metro area, and Metra doesn’t want to extend that far.
2. DeKalb does not want to pay for the third rail extension to the train tracks
3. DeKalb already has a lot of crime activity,
They don’t need more. When Cabrini Green closed, many residents were moved into projects in DeKalb, and that caused a lot of problems.
Hopefully, this helps your documentary about DeKalb. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.
You’re wrong about 1 of your 3 points, and I disagree with another.
1. Look up the counties included in the Chicago Metro area and you’ll see that DeKalb County is included in the metro area. It’s a newer addition to the Chicago Metro area.
2. You’re right.
3. Sure, DeKalb might not want crime activity, but look at Elburn where the train stops. That place has some of the lowest crime rates in the state. The idea that a train stop will add crime is crazy. To me it is anyway.
DeKalb County doesn’t feed the RTA via their gasoline tax. It’s really that simple. Metra ( not Metro ) doesn’t run where it’s not funded.
Hyper-rich north shore suburbs of Chicago have Metra stations. Metra stations do not drive crime.
Just avoid Greek Row, and you'll be fine.
@@TobinBusiness far. Greek row is off of hilcrest
@@TobinBusiness Far enough. They barely cross the campus or even cross Glidden. It is almost weird.
Stay away from NIU altogether!
The city often refers to the shopping area on Sycamore Road as “DeKamore”.
You really should have shown more of the historical downtown and described it. I’ll give you info if you want!
I’m glad people know that the town I live in is a thing!🥹
You're back 🙂.
All man you should have got a side shot of the skyline when you were going over Peace Bridge
Too bad Greek Row is nothing like it used to be. Hopefully, that will change soon.
Ahhh my hometown!
Is there anything else to Dekalb besides NIU?
Not really. I really hate Dekalb. They turn some 100 year old homes into dorms for rent. There’s a lot of dorm housing but not a lot of family homes. Or there’s family homes turned into dorms. I really hate it.
It's a pretty typical small midwest town. It has a great park district, bike trails, etc. Lots of concerts on campus, but if you're looking for active night life, DeKalb isn't your place.
I remember watching the liquor store at 12:18 get looted during the riots of 2020.That corner at 19:12 was where I witnessed my first drive by shooting. Someone hit and run my car in the parking lot to the left at 21:04. Just two weeks ago I had a drunk driver repeatedly ram her car into the back of mine for no reason and she ended up totaling her car right by the castle.
Damn. Was all of that in 2020?
@@ChrisHarden the drive by was in 2017 when there was a really rough period with weekly shootings for about 8 weeks which lead to sycamore, Cortland, NIU pd and the national guard patrolling the streets on Halloween weekend. There was still a shooting on Halloween regardless.
You have really bad luck...geez
I grew on the south side of Chicago and never witnessed a drive by shooting....
@@Tee-kc3pn same.
Landlords and property owners don’t want the train due to Chicago being too close and also NIU would truly become a commuter school.
The celebrities you mentioned did go to high school in dekalb. Just not that high school
False. I went to high school in exactly that building with Cindy Crawford and the whole extended local family.
@@douglasolson6227 The high school he pointed out was the new one on dresser I don't think you went there with Cindy Crawford and her extended family
Right, that was the new high school, Huntley middle school is now founders elementary, and the old high school is now Huntley middle school.
2020 seems to have been a bummer all the way around. Regarding your comments about NIU sports.
I loved the video lived in dekalb my whole life
I briefly went to NIU back in 2017: easily the worst town I've ever lived in. Literally any other college town in America is safer, has more to do, and is less corrupt. Every week scammers were knocking on my door, creepy homeless people on campus asking for money, horrible roads.
I went there in 2004 for NIU. I graduated in 2009 but I didn't manage to flee DeKalb until 2015.
I was there for way too long.
Yeah, I didn't watch this video.
My brother played football with Ryan diem in high school.
Nice!
You could do Dakota,Orangeville,Winslow,Warren,Nora.
U forgot gerret wolf who played for the Chicago bears
Let's not forget the High school mascot name Barbs....why that name? Well cause of Barbed wire thats why if your wondering
I LIVED IN DEKALB!! GREAT SMALL TOWN!! I LOVE IT!!!! GO HUSKIES!!!
Having the metro line going all the way to Dekalb making sense would defeat the image of Illinois. 🥴
Mans spitting straight facts
Metro?
Its obvious nobody in here has been to dekalb lately.
I can’t follow you on other social media platforms because I’ve been kicked off of those due to my conservative comments.
I WANT TO COME BACK IN DEKALB, ILLINOIS. TEXAS HAS NOT GOOD TO ME.
I miss Davis Hall. ❤❤❤❤
Can you stop labeling these tow s the outskirts of chicago bro
Outskirts of "Chicagoland".
And I've got to ask.. why does that bother you, bro?
@@ChrisHarden cuz everything in Illinois aint chicago or the fuckin outskirts jackass the chicagoland is cook county and a few other small towns and villages and townships stop labeling Shit wrong
@@officialsmokefrmabk6640 Lol. I have a few tasks for you;
1. Look up “Chicago metro area” and take notes of all of the counties that are included in it.
2. Look up DeKalb County and see if it’s apart of one of the counties listed in the Chicago metro area.
3. Look at google maps, hit satellite view and type in “Cook County”. It will show you a visual of the outline of Cook County, and you’ll be able to see just how far Chicagoland expands beyond just Cook County.
Only responding because I’m just trying to help you, bro.
@@ChrisHarden he's got a point. Dekalb is its own town, and nobody there associates it with Chicago.
@@skliros9235 This thread is a great example of America’s geography problem.
Lived there2000 to 2015. Lot of drugs near frat houses.
I miss Dekalb
The maximum security federal prison in Thomson Illinois is enclosed with plenty of electrified barbed wire. So I understand. The prison was just opened during the Obama administration.
i was born here lol
My Dr office is in Dekalb. I
Charles Bronson
Lived there 86-8&
Most ppl still use 4k devices so the 5k video is choppy
That's mostly to do with your internet connection speed. You can always adjust the video quality to the settings that work best with the speeds that you have by going through the settings.
Most of the time RUclips will automatically give you the best settings with minimal lag available for any individual video depending on your internet speed.
@@ChrisHarden sweet I'll try adjusting the video settings. All the 4k vids have been smooth just noticed with the last 2 5k vids its given me issues
the suburbs aren't so bad but the city sucks
As is the case with most metro areas. Not all but definitely most.
@@ChrisHarden true. orlando may be the exception.i had many good times there throughout the 90s when i lived in daytona. still easy to get in trouble but so much fun shit to do!
@@josephlalock8378 that was 20 yrs ago.....Daytona is not "safe"
Been living here my whole life and honestly it's not a great town at all there's literally nothing to do and crime is rising by the year and it's one of the most dry guetto cities in Illinois there's towns way better then Dekalb with colleges I recommend going there instead of "Dekalb" will be permanently moving out of Dekalb to somewhere where quality of life exceeds over Dekalb
Shootings daily
Is NIU safe??
@@yayyay7076 it's like every other college town..... you must be aware of your surroundings....
22:55 directly ahead is the law school where I went. One of the lowest ranked ones in the country despite having faculty who had degrees from Harvard, Stanford, U Chicago, Duke. It's the only college campus I've been on where homeless people were allowed to harass students. I never had to call the police on a college campus before moving there. Hope NIU loses its accreditation. Seriously, it's disgusting how they put "political correctness" ahead of student safety.