Although the Kishwaukee River has long been an annoyance and an eyesore to the DeKalb community, it is a crucial landmark which helped in determining a site for NIU.

When early settlers came to the area now known as DeKalb, they planned to use the lush forests lining the Kishwaukee River to provide their main income, by sending trees down the Kish to neighboring communities for lumber, food and fuel.

However, the plans were foiled because of the Kish’s low and unreliable flow, which helped destine DeKalb to become the agriculture-based community it is today.

The Kish’s scarce flow haunted DeKalb a second time when the State Normal School Board Commission announced they had chosen the city as one of three contenders for a new teaching school.

Dixon and Rockford, the other prospective sites, had the advantage of the Rock River flowing through their towns. Compared to the Rock, the Kish was nothing more than a trickle.

Isaac Ellwood, a prosperous member of the DeKalb community, had a scheme to help DeKalb win the site for the school that was to become NIU. With help from most of the town, Ellwood transformed the ailing stream into an actual river … for a few days.

Citizens worked for several days scooping up the mud and slime from the Kish’s floor. When the task was done, gravel and stones were scattered along the bottom, a series of dams was placed strategically along the route the school board would travel, and fish were introduced to the river’s waters for the first time.

DeKalb residents then went without water for two days to build up water pressure in the city’s storage tanks, and an electric pump was installed to transfer the accumulated water supply into the river.

On the day of the board’s visit, the dams were broken and the Kish flowed to the brim.

When the board members remarked, “nice stream you have here,” Ellwood replied, “Our little stream has never been so dry—but still, we always have running water.”

The board then noticed a fisherman reeling in a large trout and several more fish tied to his boat. Ellwood replied, “The Kish, while small, always provides us with good fishing.”

The hoax had a profound effect on the board’s decision. The Northern Illinois State Normal School opened its doors to DeKalb in September, 1899.

Even though the Kish brought NIU to DeKalb, citizens couldn’t warm up to its scarce flow. An ode to the river in a DeKalb High School yearbook published in 1903 reflected feelings of most of the community:

Flow gently, Kishwaukee, among thy green braes.

I hardly can sing thee a song in thy praise …

Thy banks, dear Kishwaukee are lined up and down.

With garbage and refuse from all of the town …

But now a poor relic of decency yore,

You’ll smell clear to heaven ere the summer is o’er.

As daily I hurry across your foul banks,

I gaze on thy germ-laden waters so rank.

But dearly beloved, flow gently o’re all,

When the hot weather comes you won’t flow at all.