Origin of Sycamore’s slogan rediscovered

By Donald Roth Jr.

The city of Sycamore’s slogan “Life offers more in Sycamore” has been around for many years, almost too long for many longtime residents to remember its origin.

“I’m not really sure. It seems to me there was a slogan contest held about 20 years ago,” Sycamore Chamber of Commerce Executive Manager L. Kaye Gray said.

Another veteran Sycamore resident and businessman also was at a loss for the name of the person who created the witty slogan.

“I don’t know. There may have been a contest that happened around 1967 or 1968,” Jeri Henderson said.

Although he could not recall who came up with Sycamore’s slogan, Henderson did play an active role in making sure the slogan was placed throughout the city.

“I was responsible for making sure the signs (with the slogan) went up throughout Sycamore. I finished the project,” Henderson said.

The person, however, who is responsible for Sycamore’s slogan is longtime Sycamore resident Dayton Ward.

While speculation might have elicited numerous ways the slogan was started, it actually was created by conventional means.

He said that about 20 years ago a committee in the Sycamore Chamber of Commerce decided that the city needed a slogan. Advertising to attract slogan submissions from local businessmen was the next step.

“We advertised through the Sycamore Chamber of Commerce and (Ward’s) was the best,” said Bernard Sosin, former Sycamore Chamber of Commerce member.

In all, there are four signs located throughout Sycamore, that carry Ward’s slogan.