Stephenson County Competitors

DeKalb County was formed on March 4, 1837, out of Kane County, Illinois. The County was named in honor of Johann de Kalb,[4] a German (Bavarian) hero of the American Revolutionary War. DeKalb County is approximately 632.7 square miles, located 63 miles west of Chicago. There are 19 townships in the county with the county seat at Sycamore. Between 1834 and 1837, early white men began to settle in DeKalb County along the streams and wooded areas because of the fertile soil, wild game, and food and water opportunities. Major growth stemmed from the introduction of the railroad which brought easier methods of transportation and opportunities for industrial growth. Some of the notable industries based in DeKalb County were: Sandwich Manufacturing Company, Marsh Harvester Company, Barbed Wire, Gurler Brothers Pure Milk and many more. The county has always been noted for agriculture. In 1852, the first Agricultural Fair was held in Sycamore, under the supervision of the DeKalb Agricultural Society. Eventually farmers, businessmen, bankers and newspapermen organized to become the DeKalb County Soil Improvement Association. In later years the DeKalb County Soil Improvement Association would split into two and become DeKalb County Farm Bureau and DeKalb Agricultural Association (DEKALB AgResearch, Inc., Monsanto). DeKalb County is credited with being the birthplace of the Farm Bureau movement. DeKalb County operates under the township form of county government. The governing body is the County Board. As the legislative element, the County Board is responsible for adopting all Ordinances for the governance of DeKalb County, which laws are contained in the DeKalb County Code; establishing budget for several funds as well as levying taxes, promulgating policies, rules and regulations for the management of County operations.

The State's Attorney's Office is organized into three Bureaus: The Criminal Bureau, The Civil Bureau and The Administration Bureau. The Criminal Bureau prosecutes criminal matters on behalf of the State's Attorney. The Civil Bureau assigns its assistant state's attorneys to one of three divisions, General and Complex Litigation, Governmental Representation and Special Litigation, and Child Support Enforcement. The Administration Bureau is responsible for coordinating all administrative functions of the State's Attorney Office including management of a multi-million dollar annual budget and supervision of full time administrative staff.

Henry County, Illinois is located in Northwestern Illinois, just 16 miles from the Mississippi River dividing Illinois and Iowa. Henry County is primarily made up of rolling farmland, and is well known for hog, corn, soybean and cattle production. The area is also dotted with wooded areas, rivers, lakes and streams. While much of the county is agricultural in nature, the cities and towns of Henry County feature many manufacturing and business outlets. The county is served by Interstate Highways 80 and 74, plus both freight and passenger rail lines. In addition, Henry County is just 10 minutes from the Quad Cities International Airport. Henry County features areas of great historical interest, including the Bishop Hill Colony, the Hennepin Canal, the Great Sauk Trail and other areas reflecting the rich heritage of the region. Henry County's population in 2000 was 51,020, with the county covering 823.21 square miles.