It is my honor and privilege to welcome you to DeKalb Township's website. For over 160 years, DeKalb Township has been a leader in providing high quality public services to our residents. From the rural duties of providing transportation routes for our farmers bringing their food to market, to providing professional and efficient human services to over 46,000 residents, DeKalb Township has been a constant, and integral part of our community.
Initially, rural government was concerned with collecting taxes and stray animals, controlling growth of weeds, and maintenance of roads. After spring and fall rains, roads were apt to become long black ditches of mud which required heavy maintenance in order to remain usable. Another main function was provided by the Clerk who was responsible for organizing the machinery for elections. Other duties of early townships included "poor relief," which was often minimally provided.
The days of DeKalb Township being entirely rural ended with the westward expansion of the Chicago metropolitan area, and the growth of Northern Illinois University. The rich land that beckoned farmers to this vicinity remains, though much it has now been taken over by subdivisions, shopping centers, and industrial developments. Yet, township government lives on, adapting to the changing time, still meeting the needs of the residents. Those needs, of course, have changed dramatically. Today, DeKalb Township provides essential services to township residents, from providing general assistance to help low income residents, assessing over 12,000 parcels of real property within our border, and maintaining nearly 30 miles of township road; DeKalb Township is a place where great service happens.