“Rooted in Place Sculpture” at Liberty Park

Pleasant Street: A Community Rich in History

In June 2026, thanks to funding from a Healing Illinois grant, the DeKalb Park District, and the City of DeKalb, a neighborhood sign at Pleasant Street and 13th Street and the sculpture Rooted in Place in Liberty Park were installed to celebrate the history of the Pleasant Street neighborhood.

This neighborhood was selected because of its rich history, which is unfamiliar to many people in DeKalb and the surrounding communities. Located in DeKalb’s Third Ward, Pleasant Street first became home to immigrants from Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Germany during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries who worked in the barbed wire factories. They established homes, built businesses, and created a close-knit neighborhood that helped shape the city’s growth.

Beginning in the 1970s, Pleasant Street welcomed many Latino families who came to DeKalb to work in local industries, including Nehring Electrical Works and California Packing Company. Today, the neighborhood continues to reflect the traditions and cultures of both its early European immigrants and more recent Latino residents.

The neighborhood sign reads “Historic Pleasant Street – Bienvenidos, Tervetuloa, Welcome,” greeting visitors in Spanish, Finnish, and English to honor the neighborhood’s diverse heritage. The colorful floral design reflects both the vibrant traditions often associated with Mexican culture and the natural landscapes and plant life that connect to Finnish heritage.

The sculpture, Rooted in Place, was created by Mexican American artist Alex Mendez. Mendez encourages each visitor to interpret the sculpture in their own way, allowing personal experiences to shape its meaning. At the same time, the work was inspired by conversations with neighborhood residents, whose stories helped inform its design. Its bright colors celebrate the cultures that have called Pleasant Street home, while its steel construction honors the neighborhood’s industrial roots, including companies such as American Steel & Wire. The use of steel also reflects the many residents who continue to work in skilled trades, including the roofing industry.

Arts in Action

The Pleasant Street sign and Rooted in Place are part of the Arts in Action project, a collaborative initiative between the DeKalb County History Center and the Ellwood House Museum. Through community partnerships, oral histories, exhibits, and public art, Arts in Action shares stories that have too often been overlooked, creating a more complete understanding of the people and places that have shaped DeKalb County.

To learn more about DeKalb County’s Black and Latino history vist createchange.today.