The J.F. Glidden Homestead & Historical Center will host “Preserving Cook Mansion: A Journey to the National Register,” a Soup-er Sundays winter lecture presented by Rob and Linda Srygler, homeowners of the historic Cook Mansion, who will share the remarkable story behind their stewardship of one of DeKalb’s most significant historic homes.

The program begins at 12 p.m. on Sunday, February 8, at the Glidden Homestead, 921 W. Lincoln Highway, and traces the couple’s unexpected journey to owning and preserving the Cook Mansion, a Classic Revival–style home built by Isaac Ellwood to attract John Williston Cook, who became the first president of DeKalb’s college in 1899 after 36 years at Illinois State Normal University in Bloomington.

What began as a chance drive down an familiar street quickly became a life-changing decision rooted in a deep love of history, architecture, and the DeKalb community.

As longtime members of the NIU community with a combined five degrees from the university, Rob and Linda will discuss their motivation to become careful stewards of the home, their commitment to preservation, and the extensive research process that led to the mansion’s successful listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Rob, a genealogist and historian, completed the nomination, marking the first time in 50 years that a home in DeKalb has received this honor.

Admission is $5 per person and free for Glidden Homestead members. Admission includes the lecture, a bowl of soup, and tours of the Glidden Homestead.

Soup-er Sunday programs support the J.F. Glidden Homestead & Historical Center, a DeKalb not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving the historic Glidden home and barn, both listed on the National Register of Historic Places. For more information, call 815-756-7904, visit www.gliddenhomestead.org, or email jessi@gliddenhomestead.org