Misplaced Pages

#189810

52-573: The Elgin Professional Building is a historic high-rise building constructed in 1928 at 164 Division Street in downtown Elgin, Illinois . The building is 8 stories, at 96 feet tall, and functions primarily as an office building, housing the Elgin Art Showcase on the top floor since 2007. The building is also the office of Illinois State Senator Cristina Castro , and Illinois State Representative Anna Moeller . Built in

104-610: A General Motors CEO among its alumni. Elgin resident John Murphy invented the motorized streetsweeper in 1914 and later formed the Elgin Sweeper Corporation. Pioneering African-American chemist Lloyd Hall was an Elgin native, as was the legendary marketer and car stereo pioneer Earl "Madman" Muntz ; and Max Adler , founder of the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, America's first planetarium. In

156-473: A centennial "Pioneer Medal" made by Rovelstad. The date 1673 was in reference to the expedition of Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette , despite the fact that their journey took them nowhere near the future site of Elgin. The coin did not prove to be a popular success, probably because of the Great Depression and the great variety of commemorative coins being issued at the time. Five thousand of

208-403: A hill prairie and a fen , or alkaline spring marshland, which is home to several rare orchids . Trout Park also includes a similar calcareous seep community, with the addition of a unique forest community of oaks , ashes , maples , and uncommon species such as arborvitae and witch-hazel . When the park was created in the 1920s, the local newspaper ran a lengthy front-page story with lists of

260-459: A mayor, who serve on a part-time basis. The city manager, a full-time professional, serves at the pleasure of the mayor and city council. The current council members are Corey Dixon, Dustin Good, Rosamaria Martinez, Anthony Ortiz, Tish S. Powell, Carol J. Rauschenberger, F. John Steffen and Steven Thoren. Elgin's current mayor is David Kaptain and city manager is Rick Kozal. The city council meets

312-532: A proposed Sustainability Action Plan that includes plans for creating renewable sources of energy for the city, a curbside organics/composting pilot-program, and information about community gardens. Elgin was chartered as a city by the State of Illinois in 1854, and 100 years later it became the first city in Illinois to adopt a council-manager form of government. Residents elect eight at-large council members and

364-426: A rescue raft, and a Battalion Chief, along with several vehicles used for inspections and other official business. Five public school districts and 18 private schools serve Elgin. Private schools include: Elgin has three stations on Metra 's Milwaukee District West Line , which provides daily rail service between Elgin and Chicago Union Station ): National Street , Elgin , and Big Timber Road . Big Timber Road

416-457: A sister city of Vientiane , the capital of Laos , since 1967. Some Laotian Americans have opened stores and restaurants, contributing to the city's cultural diversity. Elgin is also home to a sizable Latino population, contributing to 45.7% of the population in 2020. Elgin is located at 42°2′18″N 88°19′22″W  /  42.03833°N 88.32278°W  / 42.03833; -88.32278 (42.0384225, −88.3226510). According to

468-522: A site on the stagecoach route from Chicago to Galena, Illinois , they eventually settled on a spot where the Fox River could be bridged. In April 1835, they established the city, naming it after the Scottish tune "Elgin". Early Elgin achieved fame for the butter and dairy goods it sold to the city of Chicago. Gail Borden established a condensed milk factory here in 1866, and the local library

520-517: A year by performers ranging from Chicago's Hubbard Street Dance Company to comedian Bill Maher . After losing many landmark businesses in the 1980s, downtown Elgin experienced a renaissance in the 1990s with the arrival of the Grand Victoria riverboat casino and improvement in the local economy. Many historic buildings have been transformed into stylish clubs and restaurants. The city was known for its historic architecture and landmarks from

572-684: Is a city in Cook and Kane counties in the U.S. state of Illinois . It is located 35 mi (56 km) northwest of Chicago along the Fox River . As of the 2020 census , the city had a population of 114,797, making it the sixth-most populous city in the state. The Indian Removal Act of 1830 and the Black Hawk Indian War of 1832 led to the expulsion of the Native Americans who had settlements and burial mounds in

SECTION 10

#1732802060190

624-594: Is the western terminus of this service, however it is not serviced by the Metra on weekends or major U.S. holidays as trains terminate in Elgin on those days. The Chicago & North Western had a line to Freeport which ran through Elgin. Elgin used to have a streetcar system, operated by the Aurora, Elgin and Fox River Electric Company . Additionally, Elgin was served by several interurban lines. The most prominent of these

676-554: The Elgin Transportation Center located at 102 West Chicago Street in downtown. Routes generally run every half hour and meet up at the terminal at the same time to provide convenient transferring. Several routes also travel out of Elgin to other nearby suburbs, such as Carpentersville, West Dundee ( Spring Hill Mall ), Schaumburg ( Woodfield Mall ), and St. Charles (and connecting bus service to Aurora and Geneva). Pace operates an express route between Elgin and

728-676: The Gothic Revival style, it and the Elgin Tower Building have been centerpieces in the skyline of downtown Elgin for many years. In the early 20th century, Elgin was experiencing a vibrant economy and massive population growth. The Elgin National Watch Company was the largest domestic watch producer, and employed many. The Elgin Sweeper Company was an early pioneer of street sweepers , and

780-561: The National Medal for Museum and Library Service . This is the highest honor awarded for libraries and museums recognizing their service and contributions within their community. On August 15, 2009, for the first time in its 135-year history, the Gail Borden Public Library District opened its first branch: The Rakow Branch Library. Designed by architectural firm Engberg Anderson Design Partnership,

832-720: The National Register of Historic Places . The Elgin Public Museum at Lords Park was the oldest building in Illinois built expressly as a museum that was still serving that purpose. Open Elgin is a free, self guided tour of downtown Elgin's architecture. Each April, over two dozen buildings are accessible on the tour, though the event has been postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic . The nine-member Elgin Heritage Commission promotes historic preservation activity. The Gifford Park Association

884-786: The Rosemont station on the Blue Line . The service operates along I-90 . Access to the bus route is via the Elgin Transportation Center , the Randall Road park and ride lot, and the IL-25 park and ride lot. Major highways in Elgin include: Interstate Highways [REDACTED] Interstate 90 US Highways [REDACTED] US 20 Illinois Highways [REDACTED] Route 19 [REDACTED] Route 25 [REDACTED] Route 31 [REDACTED] Route 58 [REDACTED] Route 72 Notable people of Elgin include

936-680: The Victorian era , including some fine examples of homes in the Queen Anne style . Many of the most remarkable homes once belonged to National Watch Company executives. Many interesting Sears Catalog Homes arrived in Elgin as kits from 1908 to 1940. The Elgin Tower Building and the Elgin Professional Building are two large towers constructed in Elgin's heyday, before the Great Depression . The Tower Building

988-495: The 1990s, Elgin became one of the few cities in northern Illinois to host a riverboat casino . The Grand Victoria Casino initially generated controversy, but went on to be a significant source of income for the city. Drawing nearly four million people annually, as of March 2005 it was the fifth most popular tourist attraction in Illinois. The Grand Victoria Foundation , to which the casino had contributed an amount in excess of $ 116 million, provides community grants to nonprofits in

1040-463: The 2021 census gazetteer files, Elgin has a total area of 38.60 square miles (99.97 km ), of which 38.03 square miles (98.50 km ) (or 98.52%) is land and 0.57 square miles (1.48 km ) (or 1.48%) is water. On March 28, 1920, Elgin was struck by several tornadoes along the Fox River that caused significant damage to Chicago and several western suburbs. Twenty-three people were killed and several businesses and homes were destroyed, including

1092-497: The 25,000 coins initially minted were unsold and melted down by the mint. Rovelstad's pioneer statue was not installed until 2001. Gail Borden Public Library District The library was named in honor of Gail Borden (November 9, 1801 – January 11, 1874), who in 1856 invented condensed milk . Gail Borden never lived in Elgin or donated any funds for the library which bears his name, but in 1892, his stepsons, Samuel and Alfred Church, residents of Elgin, purchased and donated

SECTION 20

#1732802060190

1144-675: The Elgin Country Club, and Bowes Creek Country Club. The Centre of Elgin, which among other features includes an aquatic park and a climbing wall , remains one of the largest municipal recreation centers in the United States. The Elgin Sports Complex on the city's southwest side offers ten lighted ballfields, ten soccer fields and The Hill BMX track. The complex hosts several local, regional and national tournaments every year. Elgin connects to Algonquin and Dundee to

1196-526: The Opera House and Grant Theater. On July 12, 2023, multiple tornadoes went through Elgin causing roof, siding, and wall damage to many buildings including a church near Lesler Road. The strongest tornado was rated EF-1 on the enhanced Fujita scale that lasted from 7:16pm to 7:34pm, with peak winds of 100 miles per hour and a path width of 440 yards. As of the 2020 census there were 114,797 people, 36,825 households, and 26,310 families residing in

1248-620: The Scofield Mansion at 50 N. Spring Street to house the new library. Their only request was that the library be forever and always known and called the Gail Borden Public Library. The library remained at the 50 Spring Street location until the late 1960s when the weight of the books was beginning to strain the ability of the building to hold them all. A new library was built at the Corner of Kimball and Grove, and

1300-1082: The US House of Representatives, Elgin is represented by Lauren Underwood (D), Delia Ramirez (D), and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D). Elgin includes portions of Hanover Township in Cook County and Elgin Township , Plato Township, Rutland Township, Dundee Township, and Campton Township in Kane County. Elgin Township is governed by a supervisor (Kenneth C. Bruderle), highway commissioner (Jason Krabbe), assessor (Steven P. Surnicki), clerk (Karen Dowling) and four trustees (Mark Bialek, Alejandro Lopez, Janet Rogalla and Eric Stare) elected to four-year terms. Elgin Fire Department has 133 sworn firefighters and seven fire stations. The front-line fire apparatus consists of four Advanced Life Support (ALS) fire engines, three ALS Quints, five ALS ambulances, two boats,

1352-407: The area and set the stage for the founding of Elgin. Thousands of militiamen and soldiers of Gen. Winfield Scott 's army marched through the Fox River valley during the war, and accounts of the area's fertile soils and flowing springs soon filtered east. In New York, James T. Gifford and his brother Hezekiah Gifford heard tales of this area ripe for settlement, and they traveled west. Looking for

1404-486: The building features a popular materials collection, a computer cafe, a zen garden and natural prairie plantings as well as a living room area with fireplace. The building earned gold LEED certification (Leadership in Environmental Energy and Design) due to the numerous environmentally friendly and sustainable features including a geothermal well system for heating and cooling the facility. On July 24, 2016,

1456-399: The city and a must go for socialites in the city. Unfortunately, like much of the country, Elgin was ravaged by the Great Depression , and the Professional Building lost many a tenant. However, it continued on as normal and today houses a variety of services, from medical professionals to law offices. In 2003, renovations were considered in a city-wide attempt to revitalize the downtown. It

1508-1219: The city are: Elgin is home to the Elgin Symphony Orchestra . Other classical music groups include the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra , the Elgin Master Chorale, and the Elgin Children's Chorus. Outdoor music can be heard at the Wing Park Bandshell. Theatre groups include the Janus Theatre Company, Elgin Theatre Company, the Independent Players, Children's Theatre of Elgin, Fox Valley Youth Theatre, and Nothing Special Productions. Together, The Hemmens Cultural Center and Elgin Community College 's Visual & Performing Arts Center host dozens of performances

1560-503: The city had a booming dairy industry. All this business attracted the attention of the Professional Building Corporation, which decided Elgin needed a new office building. The building was constructed in the Gothic Revival style, and was the tallest building in the city, not to mention the most glamorous. It featured a soaring two story Gothic lobby, and an 8th floor ballroom which had commanding views of

1612-408: The city was $ 72,999, and the median income for a family was $ 82,334. Males had a median income of $ 41,402 versus $ 30,037 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 29,423. About 8.8% of families and 10.5% of the population were below the poverty line , including 16.4% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over. According to Elgin's 2018 Comprehensive Plan, the top employers in

Elgin Professional Building - Misplaced Pages Continue

1664-557: The city. In the years since, more casinos have opened in the area and the Grand Victoria Casino had seen attendance and revenue decline. In 2013, Elgin ranked number one in the Chicago metropolitan area in new home starts while ranking second in new home closings. Elgin's downtown has also been the center of city renovations and new developments. New townhouses, condo towers, loft spaces, and art galleries have opened in

1716-439: The city. The population density was 2,974.02 inhabitants per square mile (1,148.28/km ). There were 40,530 housing units at an average density of 1,050.00 per square mile (405.41/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 43.42% White , 6.60% African American , 2.40% Native American , 6.48% Asian , 0.08% Pacific Islander , 24.33% from other races , and 16.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 47.44% of

1768-487: The following: In 1936, a commemorative silver half dollar was issued by the United States Mint commemorating the centennial of Elgin. The coin was meant to raise money for the pioneer family memorial proposed by Elgin sculptor Trygve Rovelstad , and sold for $ 1.50. The obverse features the profile of a pioneer with the dates 1673 * 1936, while the reverse features a pioneer family; both images are based on

1820-570: The last decade. In October 2003 the Gail Borden Public Library moved into a new $ 30 million, 139,980 square foot, 460,000 volume-capacity building, and in August 2009 opened its first-ever satellite branch. The 10,000 square foot Rakow Branch, situated on Elgin's West Side, was LEED registered, and was designed to be expandable up to 30,000 square feet. Elgin opened the 185,000 sq. ft. Centre of Elgin recreation facility across

1872-436: The library resources leading to plans for the new building, which opened in 2003. In October 2003, the library moved into a new 153,826 square feet (14,290.9 m ) facility just across the street from the old library at a cost of $ 29.8 million. The new library is situated along the eastern shore of the Fox River and includes a shelving capacity of 460,000 volumes. The architects, Frye Gillan Molinaro Architects, Ltd, designed

1924-402: The library to accommodate the expected growth in population from 110,000 in 2004 to 165,000 over the next 20 years. The library, a two-story structure, is clad in warm buff and terra cotta-colored stone and inspired by the late 19th and early 20th century architectural Prairie School style, illustrated by Frank Lloyd Wright and others. In 2009, the Gail Borden Public Library District received

1976-470: The library was moved. In 1975/76, the children's department was renovated. Renovations included a climbing play structure with a slide and windows to peek from, an aquarium and a mini zoo with lizards and other interesting creatures. Led by the Children's Librarian, Mary Greenawalt, this was one of the first libraries to incorporate play structures into the library experience. The population began to overwhelm

2028-659: The north, and St. Charles , Geneva , and Batavia to the south by the Fox River Trail bike path . Although one of the largest and fastest-growing cities in Illinois, Elgin still retains some of the natural habitat diversity that first brought settlers to this area. On the east, the city borders the 4,200-acre (1,700 ha) Poplar Creek Preserve, maintained by the Cook County Forest Preserves , which includes bike trails, hiking trails and equestrian trails. The Shoe Factory Road Prairie located in

2080-654: The plant species of Trout Park, reflecting both the great variety of plants present and the interest Elginites had in conservation. In the 1960s, the Northwest Tollway bisected the site and reduced it in size. In recent years, Elgin has increased its efforts to be more environmentally sustainable . In 2017, the city introduced free curbside textile recycling to residents, and it is the first city in Illinois to do so. Additionally, Elgin encourages its residents to compost and use rain barrels , which it sometimes subsidizes for residents to purchase. The city also has

2132-399: The population. There were 36,825 households, out of which 37.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.29% were married couples living together, 13.59% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.55% were non-families. 24.15% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.43% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

Elgin Professional Building - Misplaced Pages Continue

2184-559: The preserve provides an example of the hill prairies that once dotted the region. Poplar Creek Preserves connects to the 4,000-acre (1,600 ha) Spring Creek Valley Forest Preserve via a conservation easement covering parts of the Sears campus. Elgin boasts two highly protected nature preserves , the Bluff Spring Fen and Trout Park. For its size, Bluff Spring Fen has a remarkable number of distinct plant communities, including

2236-519: The second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. in the council chambers, located on the second floor of City Hall. Agenda and minutes are available on the city's website. Residents may attend in person at City Hall, watch the live video stream from the online newsroom, or view the replays on cable Channel 17. The city is represented in the Illinois legislature by Representatives Anna Moeller (D), Dan Ugaste (R), and Fred Crespo (D) and Senators Cristina Castro (D) and Don DeWitte (R). In

2288-794: The street from the library. In 2009, Gail Borden was one of five libraries to receive the National Medal for Museum and Library Service issued by the Institute of Museum and Library Services in Washington D.C. In 2014, Elgin completed the Central Business District Streetscape Improvement Project and the Riverside Drive Promenade. A significant Laotian American community calls Elgin home. Elgin has been

2340-658: The winner. The races contributed significantly to the development of the modern automobile. Elgin has a long tradition of education and invention. Elgin is home to the Elgin Academy , the oldest coeducational, non-sectarian college preparatory school west of the Allegheny Mountains . Elgin High School boasts five Navy admirals, a Nobel Prize winner, a Pulitzer Prize winner, a Tony Award winner, two Academy Award-winning producers, Olympic athletes and

2392-619: The world. Today, the clocks at Chicago's Union Station still bear the Elgin name. From 1910 until 1920, with the exception of the World War I years, the city hosted the Elgin National Road Races , which attracted the top national racing champions as well as many of the major automobile manufacturers. The races were sponsored by the Elgin Watch Company who offered a $ 1,000 prize and a silver trophy to

2444-403: Was 3.60 and the average family size was 2.99. The city's age distribution consisted of 26.6% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.0 males. The median income for a household in

2496-527: Was also active in historic preservation, and conducts a popular annual house tour. Elgin's city parks include 112-acre (45 ha) Lords Park, which features the Elgin Public Museum and a small zoo featuring a herd of American bison , and 121-acre (49 ha) Wing Park, which includes a golf course and outdoor swimming pool. Other golf courses within Elgin include the Highlands of Elgin,

2548-500: Was named in his honor. The dairy industry became less important with the arrival of the Elgin Watch Company . The watch factory employed three generations of Elginites from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century, when it was the largest producer of fine watches in the United States (the factory ceased production in 1965 and was torn down in the summer of 1966) and the operator of the largest watchmaking complex in

2600-401: Was proposed that an investment company would convert the offices into residential units, and the top floor ballroom into a restaurant, but this never occurred, and the building is still composed of offices. 42°02′20″N 88°17′00″W  /  42.03890°N 88.28324°W  / 42.03890; -88.28324 Elgin, Illinois Elgin ( / ˈ ɛ l dʒ ɪ n / EL -jin )

2652-400: Was recently renovated, converting it to residential apartments. Predating Victorian homes were homes made of native cobblestone . It was believed that Elgin had at one time the largest concentration of cobblestone homes outside of Rochester, New York . Several such homes built by the earliest settlers still stand. They can be seen in Elgin's historic districts, two of which are recognized by

SECTION 50

#1732802060190

2704-757: Was the Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad which provided frequent service into Chicago. There was also the Elgin and Belvidere Electric Company . Local bus service is provided by Pace (the Suburban bus provider of the Northeastern Illinois Regional Transportation Authority). Pace operates about a dozen bus routes in the city with service running Monday through Saturday. Most of the routes terminate at

#189810