{{Template:Chicagoland municipality|
muni-name = Elgin|
muni = City|
date = 1854|
state = Illinois|
county = Kane & Cook|
township = Elgin Township & Hanover Township|
gov = Council-manager|
head_label = Mayor|
gov_head = Ed Schock|
pop = 94,487|
status = up|
percent = 22.69|
prevyear = 1990|
density-km = 1,459.3|
density-mi = 3,779.1|
white = 70.49|
black = 6.80|
hispanic = 34.32|
asian = 3.88|
islander = 0.06|
native = 0.40|
other = 15.39|
zips = 60120, 60121, 60122, 60123|
acode = 847 & 224|
area-km = 64.7|
area-mi = 25.0|
latdegree = 42|
latarc = 2.22|
longdegree = 88|
longarc = 17.19|
pci = 21,112|
mhv = 229,300 (2005)|
website = cityofelgin.org|
}}
'''Elgin''' (pronounced {{IPA|[ˈɛldʒɪn]}} (IPA)) is a city 40 mi. (64.5 km) northwest of Chicago,_Illinois on the Fox River. Most of Elgin lies within Kane_County,_Illinois, with a portion in Cook_County,_Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 94,487, making it the eighth largest city in Illinois. Elgin is a diverse and rapidly growing community that was profiled in a 1997 issue of ''Money_Magazine'' as a Microcosm of the United_States.
The Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission forecasts Elgin will have a population of 162,416 in 2030.
== History ==
Image:DSCN3371.jpg
The Black Hawk Indian War of 1832 set the stage for the founding of Elgin by bringing thousands of militiamen and soldiers of Gen. Winfield Scott's army into the Fox River valley. Accounts of oak-clad hills, fertile prairie soils, gentle rivers 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 travelled west to found the city in 1836, which they would name after the Scottish hymn “The Song of Elgin.”
The Giffords chose this site along the banks of the Fox because it was on the stagecoach route from Chicago to the booming lead mining town of Galena,_Illinois and the river could be bridged there.
Early Elgin was famous for the butter and dairy goods it provided to Chicago, approximately 40 mi (60 km) away. Gail_Borden established a condensed milk factory here in 1866, and today the local library bears his name. The dairy industry became less important with the arrival of the Elgin_Watch_Company, also known as The National Watch Company. The watch factory employed three generations of Elginites from the late 19th to early 20th century, when it was the largest producer of fine watches in the United States. Today, the clocks at Chicago's Union Station still bear the Elgin name.
Image:DSCN3375.JPG
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, as well as Elgin_High_School, which boasts five navy admirals, a Nobel Prize winner, a Pulitzer Prize winner, a Tony Award winner, and a General_Motors CEO among its alumni. Elgin resident John Murphy invented the modern 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.
Beloved local historian E.C._Alft has written several books and has an ongoing newspaper column about Elgin's history.
== Architecture and historic preservation ==
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The city is known for its historic architecture and landmarks from 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.
Predating Victorian homes were homes made of native cobblestone. It is 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 the National_Register_of_Historic_Places.
Lesser known than the Victorians are the Sears catalogue homes. Elgin is believed to have the largest number of documented Sears catalogue homes in the state of Illinois. Another interesting bit of trivia is that the Elgin Public Museum at Lords Park is the oldest building in Illinois built expressly as a museum that is still serving that purpose.
The 9-member Elgin Heritage Commission promotes historic preservation activity. The Gifford Park Association is also active in historic preservation, and conducts a popular annual house tour.
== Arts, Recreation, and Conservation ==
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Elgin is home to the Elgin_Symphony_Orchestra, "Illinois' second orchestra," according to Chicago Tribune music critic John Von Rhein. Other classical music groups include the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Elgin Choral Union, and the Elgin Children's Chorus. Outdoor music can be heard at the Wing Park Bandshell. Theatre groups include the Janus Theatre Company, Talisman Theatre, which is responsible for productions of Shakespeare in the Park, and Elgin Community Theatre.
After losing many landmark businesses in the 1980's, 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.
Elgin has many city parks, including 112 Acre (453,000 m²) Lords Park, which features a petting zoo and a herd of American_bison, and 121 acre (490,000 m²) Wing Park, which includes a golf course. Other golf courses within Elgin include the Rolling Knolls Country Club, the Highlands of Elgin, and the Elgin Country Club. The Centre of Elgin, which among other features includes an aquatic park and a climbing wall, is one of the largest municipal recreation centers in the United States. The Elgin Sports Complex on the City's Southwest side has ten lighted ballfields, ten soccer fields and the Chicago area's premier BMX Track, The Hill. The Complex hosts several local, regional and national tournaments every year. Elgin is connected with Algonquin and Dundee to the north, and St. Charles, Geneva, and Batavia to the south by the Fox River Trail bike path.
Although it is one of the largest and fastest-growing cities in Illinois, Elgin still has some of the natural beauty and habitat diversity which first brought settlers to this area. The city is bordered on the East by the 4,200 acre (17 km²) Poplar Creek Preserve, maintained by the Forest_Preserve_District_of_Cook_County, which includes bike trails, hiking trails and equestrian trails. The Shoe Factory Road Prairie located in the preserve provides an example of the hill prairies which once dotted the region. Poplar Creek Preserves is connected to the 4,000 acre (16 km²) Spring Creek Valley Forest Preserve via a conservation easement covering parts of the Sears campus.
Elgin boasts two highly protected Illinois_Nature_Preserves, the Bluff Spring Fen and Trout Park. For its size, Bluff Spring Fen has a remarkable number of distinct plant communities, including a hill prairie and a Fen, or alkaline spring marshland, which is home to several rare Orchids. Trout Park also includes a similar calcerous seep community, with the addition of a unique forest community of oaks, ashes, Maples, and uncommon species such as Arbor_vitae and Witch_hazel. When the park was created in the 1920's, the local newspaper ran a lengthy front-page story with lists of the plant species of Trout Park, reflecting both the great variety of plants present and interest Elginites had in conservation. The park was bisected by the Northwest_Tollway and reduced in size in the 1960s.
== Elgin today ==
Image:DSCN27951.jpg
Elgin ranks as one of the most rapidly growing cities in Illinois. Elgin Mayor Ed Schock was quoted in the ''Chicago Tribune'' in June 2005, saying that Elgin will in 40 years be the second largest city in Illinois. The city's Far West Development Strategy calls for the construction of 14,000 homes on previously agricultural land west of Randall Road, which has become a major retail corridor connecting the Fox Valley. Elgin's downtown area has also attracted developer interest. Three large residential projects are expected to be completed in the downtown by 2007, at a total cost of more than $100 million. The new 460,000 volume-capacity library, completed at a cost of $30 million, as well as the city's $41 million recreational center, the Centre of Elgin, has helped to renew homebuyer interest in the revitalized downtown.
This remarkable growth has been accompanied by increased concerns about traffic, Urban_sprawl, and the city's capacity to provide services to new residents. City officials insist that Elgin's water plants have ample capacity to serve all new residents. Elgin is known for the quality of its tap water, which in the past ten years has been named both the finest in Kane County and the finest in Illinois.
The city is served by Elgin_Community_College, one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the state, and Judson College, a four-year Christian college on the banks of the Fox River. Judson features graduate programs in architecture and education, and as of May, 2005 is contemplating a name change to Judson University.
In the 1990s, Elgin became one of the few cities in northern Illinois to host a Riverboat Casino. The Grand Victoria Casino was initially controversial but has proven a significant source of income for the city. Drawing nearly four million people annually, as of March 2005, it is the fifth most popular tourist attraction in Illinois. The Grand_Victoria_Foundation, to which the casino has contributed an amount in excess of $116 million, is a major provider of community grants to nonprofits in the city.
Elgin is home to a large Lao community, and has been the sister city of Vientiane, the capital of Laos, since 1967. Some Lao have opened grocery stores, where otherwise hard to find Asian ingredients and goods can be purchased locally.
Elgin's civic society is characterized by a large, diverse, and effective group of grassroots organizations, a sense of community pride and a spirit of volunteerism and participation. In recognition of this, for the second time, Elgin won the National Civic League's prestigious All-America_City_Award in 2002.
Community Groups
* Downtown_Neighborhood_Association_of_Elgin
== Government ==
Image:Elgin_Seal.jpg
Elgin was chartered as a city by the State of Illinois in 1854, and 100 years later, became the first city in Illinois to adopt a Council-Manager form of government. Residents elect six at-large council members and a mayor, who serve on a part-time basis. The city council meets every other Wednesday at 6:00pm at City Hall. The city manager, a full-time professional, serves at the pleasure of the mayor and city council. Elgin's current mayor is Ed_Schock.
The city is represented in the Illinois legislature by Representative Ruth Munson (R) and Senator Steven J. Rauschenberger (R), Assistant Minority Leader. In Congress, Elgin is represented by Speaker Dennis_Hastert (R), Representative Henry_Hyde (R), and Representative Melissa_Bean (D). Senator Rauschenberger was a primary candidate for U.S. senate in the 2004 elections, and has announced his candidacy for Illinois governor in 2006.
Elgin is in Hanover Township of Cook County and Elgin Township of Kane County. Elgin Township is governed by a supervisor (Annette Miller) and four trustees (Robert "Bob" Johnson, J. Patrick Hudgens, Vicki Pellock and Kurt R. Kojzarek) elected to four year terms.
== Geography ==
Elgin is located at 42°2'22" North, 88°17'19" West (42.039426, -88.288627){{GR|1}}.
According to the United_States_Census_Bureau, the city has a total area of 65.8 km² (25.4 mi²). 64.7 km² (25.0 mi²) of it is land and 1.0 km² (0.4 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 1.54% water.
== Demographics ==
Image:DSCN3227.JPG
As of the Census{{GR|2}} of 2000, there are 94,487 people, 31,543 households, and 22,395 families residing in the city. The Population_density is 1,459.3/km² (3,779.1/mi²). There are 32,665 housing units at an average density of 504.5/km² (1,306.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 70.49% White, 6.80% African American, 0.40% Native American, 3.88% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 15.39% from other races, and 2.98% from two or more races. 34.32% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. A significant portion of Elgin's Asian population is of Lao origin.
There are 31,543 households out of which 39.6% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.6% are married couples living together, 11.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% are non-families. 23.3% of all households are made up of individuals and 7.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.94 and the average family size is 3.49.
In the city the population is spread out with 29.0% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 33.6% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 31 years. For every 100 females there are 99.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 98.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $52,605, and the median income for a family is $58,404. Males have a median income of $39,581 versus $28,488 for females. The Per_capita_income for the city is $21,112. 8.1% of the population and 6.4% of families are below the Poverty_line. Out of the total population, 11.6% of those under the age of 18 and 4.7% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
==Notable Elginites==
The following is a list of people who were born in, lived in, or are otherwise associated with Elgin.
* Max_Adler, vice-president of Sears & Roebuck, benefactor of Adler_Planetarium
* Bruce_Boxleitner, actor
* Barlow_Girl, Christian rock band
* Reb_Braddock, film director
* Nina_Burleigh, journalist and best-selling author
* Gail_Dack, bacteriologist and authority on food poisoning
* Paul_Flory, chemist, Nobel Prize winner
* Lloyd_Hall, chemist
* Richard_Hoover, production designer, Tony_Award winner
* Kristine_Iverson, assistant secretary of labor, George_W._Bush administration
* William_LeBaron, playwright, movie producer (IMDB page)
* Helen_Miller_Malloch, founder of the National Federation of Press Women
* Earl "Madman" Muntz, marketer
* John Murphy, inventor of street sweeper
* Frank_O'Beirne, admiral and member of Joint Chiefs of Staff
* Brian_Oldfield, Olympic shot putter
* Jane_Peterson, painter and artist
* John_Qualen, actor (IMDB page)
* James_Roche, president of General_Motors
* Tom_Shales, journalist, Pulitzer Prize winner (1988)
* Charles_Swanson, president of Encyclopaedia_Britannica
* Carleton_Washburne, educator, author of the Winnetka_Plan
==Education==
Elgin is served by four public school districts and 18 private schools.
The public school districts serving Elgin:
* Elgin_Area_School_District_U46 - Elgin-based, serves most of Elgin
* Central School District 301 - Burlington-based, serves some western portions of Elgin
* Community Unit School District 300 - Carpentersville-based, serves some northwestern portions of Elgin
* Community Unit School District 303 - St. Charles-based, serves some southwestern portions of Elgin
Elgin-based Elgin_Area_School_District_U46 http://www.U-46.org/ serves an area of some 90 square miles in Cook, DuPage and Kane Counties. Almost 40,000 children of school age are in its area. U-46 is the second largest school district in Illinois.
Among Elgin's 18 private schools are the following:
* The Elgin Academy
* Summit Academy
* The Fox River Country Day School
* St. Edward Central Catholic High School
Elgin is also home to Judson College a 4-year Christian college, and Elgin Community College, which serves the district #509 communities of St. Charles, Burlington, South Elgin, Wayne, Bartlett, Algonquin, Dundee, Hampshire and smaller towns.
== Commemorative coin ==
Image:DSCN32981.jpg
In 1936, a commemorative half dollar was issued by the United_States_Mint commemorating the centennial of Elgin, Illinois. The obverse features the profile of a pioneer with the dates 1673 * 1936, while the reverse features a pioneer family. Both images are modeled on a pioneer family memorial made by Elgin sculptor Trygve_Rovelstad.
== See also ==
* Elgin_High_School
== External links ==
*City brochure(pdf)
*Elgin Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
*Elgin Area Chamber of Commerce
*Elgin Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees)
*Elginhistory.com, which includes two online books on Elgin history by E.C. Alft
*Elgin Area Historical Society
*History of the Elgin Centennial Half Dollar
*Elgin Post Cards
*Elgin Community College
*Elgin Symphony Orchestra
*Elgin Choral Union
*Elgin Children's Chorus
*Elgin-based School District U-46
*Fox River Country Day School
*Elgin Academy
*Elgin city government site
*Downtown Elgin blog
*Elginite
*Elgin news from the Daily Herald
*Downtown Neighborhood Association
*Gifford Park Association, an architectural preservation group
*Elgin entry in Encyclopedia of Chicago
*Pictures of Elgin on Flickr
*Forest Preserves Around Elgin
{{Mapit-US-cityscale|42.039426|-88.288627}}
{{Chicagoland}}
{{Illinois}}
Category:All-America_City
Category:Cities_in_Illinois
Category:Kane_County,_Illinois
Category:Cook_County,_Illinois
Pt:Elgin_(Illinois)
Io:Elgin,_Illinois