History of Elgin, Illinois 

A brief history of Elgin, IL

The name “Elgin” which was named after a Scottish tune, derived from settlers from New York named James T. Gifford and his brother Hezekiah Gifford in April 1835. 

The city of Elgin, Illinois was founded in the year 1835, the area was filled with settlements and burial mounds which were established by the Indian Removal Act of 1830 and the Black Hawk Indian War of 1832. Elgin is located on the upper east side of Cook County, approximately 35 mi (56km) northwest of Chicago, and it also lies along the Fox River.

In the early days of Elgin, the city gained popularity through the sales of butter and dairy products to the city of Chicago, resulting in a significant boom of milk production and other business activities. The Elgin Watch Company overtook the spotlight after the diary industry became less important as time grew, the company ran till 1965 before having to cease operations and productions, resulting in the factory being torn down in the year 1966.

Fun fact: The clock’s at Chicago Union Station still bears the Elgin brand name up to this day. 

Today, Elgin is ranked number one in the Chicago area in new housing developments, while also ranking two in new home closings. Elgin is rich in the diversity of grassroots organizations, taking pride in community participation and volunteerism, also home to a sizeable population of Mexican Americans. 

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