Located 40 miles northwest of Chicago on the scenic Fox River, the town of Elgin lies within both Kane and Cook Counties. The population of Elgin is more than 100,000, making it the eighth largest city in Illinois. The Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission estimates that Elgin will have a population of 162,416 by 2030. One...
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Located 40 miles northwest of Chicago on the scenic Fox River, the town of Elgin lies within both Kane and Cook Counties. The population of Elgin is more than 100,000, making it the eighth largest city in Illinois. The Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission estimates that Elgin will have a population of 162,416 by 2030. One well-known Elgin resident was Frederick L. Maytag, founder of the appliance company. The town is also known for the Elgin National Watch Company, which is no longer in operation, but was once the largest producer of fine watches in the United States.
Elgin is recognized for its historic architecture and landmarks from the Victorian era, including some examples of homes in the Queen Anne style. Many of these homes once belonged to Elgin National Watch Company executives. Sears Catalog homes arrived in Elgin as kits from 1908 to 1949. In addition, at one time Elgin had the largest concentration of cobblestone homes outside of Rochester New York; several of these homes, which are recognized by the National Register of Historic Places, still stand and are part of Elgin's historic districts. Other types of housing include modern, state-of-the-art homes, trendy downtown townhomes and condos, and beautiful country homes in wooded settings. In September 2006, the average price of a single-family home was $253,584.
There are more than 60 public and private elementary, middle and high schools within a 15-mile radius of Elgin; Elgin alone has three public school districts. For higher education, students can attend Elgin Community College and Judson College, and there are branch campuses of National-Louis University and Keller School of Management.
For leisure-time activities, there are many choices. For music, residents can listen to the Elgin Symphony Orchestra, the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra, and the Elgin Choral Union. Outdoor music can be heard at the Wing Park Bandshell. Theatre groups include the Janus Theatre Company, the Talisman Theatre, Elgin Community Theatre, Children's Theatre of Elgin, and the Fox Valley Youth Theatre. At the Hemmens Cultural Center in downtown Elgin, area residents can tap their feet to some blues or country music, or watch a stand-up comedian perform.
Residents can also spend their leisure time at the Grand Victoria riverboat casino, which helped revitalize Elgin's downtown area in the 1990s. They can also play some softball, soccer or volleyball at the Elgin Sports Complex; golf a few rounds at the Highlands of Elgin, Rolling Knolls Country Club or at the Elgin Country Club; swim at the Centre of Elgin; and take advantage of the city's plentiful parks and forest preserves.
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