Elgin in Kane County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Illinois Watch Case Company

(1890-1963)

Photographed By Paul Fehrenbach, September 20, 2017

1. Illinois Watch Case Company Marker

Inscription. For more than 70 years this site was occupied by the Illinois Watch Case Company. The firm was a leader in the domestic watch industry and by the 1920s had produced more than 30 million watch cases.
A subsidiary produced jewelry goods, lockets, cigarette lighters, and the famed "Elgin American" ladies compacts. During World War II, the company won an Army-Navy excellence award for its production of mortar shells and war-related materials.
Foreign competition and a changing market eventually led to an end of production in the early 1960s.
text from Illinois State Historical Society

Erected 2007 by the Elgin Heritage Commission and the Illinois State Historical Society.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Illinois State Historical Society series list.

Location. 42° 3.136′ N, 88° 16.262′ W. Marker is in Elgin, Illinois, in Kane County. Marker is at the intersection of Dundee Avenue and Chester Avenue, on the right when traveling north on Dundee Avenue. Marker was on the northeast corner. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Elgin IL 60120, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the

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crow flies. Elgin (within shouting distance of this marker); Memorial Tribute to Elgin Academy's Patriotic Sons Who Served in the Great Civil War, 1861-1865 (approx. 0.8 miles away); Elgin National Watch Company Factory Bell (approx. 0.8 miles away); Elgin's Masonic Temple Cornerstone (approx. 0.8 miles away); Elgin Milk Condensing Company (approx. 1.1 miles away); W.W. I Memorial Davidson Park (approx. 1.3 miles away); Elgin National Watch Company (approx. 1.6 miles away); Pinkerton’s Early Home (approx. 3.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Elgin.

More about this marker. The historical marker was stolen from the site in early February 2012. The building complex was razed in the summer of 2011. The marker was replaced by 2017.

Photographed By Paul Fehrenbach, September 20, 2017

2. Illinois Watch Case Company Marker

Photographed By Paul Fehrenbach, September 20, 2017

3. Illinois Watch Case Company Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on September 20, 2017. It was originally submitted on May 18, 2012, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. This page has been viewed 1,307 times since then and 48 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 20, 2017, by Paul Fehrenbach of Germantown, Wisconsin. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.