Built for horse-drawn apparatus in 1896, in anticipation of city growth, Barn No. 3 was designed by Smith Hoag. It reflects the turn-of-the-century "Storefront Style" of fire barn architecture. Designated a local landmark in 1992. — — Map (db m55596) HM
Gail Borden, pioneer in the food preservative industry, established a milk condensing plant on this site in 1865. His discovery incorporated a process by which water was evaporated from milk, and sugar added as a preservative. This process, patented . . . — — Map (db m63650) HM
From 1866 to 1966 this site was occupied by the Elgin National Watch Company. This was the first watch factory built west of the Alleghenies and grew to become the world's largest. During its lifetime over 60 million 'Elgin' watches were . . . — — Map (db m55455) HM
The Factory - 1867
Pocket watch production began in 1867. The factory, located on National Street at the south end of Grove Avenue, grew in stages until by 1920 it was the largest watchmaking complex in the world, ultimately producing more . . . — — Map (db m63436) HM
This marker is along the “south leg” of the Elgin road races. Beginning in 1910, many leading drivers and mechanics competed here in grueling tests of speed and endurance that contributed to the development of the modern automobile. . . . — — Map (db m55454) HM
In 1926 a grand hall was erected as the new home for two local Masonic organizations -- the Elgin Lodge #117 and the Monitor Lodge #552. At the time, the new Masonic Temple was Elgin's largest indoor meeting space. In addition to lodge functions, it . . . — — Map (db m63331) HM
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, . . . — — Map (db m55458) HM
Among Elginites who served in the Civil War, there were 153 students, teachers, administrators and trustees from Elgin Academy.
•Academy student Leverett Kelley was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for heroic action in combat at Missionary . . . — — Map (db m63437) HM WM
This tablet is made to preserve the memory of pioneers, God fearing people from Scotland and Ireland who organized this church in 1841, as a place to meet together and worship
Andrew McCornack • Robert Shedden •
William Fraser •
George . . . — — Map (db m59171) HM
