Located in Cook and Kane counties in the northern region of Illinois, United States, Elgin is a city that lies 35 mi (56 km) northwest of Chicago, adjacent to the Fox River. With a population of 114,797 according to the 2020 census, Elgin ranks as the 6th most densely populated city in Illinois.
The Elgin Academy, located in Elgin, is the oldest college preparatory school west of the Allegheny Mountains that is coeducational and not affiliated with any particular religion. Elgin High School has a prestigious list of alumni, including five Navy admirals, a Nobel Prize laureate, a Pulitzer Prize recipient, a Tony Award recipient, two producers who have won Academy Awards, Olympic athletes, and even a former CEO of General Motors.
Elgin can be found at coordinates 42.0384225, -88.3226510, specifically at 42°2′18″N 88°19′22″W.
According to the 2020 census, the city had a population of 114,797 people, with 36,825 households and 26,310 families living there. The population density was 2,974.02 people per square mile. The city had 40,530 housing units, with an average density of 1,050.00 units per square mile.
In 2020, approximately 45.7% of Elgin’s population was made up of Latinos. As a result, Elgin has a significant number of Mexican-owned establishments such as various Helados La Michoacana ice cream shops, Elgin Fresh Market grocery stores, and numerous taquerias.
The city council convenes twice a month on the second and fourth Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. in the council chambers, which are situated on the second level of City Hall. The city’s website provides access to the agenda and minutes. Individuals can choose to attend the meetings in person at City Hall, watch the live stream on the online newsroom, or catch the replays on cable Channel 17.
The city of Elgin has multiple parks, such as the 112-acre Lords Park that houses the Elgin Public Museum and a small zoo with a group of American bison. Additionally, there is the 121-acre Wing Park, which offers a golf course and an open-air swimming pool.
The city gained popularity due to its impressive structures and notable sites that date back to the Victorian period, which includes several exquisite Queen Anne-style houses.
In Elgin, there are three stations on the Milwaukee District West Line of Metra. This railway line offers daily transportation between Elgin and Chicago Union Station. The three stations in Elgin are National Street, Elgin, and Big Timber Road. Although Big Timber Road is the final stop on this line in the west, it does not have Metra service on weekends or major holidays in the United States. On those days, the trains end their routes in Elgin.
Elgin has several major highways, including Interstate 90, US 20, and various routes such as Route 19, Route 25, Route 31, Route 58, and Route 72.
In terms of education, Elgin is served by five public school districts and 18 private schools. The largest public school district in the area is Elgin Area School District U46, which covers a significant portion of Elgin and is the second largest school district in Illinois. The district serves approximately 40,000 school-age children in an area spanning 90 square miles across Cook, DuPage, and Kane Counties.
Elgin also has two public high schools, namely Elgin High School, Larkin High School, and Elgin Math and Science Academy Charter School.
Additionally, there are three other community unit school districts that serve different portions of Elgin: Community Unit School District 301 in Burlington, Community Unit School District 300 in Carpentersville, and Community Unit School District 303 in St. Charles.
Prominent individuals from Elgin include:
– Max Adler, who holds the position of vice-president at Sears & Roebuck and is known for his contributions to the Adler Planetarium.
– Bruce Boxleitner, renowned for his acting skills.
– Harry Chamberlin, an Olympic medalist in equestrian events and a brigadier general in the U.S. Army.
– Paul Flory, a chemist who was the Nobel Prize in 1974.
– Jessica Mink, an astronomer who played a role in the discovery of the rings around Uranus.
– Earl “Madman” Muntz, a pioneer in marketing, car stereos, and 4-track cartridges.
– James Roche, the chairman of General Motors.
– Wade Schaaf, a dancer and choreographer.
– Tom Shales, a journalist who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1988.
– James Christopher Gaffigan, a comedian and actor.
– Dan Andriano, a musician.
The United States Mint released a special half dollar made of silver in 1936 to honor the 100th anniversary of Elgin.
Various films have used different locations in Elgin for their scenes. For example, the west side neighborhood near the Woodruff and Edwards foundry was used in the film Four Friends (1981). Elgin was also featured in the comedy film Dennis the Menace (1993) and the movie Primal Fear (1996) utilized the Elgin Mental Health Center. Sherman Hospital in Elgin was the setting for a scene in the suspense/thriller film Contagion (2011) and parts of the horror film Plastic (2011) were shot in Elgin as well. Additionally, Elgin’s Bluff City Cemetery was used for a scene in the film A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010). The Purge (2013) also depicted Elgin through Purge Feed footage.