177:. In 1911 lightning caused a fire that destroyed Old Main’s roof which was replaced without the building’s distinctive gabled roof and cupola. The Elgin Academy continued to use the building until 1969 when financial pressures and new safety codes led to its abandonment. The Academy offered Old Main to the City of Elgin which in 1976 decided that its preservation would be an appropriate bicentennial community project. Prominent Elgin merchant John Spiess proposed a “Buck-a-Brick” fund raising campaign selling 150,000 bricks being laid in Fountain Square Plaza Mall. The successful campaign enabled Elgin to take ownership of the building and, despite another fire in 1978, restore the building’s exterior in 1979-80. In 1981 the City of Elgin leased Old Main to the Society. With additional funds raised by the Society and from state and federal sources and with many hours of volunteer labor by members of the Society, Elgin’s Golden K Kiwanis Club and Gifford Park Association, Old Main’s interior was refurbished for museum use. The Society moved into Old Main’s first floor in 1987 and has used all three floors since 1991.
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The
Society, through a small professional staff and significant volunteer assistance, maintains a museum of Elgin history on two floors of Old Main. The museum provides a general review of Elgin’s history while presenting expanded displays on significant community experiences such as the local watch
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Each autumn since 1988 the
Society has conducted a walk in Elgin’s historic Bluff City Cemetery. The Cemetery Walk presents costumed actors portraying the lives and personalities of some of the cemetery’s residents and includes other displays on cemetery customs, styles, and ceremonies of the past.
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The
Society maintains the Reber Research Library. The Library is named in honor of Clarence Reber, a former president and devoted advocate, collector and cataloger for the Society. The Library’s collections span Elgin’s history but feature the old Elgin photographs from the collection of Elmer
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in the
American History Partnership and the U-46 Roadmap of American History Project enhancing teachers’ knowledge of traditional American History and social studies. The Society also offers educational programs for children including a summer history camp, history-themed scavenger hunts and
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poem that entertained
Elginites for over 50 years. Additionally, the Society has partnered with sponsors to produce traveling historical exhibits including Deep Roots, Green City: City Planning in Elgin and The Jewish Experience in Elgin: Stories of Immigration, Identity, and Assimilation.
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The
Society conducts tours, general and annual meetings, and “brown bag” lunches featuring presentations on historical topics. The Society especially emphasizes its outreach to school children and the educational community. The Society has partnered with
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Gyllek, thousands of photographic negatives donated by the Elgin
Courier News, local probate and divorce records, and rich resources for research on Elgin homes. The Library also holds production records for most
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Stroud, Steven R. There Used to Be: A Look Back at Elgin’s
Architectural Heritage. Vol. 1, 2005; Vol. 2, 2007; Vol. 3, 2010. Circle of Time: Elgin and the Watch Company, video, 2002.
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The
Society has occupied its current home, Old Main, since 1987. Old Main opened on December 1, 1856, as a private school, the Elgin Academy, and is noted for its
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Alft, E. C. and
William H. Briska, Elgin Time: A History of the Elgin National Watch Company: 1864-1968. Elgin: Elgin Area Historical Society, 2003.
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The Society was created in 1961 through the efforts of local authors and historians such as LaRoy Morning, Madeline Sadler Waggoner, Karl Lehr and
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Edwards, Jim and Wynette, Images of America: Elgin Illinois From the Collection of the Elgin Area Historical Society. Arcadia Publishing, 1999.
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The Society preserves and presents Elgin history through publications and other media. Among the works with which it has been involved are:
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Alft, E. C., Hispanics in Elgin: A Brief History – Los hispanos en Elgin: una breva historia. Elgin: Elgin Area Historical Society, 2010.
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288:“Old Main” in E. C. Alft, Elgin: Days Gone By, Chapter 24 “Around Town,” ElginHistory.com, retrieved September 19, 2011.
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watches made before the 1950s and offers research services providing information on specific watches.
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The Crackerbarrel. A bimonthly newsletter on Elgin history, published by the Society since 1962.
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Alft, E. C., A History of Elgin History. Elgin: Elgin Area Historical Society, 2011.
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campus. The historic "Old Main" building houses offices, research facilities, the
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Alft, E. C., Elgin: A Women’s City. Elgin: Elgin Area Historical Society, 2008.
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opportunities to experience Elgin’s watch-making and architectural history.
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is a non-profit organization that preserves and presents the history of the
297:“Elgin Celebrates Jewish Legacy,” Chicago Tribune, November 15, 2006.
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Bennett, William E., Elgin, Illinois: “Wish You Were Here.” 2001.
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50 Years of Stewardship: The Elgin Area Historical Society video
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design. Old Main was Elgin’s first building entered on the
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area. Located at 360 Park Street in Elgin, Illinois on the
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The Pioneer and Historical Society of Muskingum County
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Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces and Society
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319:. Americanhistorypartnership.org. Archived from
28:"Old Main", home of the Elgin Historical Society
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203:Pageant, a local event based on the
199:industry, the Elgin Road Races, and
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921:Kandiyohi County Historical Society
906:Giants of the Earth Heritage Center
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317:"U46 - Roadmap of American History"
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372:The Elgin Area Historical Society
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969:Boone County Historical Society
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886:Anoka County History Center
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876:Aitkin County Depot Museum
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561:American Folklore Society
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378:There Used To Be website
212:Activities and education
911:Hennepin History Museum
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420:US historical societies
88:42.040770°N 88.277517°W
448:Chicago History Museum
344:. YouTube. 2011-08-04
93:42.040770; -88.277517
951:Wilkin County Museum
458:Civil War Roundtable
366:Elgin History Museum
201:The Song of Hiawatha
143:Elgin History Museum
17:Elgin History Museum
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418:Midwestern
91: /
66:Coordinates
38:Established
1076:Categories
348:2011-11-12
327:2011-11-12
267:References
155:E. C. Alft
79:88°16′39″W
76:42°02′27″N
868:Minnesota
765:Wisconsin
668:Cleveland
998:Nebraska
961:Missouri
601:Michigan
434:Illinois
165:Building
53:Location
553:Indiana
441:Chicago
181:Library
149:History
112:Website
43: (
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699:Others
497:Others
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661:Ohio
129:The
121:.org
104:Type
45:1987
41:1987
117:www
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
