Unique variety of Elgin buildings on display

If you're into architecture - from the historical to the energy-efficient - and you're curious to explore Elgin, Saturday is your chance to do so during a self-guided tour staffed by volunteer docents.

The Open Elgin Architectural Tour includes more than 25 buildings, including schools, churches and office buildings that have unique histories and features. The first tour of its kind in Elgin, it was created by the Enhancing Elgin committee.

The tour includes the U-46 Observatory/Planetarium, consisting of a 1963 planetarium added to the 1909 observatory of the Elgin National Watch Company, First United Methodist Church, the Professional Building, the Cobblestone House, and many more.

The committee, a subgroup of the Elgin Development Group, has been working on the tour since last fall, committee co-chair Denise Raleigh said.

"It's been a way for us to contribute and bring people into downtown Elgin and into surrounding Elgin," she said. "We want people to know about all the unique, wonderful buildings we have."

Some buildings are off the beaten path, like the Church of the Brethren's offices at 1505 Dundee Ave., committee co-chair Mary Dulabaum said. "Having an opportunity to go into buildings such as that is unique," she said.

Energy-efficient buildings include Triumph Community Bank, the Harm A. Weber Academic Center at Judson University, and Gail Borden Public Library's Rakow branch, all of which have a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Docents comprise more than 40 community volunteers, along with Judson students and staff members from some of participating entities.

"We hope people from inside and outside of the city come to Open Elgin to experience the variety of remarkable buildings we have," Mayor David Kaptain said.

The tour is 1 to 5 p.m. Maps are available at openelgin.com and Saturday at tour sites.