Explore Elgin’s rich architectural heritage at the 43rd annual Historic House Tour
The Elgin Historic House Tour returns for its 43rd year, offering residents and visitors a rare chance to step inside some of the city’s most architecturally and historically significant homes.
The two-day event will take place Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 6-7, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will showcase seven turn-of-the-century houses on Elgin’s northwest side. The featured houses are: 43 Hamilton Ave., 223 N. Worth Ave., 224 N. Commonwealth Ave., 229 N. Vincent Place, 739 W. Highland Ave., 806 W. Highland Ave., and 864 W. Highland Ave.
Each stop features knowledgeable docents who guide guests through every room, sharing details about the home’s architecture, history and unique character.
In recent years, the tour has expanded accessibility by offering bilingual docents, allowing the full experience to be enjoyed in Spanish if needed. The two homes with bilingual docents will be at 806 W. Highland Ave. and 229 Vincent Place.
“That is something that we really have been striving to allow all people of Elgin to enjoy the houses and the house walk,” said John Marston, co-chair of the event. “Age is not a matter; families are welcome to attend.”
The Sawyer Mansion at 806 W. Highland Ave. is a Queen Anne-style house built in 1893 for William Sawyer, a local business executive. The home was designed by William Wright Abell. The prominent Elgin architect designed dozens of homes in the Elgin area, as well as many churches, schools, village halls, and factory buildings in the Elgin area and beyond. Seven homes that he designed can be found on the 700 and 800 blocks of West Highland Avenue. The Sawyer Mansion was designated a local landmark by the city of Elgin in 2011.
The 1923 Italian Renaissance Revival home at 223 N. Worth was designed by Ralph Abell for his family. A notable architect in his own right, he had been a business partner with his father, W.W. Abell who died in 1916 at age 62. The house was last featured on the 29th annual tour in 2010.
The English Tudor-style home at 864 Highland Ave. was built in 1927 by Darwin Phillips for Dr. Raymond F. Dowell.
The Queen Anne-style home at 224 N. Commonwealth Ave. was built in 1906 for Robert Arnold, a plant manager for Brethren Publishing House.
Two of the homes on the tour received heritage building plaques from the city earlier this spring: 43 Hamilton Ave. (built in 1925) and 229 Vincent Place (built in 1913). Also on the tour is an early Prairie-style home, built in 1900, at 739 W. Highland Ave.
This year’s tour also will feature a food court at Vincent and Mill streets. The house tour is also located close enough to downtown Elgin for visitors to grab a bite at a nearby restaurant in between stops.
Tickets
Advance tickets are: $20 or $15 for youth, age 18 or younger, or those age 65 or older. Ticket prices go up $5 on the days of the tour. Note: Tickets purchased with a credit card are subject to a service fee. Cash accepted when you purchase tickets at registration: Church of the Brethren, 783 W. Highland Ave. You also can buy tickets, with cash, until 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5, at the Elgin History Museum, 360 Park St.
The two-day flexible ticket that allows you to tour through each home once at your own pace. See them all Saturday or split your tour between Saturday and Sunday. Tickets include admission to one of the walking lectures.
Tickets and more information are available at historicelginhousetour.com.
Walking tour
From the 1890s until the 1930s, builders Kenyon Brothers and Kenyon & Son were responsible for the construction of many homes in this year’s house tour area. Take a stroll through the neighborhood to admire Kenyon-built homes.
Join architectural historian Rebecca Hunter for this walking lecture. The lecture is about 90 minutes long and covers 1.5 miles. You will examine the exteriors of the homes. These tours start at 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; meet at the food court located on Mill Street, between Vincent Place and Hamilton Avenue.
Gifford Park Association
The Gifford Park Association is the parent organization of the Historic Elgin House Tour. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to showcasing Elgin’s historic neighborhoods through programs, projects and educational outreach. It is a three-time recipient of an Elgin Image Award for its positive promotion of the city and a four-time recipient of a Mayor’s Award for its work in preservation and neighborhood rehabilitation.
Originally a small group of neighbors working to get its east side Elgin neighborhood on the National Register of Historic Places, GPA has grown to include members from all parts of Elgin as well as surrounding towns. And it prides itself on being a network for old-house lovers, bringing them together — not only for the Historic Elgin House Tour but for potlucks and porch parties, rehab seminars and work projects — to share experiences, contacts and often even tools. For a detailed listing of how GPA invests its time, talent and money, visit gpaelgin.org.