Magazine puts Elgin in its “great places” list

Once a hub of industry, Elgin has now been recognized for its farmers market and sustainability initiatives.

The city will be featured on Mother Earth News' “Great Places You've (Maybe) Never Heard Of” list, which recognizes cities and towns for their positive civic energy, investments in local businesses and meaningful programs that benefit the environment.

Mother Earth News is a bimonthly magazine dedicated to sustainable living. About a half million readers subscribe to it.

The article, which will appear in the magazines's February-March issue, highlights the popular Downtown Neighborhood Association-sponsored harvest market, live entertainment, public art exhibits, food and wine tastings, and wellness and green demonstrations.

“Elgin was interesting because of its evolution from an industrial town to one that is more balanced and community-centered,” said Alison Rogers, assistant editor of Mother Earth News. “We looked deeper and found a lot of interesting things, especially in the arts like the great symphony, the local food and the sustainability agenda that we like the focus on.”

Other cities and towns making it to the fifth annual list are Huntsville, Ala.; Louisville, Ky.; Carrboro, N.C.; Fredericksburg, Texas; and Floyd, Va.

Cherie Rogers, assistant to the city manager for community engagement, said the acknowledgment is a testament the community's commitment to the city.

“It is nice to see not only the city staff get recognized for all of their efforts, but also the residents who have put in a lot of work to make the city more sustainable,” Rogers said. “It is nice to see them get recognized because it really is a community effort.”

With the spotlight shining on Elgin, Jason Pawlowski, promotions coordinator for the Downtown Neighborhood Association, said the attention would be a boon for Elgin and its downtown area.

“The more people hear about Elgin and downtown, the more they will come and discover what the city has to offer, especially from the arts and cultural perspective.”

This was not the first time Elgin has been featured in a well-known publication. Elgin was picked by This Old House Magazine as one of the top 10 best old house neighborhoods in 2009.