See how history's made new again at Elgin museum

The Elgin Area Historical Museum, 360 Park St., will host an open house for its new exhibit, "From River to Rails," noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 15. Refreshments will be served.

Step back to 1835, and find James T. Gifford constructing a cabin of logs that would become the heart of Elgin's settlement by the Fox River. You can get a sense of that sight, as the Elgin Area Historical Museum opens its doors to showcase entirely new and revamped exhibit spaces. The cabin furnishings include rope bed with hand made quilt and rugs of spun yarn and woven on a loom. Just outside the cabin is a Conestoga wagon similar to one the Gifford's would have used to travel from upstate New York to Elgin. The wagon is stocked with all the necessary equipment needed for the long journey.

In addition to the authentically created cabin, you can view the expanded "Made in Elgin" room highlighting the varied products manufactured in Elgin; the geared up "National Road Race" exhibit with a twist on its community impact, and the lilting life of "Pianos in the Parlor" with a focus on phonographs. The exhibits have been created by a group of dedicated volunteers, working afternoons, evenings and weekends.

Ken Gough and family will be on hand in period costume at 1 p.m. to talk about settler life in the 1830s and women's roles. Diana Gough, daughter Beth, and other volunteers will demonstrate such varied tasks and talents of the period, as quilting and making bread. Elgin historian E. C. "Mike" Alft will talk at 1:30 p.m. on Elgin settlers and life in the community in the 1830s and '40s.

For more information, visit elginhistory.org, e-mail elginhistory@foxvalley.net or call (847) 742-4248