Elgin Fire Barn No. 5 to get donation for memorial plaza

The Gifford Park Association will present a $5,000 donation at 11 a.m. Saturday to Elgin Fire Barn No. 5 to help build a planned Firefighters Memorial Plaza.

The donation will assist in construction of the plaza in front of the historic building at 533 Saint Charles St., plans for which include two flagpoles, a seating area and a water fountain.

The Gifford Park Association was formed in 1979 to preserve the historic integrity of the oldest neighborhood in Elgin and improve quality of life for its residents.

Elgin Fire Barn No. 5 Museum is a Nationally Registered Historical Building and the second official landmark in Elgin. Established in 1903, it was the fifth original fire barn in Elgin, housing horses and a firefighting carriage.

Official operations shut down in 1991, and ithe barn now operates as a museum.