Elgin's Heritage Commission bringing history to life

A treasure trove of hidden historical gems and stories from Elgin's past is coming to life this coming year, thanks to funding and new ideas from the city's Elgin Heritage Commission.

Among the initiatives are a new cell phone tour highlighting Elgin landmarks, the installation of historical plaques near old buildings and places, and an interpretive sign commemorating the city's original African-American "Settlement."

A near-southwest side neighborhood group is also working with the commission in providing historical building plaques to more than two dozen homes - an unprecedented number for a single application.

All of the activity is designed to illustrate the rich social history in Elgin, which extends its roots back to the early 1800s, explained Bill Briska, chair of the Heritage Commission.

"What we are trying to do is create a greater sense of place and community pride," Briska said. "When people are aware of their heritage - the architectural and social history of their neighborhoods - and see those elements as assets, it is likely going to give them a greater sense of loyalty to their area.

"People will not want to move up and out but stay and reinvest," he said.

Jerry Turnquist, a former member of commission, suggested the commission look into the cell phone tours, a service provided by OnCellSystems and widely used in advertising real estate, trade shows, museums, historic sites, art galleries and other point of interest. The city of Aurora has a historic tour using the OnCell System similar to what the commission is contemplating.

Briska said once implemented next year, the city's share of an annual subscription is about $2,500. The Heritage Commission has set aide $2,000 for audio embellishments of the tour material. "These will give the recordings a more professional quality and include sound effects and music to add drama and interest to the narrative," he said.

The sites were chosen around geographic themes. They include the Fox River Trail from National Street to Trout Park, with markers placed at the following sites: National Street opposite the former watch factory, the Grand Victoria Casino, Festival Park, Walton Island and the Hemmens Cultural Center, the Pioneer Memorial Statute, the newly-installed Veterans Memorial near the Gail Borden Public Library, Pratt Castle, Spring Street at the base of the hill near the old water treatment plant and Trout Park.

"There are many sites located along the bike path that have interesting stories behind them," said Briska. "Without some form of interpretation that richness is hidden from the public."

Another cell phone tour will highlight four areas at the east side Lords Park, including the pavilion, fountain and lagoons, zoo and public museum. At the west-side Wing Park, the cell phone tour will feature the golf course, pool, band shell and site of the former mineral springs, and baseball diamonds.

The tour is also expected to include 10 downtown Elgin locations.

"Elgin has a wonderful multilayered history that distinguishes it from many other suburbs," said Briska. "The cell phone tours are one means by which we can educate people about that history, enhance their enjoyment of the parks, bike path and downtown using an entertaining as well informative media."

The commission is working with the Summit Park Neighbors and Settlement, a near-east side neighborhood group in installing a historical marker at the corner of Hill Avenue and Fremont Street, which will commemorative the history of the original African-American "Settlement." From Oct. 15, 1862 - when the first African Americans arrived in Elgin after escaping the south as contrabands on the Illinois Central - through the late 1950s, every African-American lived in this four-block area.

The sign, scheduled for dedication in May next year, will mark the first public commemoration of the original Settlement, explained Briska. More information on this area and background on the original families who lived there are detailed in a new book called, "Stories from the Heart of the Settlement" by Elgin resident Raleigh Sutton.

To help showcase their rich collection of original kit homes designed by retailers Montgomery Ward, Gordon Van-Tine, Sears, Roebuck and Co. and others, the South West Area Neighbors, or SWAN, is working with more than two dozen homeowners in documenting the structures. Briska said Elgin resident, author and kit home expert Rebecca Hunter is researching many of the homes in the area between Moseley Street and the Sunset Park subdivision.

The commission awards the historical building plaques, which feature the name of the original homeowner and date the home was built, twice per year. SWAN members are currently explaining the value of the plaque program to homeowners in hopes many of them sign up and receive their plaques during National Preservation Week in May next year.

Briska said the commission is also finalizing list of architecturally significant buildings and places, which it will use to award small interpretive plaques. On the commission's list are the six remaining cobblestone homes on the near-west and east sides of the city.

"We have a good cornerstone of architectural preservation in Elgin and the next step is making people aware of the places, people, social organizations and other institutions here," he said. "All that stuff is what makes Elgin unique."