Echoes of Elgin: Timeless Tales from the Elgin History Museum

This echo from May 27, 2002 recounts an event during the Civil War, proving that human kindness can exist, even in times of conflict.

Perhaps you know that the 19th Amendment gave women (most women, and often only in a legal sense) the right to vote in 1920. But did you know that over 100 Elgin women first voted in April of 1899? Or that Elgin women once got tired of waiting for bureaucracy to fix a problem and did it themselves, aided by wheelbarrows, horse-driven wagons and numerous loads of gravel?  This echo from November 28, 1999 tells the tale.

Almost 26 years have passed since E.C. "Mike" Alft first told this story on October 24, 1999.  That is still less time than it took for Elgin to move from concept to concrete on the IL Rte 20 bypass. 

If you invested in the Preston Reduction Company of Elgin in 1888, chances are you are still waiting for your dividend check. Investor, beware; reminds this echo from December 8, 1985.

This echo from May 8, 1983 tells the tale of Frank Brown, grave robber.

Pearl Harbor, the U.S.S. Indianapolis, the Battle of Leyte...these are key points in the history of U.S. involvement in WWII. Elginites made the ultimate sacrifice in assuring a "Victory at Sea".  Local Historian E.C. "Mike" Alft honors some of these sailors, by name, in this echo from May 24, 1998.

That one time a house fell off a barge and into the Fox River. An echo from August 16, 1982.

Elgin Eagle Brewing Co. could trace its roots back to 1849.  After all those years, it found a way to weather local and national Prohibition...sort of.  Pour yourself a glass of "cereal beverage" and listen to this echo from February 8, 1998. 

From 1878 to 1890 the fastest and easiest way to get around town was by taking a horse-drawn street car.  Well...that was the plan at least. Tune in to this echo from August 9, 1982 for the real story.

Surely, no one in Elgin fell prey to the streaking fad of the 1970's...right?  Tune in to this echo from May 23, 1999 to check.

WWII was the first major conflict to include the use of planes. More than 40 Elgin airmen were among the pilots, bombardiers, navigators, radio operators and gunners who lost their lives in the war. This echo from May 31, 2004 recalls the abrupt loss of so many of our neighbors.

When was the first "talkie" shown in Elgin?  Where were the first movie houses?  Tune into this echo from November 9, 1981 to find out.

Tune in to this echo from March 5, 2000 to hear the happenings of March 1900, 1925, 1950, 1975 and 1990.

Lois Hillis opened Elgin's first music school in 1867.  Many in Elgin were fans of her musical talent, as was Abraham Lincoln. This echo from October 24, 2004 explains how their paths crossed and her impact in Elgin.

This echo from May 10, 1982 will give a Who's Who list of Elgin women you should know.

Elgin National Watch Company made over 60 million watches. Every one of them was prized by its owner or their descendants.  This echo from September 24, 1995 will highlight some of the more notable ones. 

125 years ago today, the city standpipe on the corner of Spring and Cooper streets came crashing down and patients at the old Sherman Hospital thought for sure it was an earthquake. This echo from August 15, 1999 gives the details.

A 4,000 lb. anchor from a WWII destroyer, the U.S.S. Aaron Ward, sits in memoriam at Bluff City Cemetery. This echo from May 22, 2005 reveals the personal story behind it.

Women were always well-represented in the workforce at the watch factory, making up about half the employees. This echo from June 9, 2003 gives good detail on what their working life was like.