A captivating podcast dedicated to unveiling the rich and diverse history of Elgin, Illinois. Each episode brings to life fascinating stories and lesser-known anecdotes from Elgin’s past. Whether you’re a history buff or simply curious about local heritage, this podcast offers an immersive journey into the events, people, and places that have shaped Elgin over the years.
A captivating podcast dedicated to unveiling the rich and diverse history of Elgin, Illinois. Each episode brings to life fascinating stories and lesser-known anecdotes from Elgin’s past. Whether you’re a history buff or simply curious about local heritage, this podcast offers an immersive journey into the events, people, and places that have shaped Elgin over the years.
In response to his petition for divorce, Mrs. Wells of Chicago had her husband John Henry Wells declared insane and committed to the Illinois Northern Insane Asylum in Elgin. The story does not end there. This echo from April 19, 2008 tells the tale.
More than just the name of a watch model, "Lady Elgin" has two other meanings among fans of Elgin lore. Tune into this echo from July 7, 1996 to find out those meanings.
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.
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.
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.
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.