Elgin

Elgin, city, Kane and Cook counties, northeastern Illinois, U.S. It lies on the Fox River, about 40 miles (65 km) northwest of downtown Chicago. Potawatomi Indians were early inhabitants of the region. Elgin was founded in 1835 by James Talcott Gifford, a settler from New York, and named for a Scottish hymn.

In 1838, a dam was built on the river, and soon several mills were in operation. Following the arrival of a railway link in 1850, Elgin quickly became a major dairy-producing center; by the 1920s, the industry had declined dramatically. In 1865, the Elgin Milk Condensing Company was opened by Gail Borden; it closed in 1918. From 1864 to 1969 the city was the home of the Elgin National Watch Company.

Casino gambling, financial services, and health care are important to Elgin’s economy. Manufactures include electronic equipment, industrial bearings, plastics, commercial cooking equipment, and sealing devices. The city was the site of Elgin Academy, a college preparatory school chartered in 1839 that closed in June 2024. Officials cited a steady erosion in enrollment, among other factors, for the closure of the 185‑year‑old school. The campus is now home to Burhan Academy, an Islamic school that opened later that year. Also in Elgin are Judson University (Baptist; 1963) and Elgin Community College (1949).

The city is home to a symphony orchestra, the Elgin Master Chorale, theater groups, a natural history museum, and Lords Park Zoo, a municipal attraction dating to 1895 that features native wildlife and a seasonal farm zoo. Inc. town, 1846; city, 1854. Pop. (2010) 108,188; (2020) 114,797.