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1st. Congregationalist Church
St. Mary's Church
St. John Ev. Lutheran Church
Ev. Lutheran Church of Holy Spirit
Methodist Church
 Episcopal Church
Grant School
Buildings
Borden Library
City Hall
Cook Publishing
Brethren Publishing 
Dunham's Castle
Elk's Club
Ill. State Armory 
Home Bank Building
Professional Building
Post Office
Sears Academy
Selz Shoe Factory
Masonic Temple
H. Kind 
Bakery
Hubbard Block
McGraw 
Electric
Woolworth's
Cromwell Shoes
Judge Botsford's Residence
Fire Barn # 1
Fire Barn # 5
Elgin Eagle Beer
Hospitals
Sherman Hospital
Resthaven Sanitarium
St. Joseph's Hospital
Larkin Children's Hospital
Elgin State Hospital Annex
Old People's Home
Streets
Grove Ave.
Grove Ave 
at Nite.
North on Grove
Douglas Ave.
Chicago Street
Villa Street
Highland & Larkin Avenues
Modern Elgin
Grove Ave. (Mod)
Aerial View
Elgin Skyline
Greetings From Elgin
Greetings From Elgin (1975)

Grove Avenue at Night

As shown here, Elgin was a vibrant city, both by night and day.  One of the merchants who took definite steps to readdress that was Theo J. Swan.  His department store closed during the evenings, so employees could spend time with their families.

Shown predominantly in the upper right hand corner of this postcard is The Metropolitan Business College.  Since Elgin was a prosperous city, jobs were readily available for people with business skills.  The Elgin Business College, established by William A. Drew, opened its doors in 1885 to provide people with necessary, employable skills.  Shortly after that, the rival Metropolitan Business College of Chicago opened a branch on Grove Avenue.  

An interesting aside, the principal of The Metropolitan Business College of Chicago had some very harsh words for the people of the day who smoked cigarettes:

"The average employer is very much disinclined to employ a person who is addicted to the habit (of tobacco use); in fact, there are several prominent concerns here that will not employ cigarette smokers."

      

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Fox River
Chgo St Bridge
Chgo Bridge at night
Kimball  Bridge
Walton Island
Pumping Station
Elgin Nat'l 
Watch Co.
West & Front Wing
Noon at Factory
The Main Entrance
National House
Elgin Watchmakers College
Il. Watch 
Case Factory
Eppenstein's Home
Observatory
N. Y. World's Fair
My Elgin's All Right
Parks
Gifford Park
Veteran Monument
Lord's Park
Scenic View
Upper Lake
Band Stand
Audubon Museum
Pavilion At Night
Pavilion in Wintertime
Bear Pit
Trout Park
Trout Park  Amusement Park
Sulfur  Springs
(Wing Park)
Pavilion,
Wing Park
Swimming Pool
Band Concert
(Wing Park)
Weldwood Country Club
Central Park
Bridge over Tyler Creek
Windmill on Aurora Elgin RR
Hotels
Kelley Hotel
Hotel Fosgate
Fox Hotel
Misc.
Dairy Cows
Interurban
 Hiawatha
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Other Elgins
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Elgin Oregon
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