Elgin History Quiz

This is a somewhat challenging quiz that I put together on Elgin history. This quiz will be difficult and you probably will not get all of the answers correct, but I hope that you will learn something about Elgin that you didn't know before.

How well do you know your Elgin History? Do you have what it takes to complete this extensive survey about the history of one of the oldest cities in Illinois? This survey covers over 170 years of Elgin history. Good luck.

Created by:
  1. When was Elgin founded? (be careful)
  2. Who founded the City of Elgin?
  3. What happened on March 20, 1920
  4. What mode of transportation was introduced to Elginites in 1878?
  5. How many downtown buildings were razed to make way for the Civic Center Plaza in the 1960's?
  6. The largest theater ever built in Elgin had a seating capacity of about 1,600. Which theater is this referring to?
  7. What was the Elgin Tower Building originally called?
  8. In 1912, how many movie theaters were operating in Elgin?
  9. When was the Elgin National Watch Company established?
  10. Elgin's oldest existing structure was built in what year?
  11. Elgin native Max Adler is noted for what?
  12. When Elgin was founded, it was located in which county?
  13. Which of these was invented in Elgin?
  14. Elgin native William H. Cloudman is noted for what?
  15. Who is Gail Borden?
  16. What architectural style is the Elgin Tower Building built in?
  17. What was the name of Elgin's first movie theater?
  18. Who was Elgin's first mayor?
  19. Who is W. W. Abell?
  20. Which of these movies were partially filmed in Elgin?
  21. What is the Columbia Block on Grove Ave. named after?
  22. Elgin's first mayor, Joseph Tefft, was also Elgin's first what?
  23. The worlds first _______ was built at Trout Park on the city's northeast side? fill in the blank.
  24. How many museums are there in Elgin?
  25. On May 12, 1908, Elgin Fire Marshall David W. Sharp died from injuries he sustained when a _________ collapsed on top him. Fill in the blank.
  26. Who visited Elgin in October 1960?
  27. A ship that patrolled the European seas during World War II was named after Elgin. What was the name of the ship?
  28. What year was Elgin High School established?
  29. When was the Elgin Fire Department established?
  30. What street used to be known as Milwaukee Street?
  31. How many fire stations served Elgin between 1903 and 2005?
  32. How many fire stations currently serve Elgin?
  33. About how many Elgin watches were produced by the Elgin National Watch Company?
  34. What massive/forgotten event happened in Elgin in 1874?
  35. In 1849, the first steam train pulled into Chicago, that same year, it was the first to pull into Elgin. What was the name of the steam engine?
  36. What Elgin landmark burned to the ground in December of 1956?
  37. When was Elgin incorporated?
  38. The Chicago, Aurora, and Elgin Railroad once connected with what?
  39. As of the 2006 population estimates, how many people lived in Elgin?
  40. What was Elgin named after?

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