Echoes of Elgin: Timeless Tales from the Elgin History Museum

Elgin residents feared Halloween Night 1898 was going to be a rough one. They feared a rash of vandalism, and they were not wrong. Tune in to this echo from October 25, 1998 to learn more about that wild night.

Vera Ava was a medium who claimed she could raise the spirits of the dead. Her travels took her from New York City to an English jail cell.  In between, she spent time in Elgin with a widow who sought spiritual advice and eventually took Vera Ava to court.  An echo from November 23, 1997 tells the tale.

Catch up on the October news items from 1897, 1922, 1947, 1972 and 1987 in this echo from October 5, 1997.

Middle-aged widow, good-looking, wealthy, tired of single life, would correspond with gentlemen; object, matrimony. Address Box 104, Elgin, IL. 

Dating was no easier back in 1907, especially when scammers were involved. Learn from someone else's mistakes in this echo from April 20, 1986.

Are you planning on driving over the Chicago Street bridge today?  This echo from November 27, 1988 should reassure you that today's bridge is perfectly safe.  It was the 5 previous bridges you had to worry about. 

Do you know about the lion who used to live in Elgin?  How about the other lion that used to live in Elgin?  No?  What about the elephant that made a memorable visit to the west side?  No?  Sounds like you had better listen to this echo from February 26, 1984 and get caught up.

This former depot site near Randall and Big Timber Roads was known for its train wrecks rather than its founder or school.  An echo from November 13, 1988 tells the details. 

Newspapers can't resist writing about colorful politicians.  True today and true from 1874 to 1927 when Mayor Arwin E. Price couldn't seem to stay out of the headlines. Listen to this echo from November 15, 1998 for the details.