Bungalows & Blooms Tour – July 24 July 19th, 2010
Elgin is well-known for its Painted Ladies, but in the 1920’s a new style of house began sweeping the nation–the Craftsman Bungalow. First developed in California, the Craftsman Bungalow was 1 to 1-1/2 stories high, with a low pitched roof with a wide, unenclosed eave overhang, and a full or partial width front porch. The Southwest Area Neighborhood has a stunning collection of Craftsman Bungalows plus several gardens which we, once more, invite you to see.
Please join us for Part Two of our Bungalows & Blooms Walking Tour this coming Saturday, July 24, at 9:30 AM. We will meet in the driveway of 626 Orange St. on the corner of Orange and Gertrude. Parking is on both sides of Gertrude and on the north side of Orange. We will visit 27 bungalows–exterior only–plus 5 extra gardens from Wabash to Orchard this time. It is a little over a mile long and will take approximately 1 -1 1/2 hours to complete. There will be more “jerkinhead gable roofs” and “piano windows” to see. As last time, a booklet telling about the architectural features of the houses and the historical information of the first owners will be furnished. This is a joint effort of SWAN and the Elgin History Museum.
Jennifer Fritz-Williams, Historic Preservation Specialist with the City of Elgin and Pat Hill, neighborhood resident and bungalow owner, will lead the tours.
Tickets are $5 and may be purchased the day of the tour.
Bungalows & Blooms Tour on May 15 May 7th, 2010
SWAN and the Elgin History Museum will present a walking tour of some of the bungalows and gardens that make SWAN a wonderful place to live. Join us on Saturday, May 15 at 12:30 PM at Zion Lutheran Church (330 Griswold Street).
See the “Bungalow Belts” on Orange Street and Morgan Street that contain Chicago Bungalows, and Sears Bungalows on Orange and Oak Streets. What are the characteristics that make a bungalow? What decorative features are unique to bungalows? There are 7 different types of bungalows, defined by roof type and all are present in the Southwest neighborhood. Architectural specialist Sarosh Saher will be your guide.
Tickets are $5 each and can be purchased the day of the tour.
Hats off to the Preservation Committee for organizing a spectacular tour!
Mayor’s Awards on May 13 April 22nd, 2010
The Mayor’s Awards Presentation will be onThursday, May 13. A Dessert Reception begins at 7:00 pm, with the Presentation of Awards beginning at 7:30.
SWAN will receive 12 more Historic Plaques to display on our beautiful historic houses, plus 3 more Awards for our neighborhood. Dawn Hartney will be presented an award for leading our group in putting together our Sears Trolley Tour last May and Kathy Moore and Stacy Reynolds will each receive awards for their outstanding efforts in recruiting neighbors to have their houses researched and plaqued.
Everyone is invited. Let’s support our winners and our neighborhood!
Join Us to Plant Some Trees April 16th, 2010
Just before Earth Day, join SWAN”s Preservation Committee as we spend a beautiful Saturday planting trees at Burnidge Woods. We’ll meet at noon on Saturday, April 17 and should be done by 3 PM. The city has selected this site for new trees near the new Sherman Hospital.
To reach the site, head west on Big Timber, and then turn turn right (north) onto Lyle. Then, you make an immediate left onto Monday Dr. You can park near the corner of Monday and Banks.
We hope to see you there!
May is Preservation Month – Mark your Calendars! March 17th, 2010
Once again, May will be Preservation Month in Elgin. SWAN will be hosting our first-ever Bungalow Walk on May 15, and there will be many other activities throughout the city, including:
More details will be available in the coming weeks.
To get involved with SWAN’s Bungalow Walk, contact Pat Hill.
Elgin’s downtown windows center of holiday action October 8th, 2009
Daily Herald Report
The Downtown Neighborhood Association of Elgin invites individuals, families, organizations, and businesses to sign up to decorate a window or organize an activity for downtown Elgin’s 11th annual Window Wonderland event. Daylong activities and judging of windows will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12.
Elgin to use federal money for 12 homes for the poor September 26th, 2009
In a market flooded with foreclosures, Elgin leaders hope energy-efficient furnaces and appliances, along with tankless water heaters, will tip the balance in their favor.
Elgin updates plans to buy, rehab foreclosed homes September 26th, 2009
ELGIN — The Elgin City Council on Wednesday evening revisited fine-tuning plans to buy foreclosed homes with $2.1 million from the federal government’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program.
Historic district status on the decline? September 26th, 2009
ELGIN – The house at 155 S. Gifford St. is the former home of Increase Bosworth, one of the city’s early residents.
“It was lovely mansion,” said Bill Briska, Elgin historian and president of the city’s heritage commission. “But then it was turned into a slum, a boarding house with five units.”
Preservation a hallmark of life in Elgin September 19th, 2009
There are a lot of reasons why I have been drawn to the Fox Valley and its largest northern Kane County city, Elgin. The first and foremost reason for my appreciation of Elgin is its immensely successful efforts at historical preservation.