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 centre; by the 1920s, however, the industry had declined dramatically. In 1865 the Elgin Milk Condensing Company was opened by Gail Borden; it was 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 is the site of Elgin Academy, a college preparatory school chartered in 1839. Also in Elgin are Judson University (Baptist; 1963) and Elgin Community College (1949). The city has a symphony orchestra, theatre groups, and a natural history museum. Inc. town, 1846; city, 1854. Pop. (2000) 94,487; (2010) 108,188.