All jewelry all newly listed all pocket watches all wrist watches american waltham ball e. The elgin national watch company observatory is a historic building in elgin, in the u. The elgin national watch company was founded in 1864 in elgin, illinois as the national watch company, and some of the organizers were later to become the some of the biggest names in the american watch industry. The rich history of the elgin national watch company originally the national watch co. Howard elgin national hamilton hampden illinois other pocket watches rockford south bend. The company sold watches under the names elgin, lord elgin, and lady elgin. Elgin equipment group companies manufacture equipment for a wide range of industrys. Elgin national watch company production dates by serial number. Elgin was first in 1960 with a railroad approved wrist watch.
Read about the efforts of mr john walker barriger iii and mr jack pugh in modernizing the railroad. As of 2018, the city had an estimated population of 111,683, making it the eighthlargest city in illinois. Mason, with financial backing from former chicago mayor benjamin w. Max and solomon eppenstein founded the company in 1886. Its been a while since we have added to the site but dont worry, we have been busy building a delorean to travel back to 1864 and find some undiscovered coverage and details from the start of national watch company that is sure to impress. All content is posted anonymously by employees working at elgin national industries. Vintage and antique elgin pocket watches collectors weekly. Introducing elgins 100th anniverasry line that was never released in 1964. The elgin national watch company was founded in 1864 in elgin, illinois as the national watch company. Production year approximate date the movement of a watch is produced. As of 20102014, the total elgin population is 588, which has shrunk 10. The mission of the elgin theatre company is to produce a broad range of theatrical presentations of the highest possible quality. A few years later after producing about 20,000 cases the firm was lured to elgin by the offer to assist with a building and by the land upon which.
Factory records differ from yeartoyear and factorytofactory. Elgin, city, kane and cook counties, northeastern illinois, u. Elgin pocket watches were an icon of american pocket watch production in the 20th century and reflect the massive progress of the age with durable yet elegant designs. About the elgin national watch company waterstone watches. It was the genuine, audacious, selfreliant western spirit.
We serve cookies our website uses cookies, which help us to improve our site and enables us to deliver the best possible service and customer experience, as well as to provide social media features. Elgin pocket watch sale old vintage, antique elgin. With operations in the united states, australia, china, india. New taiwan dollar 10,000,001 50,000,000 main product main export market. Elgin national watch company serial number, elgin pocket watch. Founded in chicago in 1864, the then national watch company was developed out of a consortium of local business leaders. Max and solomon eppenstein continued to make cases as the illinois watchcase company until the 1940s. In 1838 a dam was built on the river, and soon several mills were in operation. If youve always wanted to own a piece of functional american history, without breaking the bank, then a wrist or pocket watch from the elgin national watch company may just be exactly what youve been looking for. For this reason, many factory production dates are approximate. Some business decisions involving the manufacturing level were made without using the input of first line. Located roughly 35 mi 56 km northwest of chicago, it lies along the fox river.
The company developed their first movement in 1867 and named it in honor of the company president b. Elgin was founded in 1835 by james talcott gifford, a settler from new york, and named for a scottish hymn. Adams, chicago watchmaker and timekeeper for the railroad serving the chicago area, along with benjamin w. This is the elgin national industries company profile. For nearly 100 years the companys manufacturing complex in elgin, illinois, was the largest site dedicated to watchmaking in the world. About 50 years later, when watch companies started selling cased watches, enwco went out and bought the wadsworth watch case company of kentucky, even though it might. Bounded by villa, center park, north liberty, and south channing streets. Elgin serves the following industries through a global network of dealers. Plaintiff has a trademark elgin which was registered in the united states patent office on. The elgin national watch company, commonly known as elgin watch company, was a major us watch maker from 1864 to 1968. It lies on the fox river, about 40 miles 65 km northwest of downtown chicago. As of 20102014, the total elgin population is 110,906, which has grown 17. Elgin national watch company, elgin, illinois rails west. A brief overview of the history of the elgin national watch company, from founding.
In 1874, the national watch company officially changed its name to the elgin national watch company. Elgin community college ecc located in elgin, il, offers high quality technical, career, adult education, distance learning, advanced degree opportunities and facility rental services. The elgin national watch company and the illinois watch case company are not sister companies, they didnt even always get along very well. In 1874 the name was changed elgin national watch company. Just south of elgins downtown is the section of town most closely associated with the elgin national watch company. Elgin illinois watch case company of elgin and elgin.
But right from the start folks referred to the new products as watches from elgin, or elgin watches. Little league international has announced a suspension of all league activities until at least may 11 and illinois has extended that to the end of may. Elgin national watch company how is elgin national watch. It was built in 1910 to serve the elgin national watch. This opens a new chapter in elgins watch production that.
Elgin is driven to turn the basic capital equipment procurement. Magazine1873 national elgin watch almanac, july, 1869, excerpts from etc. Raymond, past chicago mayor and member of the board of directors of the chicago and galena union railroad, promoted the construction of a watch factory in the west. The house of wonders 1931 the elgin watch company duration. Elgin national watch company elgin, illinois suggest new definition. Elgin street sweeper products utilize all variations of todays street sweeping technology mechanical broom street sweepers, vacuum street sweepers, and regenerative air street sweepers, and now waterless dust control street sweepers, alternatively fueled street sweepers, and high efficiency filtration. Suit by the elgin national watch company against the elgin razor.
Industrial film depicting the elgin watch factory in elgin, illinois, and showing each step in the making of an elgin watch. As of this uploading, absolutely no information about this film is known. Elgin national watch company how is elgin national watch company abbreviated. Shop forand learn aboutvintage and antique elgin pocket watches. Ben model silent film accompanisthistorian 52,830 views 23. National register properties city of elgin, illinois. Select your category below for a more detailed equipment listing from elgin separation solutions solids separation, elgin power solutions, and elgin separation solutions liquid solid separation.
Elgin national watch historic district city of elgin. Elgin national watch company in the spring of 1864 half a dozen ambitious chicago businessmen decided that if massachusetts could build a factory that built watches illinois could, too. The first watch elgin made, an 18 sized b w raymond railroad grade watch, was finished in 1867 and over the next 100 years, they went on to produce about 60 million watches. In 1968, all us manufacturing was discontinued and the rights to the name. A quick history of the elgin national watch company elgin was founded in 1864, right as the civil war was coming to an end. The company was established in chicago in 1886 and, within a few years, moved to elgin, il. Elgin national watch company observatory wikipedia. Real news reliable news elgins number one local news source. Potawatomi indians were early inhabitants of the region.
As one of the few true american watch manufacturers, the elgin national watch company produced around 60 million watches over the course of its 100year history, making it the largest american watch manufacturer in terms of total production volume. Elgin watches, some of the most indemand antique watches in the market today, are a perennial favorite among watch collectors. You may have noticed a new addition on the menu nwco, this will cover the years 1864 1874. Elgin watches serial numbers elgin national watch company. The company established in 1864 and built its factory on a 35acre site on the east bank of the fox river just south of downtown.
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