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Reflections of 2004 Elgin looks back on its 150th year.

Article Excerpt
Byline: Tom O'Konowitz Daily Herald Staff Writer

As far as 150th years go, Elgin's was pretty solid.

During 2004, the city celebrated its sesquicentennial in style with a fireworks show, a sock hop, and a ceremony that drew supporters and dignitaries from all over the state.

Elgin continued its downtown revitalization with the addition of upscale housing and new plans for even more luxury living, shopping and dining along the Fox River. And the city forged ahead with plans to more than double its size by expanding far to the west and allowing more than 13,000 new houses to be built.

Politics started to heat up, with an often-fractured city council making for some entertaining nights at city hall and a crush of candidates looking to oust some incumbents in the upcoming election. In addition to their own infighting in 2004, Elgin City Council members unceremoniously axed their city manager just in time for the holidays - but he'll walk away with more than just a modest stocking stuffer courtesy of Elgin taxpayers.

We had all that, some horrible crimes, tragedies and even some light-hearted fun in 2004, and all of it was chronicled in the pages of your Daily Herald. Here's a recap of some of the biggest stories from Elgin and South Elgin in 2004:

Old but vibrant

Not every birthday is quite as cool as others.

Lucky for Elgin, it had the once-in-a-lifetime chance to celebrate its 150th anniversary this year with lots of pomp and even some circumstance.

Thousands of people flocked to the Fox River the night of Feb. 28, 150 years after Elgin's incorporation, to watch the city's first-ever downtown fireworks spectacular with music and a laser show. Afterward, The Centre hosted a '60s-style sock hop with lots of leather jackets, poodle skirts and dancing reminiscent of Richie Cunningham and the rest of the "Happy Days" gang.

The celebration was more than just fun, though, as Mayor Ed Schock, city council members, volunteers and residents gathered in The Centre's Heritage Ballroom for an official commemoration of the 150th with an address by U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert, the Republican whose district covers Elgin and South Elgin.

"This is a town that upon its...

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