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Message:: [QUOTE="leeg, post: 3882591, member: 17073"][ATTACH=full]1025486[/ATTACH] June 18, 1935: About 25,000 people watch the Elgin centennial parade. — Tribune archive photo, Chicago Tribune, Sept. 18, 2014.     “Frank B. Perkins, one of Elgin’s few surviving veterans of the Civil war, is the man who launched the enterprise that has become the Elgin Centennial Association, under whose auspices the city begins tomorrow to celebrate its hundredth birthday.     Mr. Perkins, who came to Elgin in 1856 from Barrington Center to attend the Elgin Academy, and has made it his home ever since, first broached the idea in a letter to Joseph C. Spiess, then president of the Elgin Association of Commerce, in 1931. Mr. Spiess called a meeting at the Union League club on Nov. 10, 1931, and the first discussion was had.     Present at this meeting were A. J. Durand, named by Mr. Spiess as chairman of the committee to get the project underway, Mrs. W. P. Topping, Franck H. McDonald, Will D. Kimball, Harry D. Hemmens, Mr. Perkins and Mr. Spiess.     The committee decided to begin the collection of historical data, and to interest other citizens, with a view to forming a permanent organization when the time should be deemed opportune.     The next formal session was at the Association of Commerce offices on Nov. 4, 1932. Present were Mr. Durand, Mrs. Flossie McBride Parkin, Miss Wilderdean Gillilan, Mrs. Topping, Mrs. E. R. Davery, Earl R. Shopen, Lawrence M. McNerney, Samuel Rahn, R. Eaton Fedou, William H. Brady, Frank H. McDonald, Will D. Kimball, Trygve Rovelstad and H. G. Lawrence, secretary of the Association of Commerce.     At this meeting Attorneys McNerney and Shopen were appointed to draft incorporation papers, and Mr. McNerney was named vice-chairman, in view of Mr. Durand’s impending absence from Elgin, Mr. Rovelstad’s plan to erect a memorial statue honoring Elgin’s pioneers was promised moral support, but the meeting expressly disclaimed any financial responsibility for it. It was decided to build the cabin at Villa and Fulton sts.     On Jan. 30, 1933, the Elgin 1935 Centennial Assn. was formally chartered as a corporation not for profit. Several meetings were held I February and March, at which a constitution and by-laws were drafted and adopted, and further organization steps taken. Incorporation costs were borne by the Association of Commerce.     On March 27, 1933, directors were elected as follows: Lawrence M. McNerney, Earl R. Shopen, W. D. Kimball, Mrs. W. P. Topping, A. J. Durand, R. Eaton Fedou and Alfred H. Kirland. Mr. McNerney was elected president, Mr. Shopen first vice-president, Mr. Durand second vice-president, Mrs. Topping secretary, and Mr. Kimball treasurer. These officers and directors are still in office. An advisory committee of 100 citizens of Elgin was named and has been of great assistance in carrying the project through.     After the question of a suitable program for the Centennial celebration had been discussed at several meetings a pageant of some of the outstanding events in Elgin’s history was decided upon. On Feb. 15, 1935, the Centennial Association entered into a contract with the John B. Rogers company of Fostoria, O., which has been producing pageants for more than a quarter of a Century, and the detailed work of arranging the celebration has been under way for about three months.”1 1 The Elgin Courier-News, Perkins Fostered Idea That Led to Elgin Celebration, Saturday, June 15, 1935. Much more to follow.[/QUOTE]

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