As former Elburn resident and poet Donald G. Westlake titles his book of poems about Elburn, "44 Miles to Chicago," that's just where Elburn sits in southwestern Kane County as measured by tracks of the Chicago and North Western Railroad. It is the railroad that is an important part of Elburn's history, as well as responsible for the village's name.
 Elburn was originally known as Blackberry when William Lance arrived in 1835 arrived with a wagon and eight oxen, his family, and belongings. The Lance's built a log cabin on Johnson's Mound. By 1842, the land was going for $1.25 an acre and by 1848, records show "the land was all taken up." By 1860 the first school was built for 200 students, classes previously were being held in private homes.
The name "E1bum" came about when the first Blackberry Village Board met October 18,1881. The name Blackberry was changed to Melbourne. However, the C&NW Railroads informed the folks of Melbourne that there were too many Melbournes on the line, so the name would have to be changed to eliminate confusion. A committee got together and came up with the name Elbourne. Research showed there was no other Elbourne in the entire world, so the committee felt they would be okay with the railroad. And they were. Besides, Elbourne had meaning. "El" meant great or mighty. Bourne, or burn, was Scottish for a small stream. By 1886, the name had been rearranged to "Elburn" by the Board, who had their first Village Board meeting on November 10,1886 in the Village Town Hall that was built for $3,500.
This Town Hall was used for public events including the first high school graduation which spawned two graduates. In 1887, on July 4, it was voted to buy the first fire engine -a horse and cart -for $965. By August, 1887, the village had sunk four wells. And, in 1898, the townsfolk spent $700 to sink a well for waterworks, followed by a bond referendum that passed in 1900 for $7,000 to build a waterworks with pipes and mains.
In recent times, the '90s brought boomtown to Elburn. The Village added subdivisions on all sides and the industrial park grew beyond all expectations. A subdivision was added to the southeast side of Route 38 and 47 and Elburn joined suburbia with condominiums.
With the removal of an old restaurant/gas station--once thought to be one of AI Capone's hideaways--a new AMOCO station was built at the intersection of Routes 38 and 47.
In 1998, Elburn joined the big time with it's first McDonald's on the southeast corner of Routes 38 and 47. The Village government moved into a new building on North Street, and a new library , across from the Village Hall, is in the process of being built in 1999. New post office opened in 1999. The railroad will again play an important part in Elburn when commuters will have access to trains for the 44 mile trip to Chicago.
|