$251,135Average Value$176Average Price per Sq Ft1Home For Sale
Elgin National Watch Historic District has timeless charm
The Elgin National Watch Historic District had one of the largest watchmaking facilities in the world. The Elgin National Watch Company closed in the 1960s, but its legacy remains in the neighborhood. Points of interest here include the Victorian-style watch factory depot and an observatory once used to set the watches. The observatory now belongs to the local school district, which occasionally opens the building for night sky shows. The company also sparked the construction of many cottages, which today appeal to buyers seeking affordability and historic charm. “Overall, it’s a wonderful district to walk around in and enjoy the historic architecture,” says Christen Sundquist, the City of Elgin’s historic preservation planner. “There’s a lot of potential for purchasing an affordable house that could go to the next level.” Along with its history, this neighborhood is within 1 mile of destinations like a riverfront park, the Grand Victoria Casino riverboat and a downtown with a vibrant dining scene.
Homes include bungalows, Italianates and Colonial Revivals
The district is a dense neighborhood, where homes line two-lane roads with sidewalks. Many homes in the neighborhood were built between the Victorian era and World War II, and the city supports efforts to bring out its houses’ historic character. “The city offers historic rehabilitation grants for any work [homeowners] want to do on the exterior of their properties to bring back historic features that might have been removed,” Sundquist says. Styles here include Craftsman bungalows, Italianates, Colonial Revivals and American Foursquares. Gablefront homes, common across the Midwest, make up some of the other options. Homes mainly sell from about $200,000 to $310,000. The neighborhood’s median sale price is about $268,000, lower than Chicago’s $375,000 and Elgin’s $350,000.
Students may attend South Elgin schools
Huff Elementary School covers the area and receives a C from Niche. Students may then attend Kenyon Woods Middle and South Elgin High. The middle school gets a B, while the high school receives a B-plus. The high school’s athletics include a boys baseball team that won a sectional title in 2025. Other athletic activities include girls flag football, which is still a relatively new sport in Illinois. Nearby private options include St. Mary School, which serves kindergarten to eighth grade.
The district offers several Latin cuisine options
The neighborhood has several restaurants and shops representing Elgin’s prominent Latin dining scene. La Casa Del Pollo Asado is popular for its grilled chicken, but also serves other Mexican staples and homestyle salsas. Osmery Taste offers Venezuelan cuisine, while Las Mangonadas Premium serves desserts like paletas, ice cream cookies and churro sundaes. In addition to having more Latin restaurants, downtown Elgin has several cafes and staples for classic American, Middle Eastern and Japanese fare. The Dream Hall is a downtown food court serving a mix of those options. “Downtown has a wide variety of restaurant types,” Sundquist says. “Which is wonderful.” The neighborhood’s Clock Tower Plaza has the Butera Market grocery store, but residents may find more options by traveling about 2 miles north to ALDI and Jewel-Osco.
Recreation includes trails, playgrounds and a splash pad
Kiwanis Park provides a small recreational and gathering space with its playground, short walking path and pavilion. Festival Park has a larger playground, a few rounded climbing structures and a vast tree-lined field used for events like the annual Love On The Lawn music festival on Labor Day weekend. During the summer, many play on the splash pad, where fountains shoot directly from the ground. The park gives runners and cyclists access to the Fox River Trail, a more than 40-mile path that runs along the waterway of the same name.
Events include summer movie series and firefighter memorials
Festival Park is one of the locations used for Elgin’s Movies in the Park, a series offering free weekly showings from June to August. The events involve various activities before each showing. For “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle,” for example, there was a rock climbing wall and ax throwing. In May, the Elgin Fire Barn No. 5 Museum hosts a memorial service for fallen firefighters.
Commuters can access the Pace Bus and U.S. 20
Residents who don’t drive may ride the Pace Bus. The neighborhood is just north of U.S. Highway 20, which commuters can take to Chicago, 40 miles east. The district is 25 miles west of Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, one of the region’s hubs for commercial flights. Located 5 miles west, the 184-bed Saint Joseph Hospital’s services include emergency, cancer and heart care.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
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Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime
Elgin National Watch Historic District
US
Homicide
3
4
Sexual Assault
7
4
Assault with Weapon
5
4
Robbery
5
4
Burglary
5
4
Motor Vehicle Theft
5
4
Larceny
6
4
Crime Score
5
4
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Elgin National Watch Historic District Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Elgin National Watch Historic District, Elgin sell after 62 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in Elgin National Watch Historic District, Elgin over the last 12 months is $265,000, up 6% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Charming 3-bedroom, 1-bath, 1.5-story home in Elgin, ready for your personal touches and updates! This property offers great potential with a functional layout and plenty of character. Perfect opportunity for investors or homeowners looking to add value and make it their own.
Rivers Landing Apartments is located in Elgin, Illinois near shopping, transportation, restaurants and the Grand Victoria Casino. Rivers Landing Apartments offers a gated community with laundry facilities and free heat. Rivers Landing features studios, one and two bedroom apartment homes. Heat and gas included. Section 8 available. Minutes from Metra Train. Cats welcome. Restrictions apply.
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