First Universalist Church
June 25th, 2007If you were wondering where that “For Sale” sign went, according to documents posted on the door, the First Universalist Church is now set to become the Iglesia Principe de Paz. Thus end my dreams for an Elgin Lyceum, where we could hear great chamber music, attend poetry readings and public lectures and speeches in an acoustically-superb in-the-round auditorium. Oh well. Congratulations to the Iglesia Principe de Paz–I think they were previously located just next door to it, and I hope that they will undertake a renovation consistent with the building’s historic status.
Hey isn’t this the building shaped like a watch?
Posted June 25th, 2007 at 1:27 pmYes. And not just any watch, an Elgin Watch! It’s beautiful.
Posted June 25th, 2007 at 2:23 pmIm shared a similar dream for the pocket watch building. What a wonderful cultural center a Lyceum would have been. And located so close to the crisis center, it could have been a place for women to venture into the workplace. I pictured comfy chairs to read or listen to inspiring music and poetry, books everywhere and coffee and danish. A perfect place to while away an afternoon or evening….sigh…
Posted September 10th, 2007 at 4:24 pmHi Jen,
Thanks for leaving a comment. I was thinking about this the other day, and I thought well, for many years that building was basically closed to the public. But now at least, as a church, it should be pretty much open to anyone who wants to walk in there, and it can probably be booked for many events like classical music.
Conceivably it could be the venue for a chamber music series, something we don’t get much of in Elgin, which is unfortunate because one of the greatest quartets in the world is based in Dekalb and can probably be induced to sign on to a series, since it would make them more accessible to the more populous areas of Chicagoland (Dekalb is sort of remote and Chicago is far; Elgin is in the middle and would be convenient for them to travel to). I’m talking about the Vermeer Quartet, of course (After hearing their live performance of the Beethoven opus 132 my life seems more or less complete…).
It could be a great concert space. We just need the Seigles to donate another grand piano…
And we have to make sure the building’s owners renovate it in an architecturally and historically-sensitive manner. I would imagine the heritage commission or whoever is keeping a close eye on the renovation process.
Posted September 11th, 2007 at 2:42 pmCan someone tell me when this church was built? I believe my Grandmother, born 1893, and her Father, Leon Hosmer Potter, were members; and she was likely married there circa 1916 or 1917. She & my Grandfather moved to Toledo OH and joined the Untarian Church.
Posted June 30th, 2008 at 5:01 pmMike Alft’s Elgin: An American History dates it to 1892. You can check out the reference online at ElginHistory.com in Chapter V “Boom and Panic.”
Posted July 1st, 2008 at 7:15 pm