Elgin Public Museum

This museum was built in 1906 to display the natural history collection of G.P. Lord. I don’t think a thing has been changed since, which is what gives the museum its charm. It isn’t large and in fact, as far as I could tell, the historical charm is the only reason to visit.

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Passenger Pigeon

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This cast of a dinosaur head and foot are in the children’s room. I can’t explain the eyes, but they work for me.

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Nobody was around when I toured the musuem. I thought I’d add a bit of color to the historical diorama that depicts the moment in 1681 when the explorer La Salle and Father Membre entered the Illiniwek camp. The friendly explorer offers a peace pipe and the equally-friendly chief offers him a chair. How nice.

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The Lords Park Zoo, such as it is, is next to the museum. It was a hot, muggy day as I wandered around the perimeter of the entire zoo which, if I counted correctly, consists of seven elk, three deer and two bison.

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