May 1 – 28, 2026

Did you know Elgin once set the national price for butter through the Elgin Board of Trade? Or that Gail Borden Public Library is named for the inventor of condensed milk? At the Dairies to Prairies Display at the Main Library, presented in partnership with the Elgin History Museum, visitors can discover how dairies shaped Elgin’s past and how those same lands are now part of ongoing efforts to restore native prairies to the region. 

Dairies to Prairies Screening  

Main Library Meadows Community Rooms 

Wednesday, 5/27 6:30 pm 

Enjoy a screening of the Dairies to Prairies documentary and explore the nearly forgotten story of Elgin’s first major industry, dairy and how land use and agriculture are rapidly changing in Kane County. Attendees will also have the opportunity to view highlights from the newly digitized Elgin Dairy Reports. 

Register here.

Supported in part by an award from the Illinois State Historical Records Advisory Board, through funding from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, National Archives and Records Administration. 

 Visit the Elgin History Museum for more adventures into Elgin's past!

This documentary film and traveling exhibit is created by The Elgin History Museum and Grindstone Productions.