Welcome!
The Gifford Park Association (GPA) is a not-for-profit organization that was founded in 1979. The goal of GPA is the revitalization, enhancement and preservation of Elgin’s Historic homes and public buildings with a focus in the Elgin Historic District.
The neighborhood is located in the oldest portions of the city of Elgin, Illinois, and is oddly shaped and roughly bound by Park Street on the north, Center Street/Villa Court on the west, Villa Street on the south, and Liberty Street on the east. Click here for a map of the neighborhood boundaries.
GPA has made great strides in preserving Elgin’s Historic past and actively works to continue that effort. Our members are enthusiastic and proud to show off both their own homes and those of others. Hence, Elgin’s Historic House Tour began in 1981. Now in its 39th year, the house tour attendance averages 1,500 people annually. Elgin rallies behind this event every year as all of our GPA members, city officials, and residents gather together to make this one of Elgin’s finest events.
Upcoming Events and Meetings
GPA GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
No general membership meeting in December. Next meeting is 7pm January 20, 2022 at the Elgin History Museum.
We are still looking for volunteers to fill the following positions: President, Vice President, At Large 2, Secretary, and Treasurer. We would love to have some of our newer members become involved in the inner workings of the GPA!
Meetings are held on the third Thursday of every month, at 360 Park Street, second floor, at 7:00 pm. General Membership meetings are open to the public. Non-members (and future members) are welcome! Come to learn what's happening in the neighborhood and build some community.
GPA COMMITTEE MEETING
Three committees will be meeting on January 6, 2022: Historic District Committee, Membership Committee, and Publicity Committee. Please join us if you would like to participate in any of these committees! Meeting will be at 7pm at Elgin Public House.
HOUSE TOUR KICK-OFF MEETING
Monday, January 31, 2022 at 7pm the Elgin History Museum. Want to be a part of one of Elgin's signature events? Attend this meeting as we start the planning process for 2022.
Become A Member
Membership in GPA lets you tap into a large network of owners and renovators, a chance to salvage architectural elements for your own home, and a subscription to the GPA Gazette with articles, news and tips for working on your home – and a chance to meet, converse, volunteer, learn, educate and socialize with other old-house people.
Newsworthy
Click here to view a video showing 40 years of projects by the Gifford Park Associaton
Click here to view a video on YouTube of a Jerry Turnquist summer 2014 walking tour of the Holy Hill area of the Elgin Historic District.
Click here to view a video of 25 years of preservation in Elgin.
Click here to view a video on the history of the Elgin Watch Factory depot.
Housewalk
Newsletters
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Video on 25 years of preservation in Elgin
David C. Cook, the man his business and his home
GPA wins Image award for the Housewalk
180 S. Channing recently sold and the Saga of Grand View
An Elgin Painted Lady revisited
Recent unveilings in the neighborhood
View Changes in the Historic District
Courier article about the Painted Ladies contest
An amazing honor for Elgin's old houses
There is an Egyptian hiding in Elgin
Historic American Building Survey house in Elgin
History of the Watch Factory Depot
Facebook
Tonight's Membership Committee Meeting has been rescheduled to 1/6/22. See a full schedule of upcoming meetings at gpaelgin.org
This was a great event last year - I loved having the addresses of where to go rather than just driving around! Register your house for a chance to win prizes. I bet there will be a few in our neighborhood!
Today, I'm thinking about access to art...![]()
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When Side Street Studio Arts closed due to Covid, Tanner and I looked around and thought, "let's get these art supplies out to our students." We started bagging them up and delivering them to the homes of the families who were no longer able to attend classes at Side Street. VERY QUICKLY, this initiative gained the attention of families needing these supplies for both creative fun and school work, and thanks to support of groups like the Logan Foundation, Elgin Cultural Arts Commission, School District U-46, Gifford Park Association, Elgin Knit Works, Elgin Public House, and many more, as well as numerous volunteers, who bagged and delivered kits around the area, we were able to reach over 10,000 individuals within 10 miles of our downtown Elgin location. Our Free Brown Bag Art Kit program grew beyond anything we could have imagined from our first thought of "we don't want our art supplies to just sit on the shelf."![]()
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Delivering these art kits took us to parts of Elgin I hadn't been to in years, from east to west. They became a daily reminder that we need to continue to work to meet our community where they are and work harder to get access to the creative arts to all. ![]()
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Because of these art kits, we invested in our Side Street Art Mobile (SSAM). Our beautiful SSAM can bring Side Street programming anywhere! And, we purchased our art van, which now allows us to help when a transportation need may be keeping an artist from coming to class.![]()
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Your #givingTuesday donation of any size, helps to art to our community and our community to art!![]()
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Donate HERE: www.facebook.com/donate/640013753854041/![]()
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Or, HERE: www.sidestreetstudioarts.org/donate![]()
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#supportlocalart #supportlocalartists #makestuff #downtownElgin
The minutes from the November 18, 2021 meeting are available. Have a relaxing Thanksgiving! conta.cc/3nRsTR3
