Elgin is an Illinois city located about an hour northwest of Chicago, along the I-90 corridor. James T. and Hezekiah Gifford established the city on the banks of the Fox River in 1836. A bridge, a mill and its central location in a dairying region led to its rapid growth. First it rose to prominence as a dairy center. At one point national butter prices were set in Elgin. Later, city leaders persuaded the organizers of a watch company to locate their factory in Elgin. Elgin watches soon were sold throughout the world and brought considerabe name recognition to the city. The watch company eventually stopped making watches and the factory was demolished in the 1960s. In the early 1990s, a riverboat casino opened on the site across from the old watch factory. It's now one of the top tourist attractions in Illinois.