Elgin, IL: State Mental Health Center (Hospital) Heating Plant

It is interesting how the name has changed over the decades to be more politically correct. I see Google has it labeled as "Illinois Department of Human Services."

Mark Llanuza posted
One the second to the last coal empties going back to the IC Railroad interchange at Coleman Jct at South Elgin IL 1973 heads south coming back from the ILLinois State Hospital going past the Fox River Museum in South Elgin IL.

I had trouble locating the Mental Health Center, even though it is big, because the 2005 SPV Map showed it leaving the Aurora, Elgin & Fox River near the current trolley museum rather than where it switched to streetcar running on State Street. And not only have the buildings changed a lot since 1939, the streets have changed. I start with the 1939 aerial to find the track. The SPV Map indicated the branch went west, then north, then curved back east. That is consistent with what I saw on the aerial view. Note the powerhouse has only one smokestack back then.

1939 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

Today, we can still find a land scar of the track.

Satellite

Andrea R.

According to Historic Aerials, there was still just one smokestack in 1946. But in 1953 we see the two smokestacks that are still standing today.

Satellite

A topo map labeled the interurban line north of the IC connection as STATE HOSPITAL RR.

1949 Geneva Quad @ 24,000 via Dennis DeBruler

These comments on that topo map are relevant to these notes:

Comments on a post

They have also added a centralized cooling function.