143 largest industrial companies in the world by 1874.8 Elgin produced such high-quality watches with advanced technology, tools, and techniques that competitors were no match. Watches were previously handmade and had to be repaired by that same craftsman, but the company was massproducing watches which was extremely successful. They were able to mass-produce watches because of the number of their employees. Around 4,500 people were working in the Elgin Watch Factory to create these watches. The population of Elgin kept growing from 5,441 in 1870 to 17,823 in 1890.9 This meant that over 80% of people were working in the factory from the early years of the company. The Elgin Company had an Observatory built in 1910 to measure time because atomic clocks were not created yet.10 The Observatory is now currently a Planetarium owned by Elgin U-46 Distract to have students get an experience with space as an interest. This all is a key major point of Elgin’s rapid development as a city. Elgin’s education also was a key factor in its growing population. School District U-46, my old home district, had its first high school in 1844, Elgin High School.11 The legislation was passed in 1851 that 8 Sexton, Jeff, The Elgin National Watch Company 9 Encyclopedia of Chicago, “Elgin, IL.” 10 Sexton, Jeff, The Elgin National Watch Company 11 U46, History of U-46 Figure 45 First Elgin High School, built in 1844. Source School District U-46.
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