Monday, May 10, 2010

Highland Games in 1896, Held in Elgin, Illinois. 2010 Games Held in Oak Brook, IL on June 18 & 19

“The clans of Scotland will make merry today at Trout Park, near Elgin. Scotland’s day will be celebrated there by all the Scottish societies in the city, and part of the proceeds will be given to the Old People’s Home of the Illinois St. Andrew’s Society. The famous games of Scotland and America will be participated in by the best athletes. Famous champions will enter for the great tug-of-war, and bicycle races for men and women will take place on an excellent track. An excellent dancing pavilion has been provided and will be supplied with music by a band of fifteen pieces. A platform, 20X40 feet, especially built for this occasion on top of the highest peak, and viewed from a grand stand capable of holding thousands of people, will give everyone an exceptional opportunity of witnessing a fine exhibition of dancing, in which 500 Highland lassies in full Highland costume will take part. Four bands will supply music for the merrymakers, and twenty of the finest pipers in the land will enter the contest for bagpipe music. All the crack cadet companies of the city have already entered to contest for the $500 cup, offered by the societies. The Black Watch Forty-second Highlanders, in full Highland costume, will appear for the first time in public and act as guard of honor for the great occasion. Three hundred prominent Illinois Scottish-Americans will act as a Reception committee. The procession will start from the Lake-front for the Wells street depot at 8:30 A.M.” There follows a list of the twelve organizations in the procession, including “Women of Societies in Carriages.” The Chicago and Northwestern railroad ran special trains every half hour from the Wells and Kinzie street depot. William Gardner, president of the Illinois St. Andrew’s Society was also the president of the Central Council of Scottish Societies of Chicago that sponsored the event.

Chicago Daily Tribune
August 1, 1896

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